HR Zone / Pace Questions
Got my 2 x 6 Begginer JOS workout done last night . . . I think I'm still battling the after effects of th 6 x 6 on Tuesday because they seemed harder than I anticipated. Legs were burning pretty good.
Question 1: I was working my tail off, legs burning, etc. but could NOT get my HR into Z4 . . . and then couldn't get it into Z3 for the remainder of the set. Same gears, same cadence, feels like I'm working really hard. Is this just an anomaly, or an indication that I'm not recovered or getting fitter (hoping the latter)?
Question 2: Particularly on the run, in the event that I'm running at the prescribed pace but its putting me below or above the applicable target zone, should I default to that pace or should I give the zone priority?
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Comments
Fist off, many of use either power/pace or HR and not both. I personally use power and pace and use HR as secondary data. I rarely, if ever, let it dictate my pace. Only if there is an extreme problem. In fact, I almost never wear a HR strap on either the bike or run. The two zones aren't really there in the Data Tool to be cross-referenced.
Question 1: This is very common. It indicates that muscular endurance is more of a limiter on the bike than cardiovascular. The more hard work you do on the bike, over time, the higher you will be able to get your HR.
Question 2: Run by pace. You earned it by testing.
Agreed with Matt on both points. If you implement the suggested training/recovery schedule, then you will probably find that your cumulative muscle fiber network will come up to speed pretty quickly and your HR will more accurately depict effort. I seem to remember, from past years of HRM experience, that it would take me about 3-4 weeks of regular training before I could accurately correlate my HR to combined cadence and gear ratios (poor man's power) on the trainer. At this point, your cardio system can support the effort, but your muscles aren't currently trained to accept the help. Keep plugging away for a few more weeks and you'll come right on track.
as a HR athlete, stick with HR... not necessarily speed or cadence. A lot of factors could have kept you from hitting your zone targets - I had issues like that last year, some days I could hit Z4 for all my sets no problem, other days I had to sit up and struggle to stay in Z3. Sleep, stress, diet, etc. factor into HR. Don't be stubborn to stick to a gear or cadence... try to get the numbers. If I had to drop to the little ring up front or drop to an easier gear in back, I did it. Often it was kind of a balancing act trying to find the right cadence with the right level of push . . . a good effort, trying to get to your zones, is better than no workout at all.