HR and watts vs. HR and run pace
Quick question here that has been bugging me for awhile. Does anybody else have similar experience or have an explanation for this? In the data tool, where my test results are entered for the run, the paces and the HR for each of the zones line up perfectly with my real life experience. So, in zone 1, running 9:15s, my heart rate is around 135 (and data tool says <139), in z2, running 8:15s, my HR is around 146 (data tool says 140-148), etc, etc.</p>
On the bike though this is a very different story. The only place my HR in real life and HR guidelines in the data tool line up is in z4-5 at around 152-155. At all other zones, my real life HR is WAY lower. In z1 the data tool says <133. My goodness, at 133 I am pushing z3 watts and dying! If I am doing z1 watts, my HR is more like 105-110. Z3 according to the data tool should be 144 or so. There is no way I can do this kind of HR for the length of time we are supposed to be riding in z3 (like 2 or 3 hours on Sundays!).</p>
I am interested to hear what people think. What is going on here? In the meantime, I am riding according to watts while on the Computrainer and according to my experienced HR at those watts outside. Should I be trying to push my HR higher (and therefore pushing more watts)?
Thanks for any insight.
----Ann.
Comments
People are always finding differences between outdoor and on-the-trainer metrics on the bike. In your case, it seems like you have no power meter for use outdoors, so you are trying to translate HR generated indoors on the trainer at specific wattages into a plan for how hard to work outdoors.
You may not want to hear this but the ideal solution would be to do an outdoors FTP test using HR as your metric, so you have the ability to compare apples to apples when training. Use the watts on the CT when doing trainer based workouts, and HR based on the outdoors FTP test when doing outdoor workouts. Most people with PMs also do an outdoor FTP test, as the numbers are often higher outdoors than inside on the trainer.
(Actually, the real ideal solution is to get a good power meter for your bike you can use both on the trainer and outdoors. But since I myself resisted doing that for 4+ years after I bought my CT, far be it from me to suggest it.)
What Al said. Very likely that your HR inside and outside, at the same watts, is very different. If you're riding outside with watts, then you need to have outside HR training zones = test outside, get your LTHR from this test (avg HR for a 40' TT) and use THIS HR to calc your bike, outside, HR training zones.
But you've been riding outside doing a lot of intervals. As yourself "if I were to TT the bike for 40', what is the HR I'd likely see on the dial for most of the test?" That number is likely good enough and you could use that as your LTHR and calc zones from there.
In the meantime, I am doing the z4/5 stuff inside before heading out - just to make sure I am doing the required "work".
Appreciate the help!
---Ann.