Training for Century, need to know how to use HR Manitor

[Veronica]

My weekday training rides with Coach Troy I push myself to stay around 85% of my max HR or higher during each set. For me that means staying around 170 - 180 bpm. I typically do two videos back to back now. But I didn't start there.

Maintaining such a high heart rate is harder to do when I ride outside. Outside is more fun, but from a training point of view, I get more from doing a video.

My long weekend rides I try to keep my heart rate below 165 bpm - 80% of my max, even when climbing. I was pretty stoked that the last time I climbed Hamilton (5 miles, 7% average grade) I averaged 165 bpm. And on Sierra Rd. (3 miles, 10% average grade) I averaged 168. And that was 75 miles into the ride.

V.

[Blueberry]

Veronica-

How do you measure your average grade for a hill? I have no idea how that compares to what I normally ride - guess I need an excuse for my HR to be sky high

Carrie Anne

[Veronica]

My HRM monitor software calculates % of grade for me. You can do it the old fashioned way. If you know how tall something is you can divide that by the length you traveled to get up it.

When I first started riding my HR would rocket on hills. Since I'm training to do Ultra Distance events, I've been focusing on controlling my HR. I don't want to burn out on the climbs.

V.

[FreshNewbie]

yesterday, I did my double cycling class, i noticed that my HR is starting to improve. I do my sprints in 90's zone and hill work is in 85% On short recovery intervals it gets down to 75%.

Veronica, share the secret of how do you deal with saddle problems on long distance training? This weekend i went for a ride that was longer than usual since it was only 3 time out this year. We went for about 35 miles and at the end the saddle nose was hurting me a lot. What do you do on your endurance rides to minimize this? I just ordered the Sell SMP saddle, hoping that maybe that will help. Are there any other tricks?

[Veronica]

I have a Brooks leather saddle and I wear shorts with a chamois that works for me, currently the wicked expensive Louis Garneaus from TE. And I ride a lot.

It took some experimentation to find what worked.

V.

[Blueberry]

What HR monitor do you use, Veronica?? I seem to recall you were the one who posted a really cool graph of a ride with elevation and HR. No altimiter, so no way to do it the old fashoined way (unfortunately).

I posted under another thread - I'm looking for something to track elevation (long story, but I'm training for a hill ride and want to make sure I'm riding enough elevation to prepare myself...) - but I want to make sure I can still use my "normal" wireless very simple bike computer...

Many thanks!

Carrie Anne

[Veronica]

I use a Polar 710. The newest model is the 720 I think. I use it and a speedometer. And soon I'll be adding a GPS.

V.

[maillotpois]

What HR monitor do you use, Veronica?? I seem to recall you were the one who posted a really cool graph of a ride with elevation and HR. No altimiter, so no way to do it the old fashoined way (unfortunately).

I posted under another thread - I'm looking for something to track elevation (long story, but I'm training for a hill ride and want to make sure I'm riding enough elevation to prepare myself...) - but I want to make sure I can still use my "normal" wireless very simple bike computer...

Many thanks!

Carrie Anne

Carrie Anne -

I have the Ciclosport HAC 4. It works great.

How much climbing is there in the ride you are training for? You'll want to get a long ride close to that amount of climbing in a similar way to how you would train for distance (for example: to ride a century, get a long ride of 80 miles under your belt.)

I'm presently coaching a group of riders for the Death Ride in California. I'm working with a program developed for us by Wenzel with some modifications of our own. The Death Ride has about 14,000 feet of climbing in 130 miles. My longest training ride will probably have about 11 - 12,000 feet in 120 miles. I say probably, because I'm developing new ruotes that I have not ridden yet (this is all a test program for a larger coaching undertaking for team in training), so it may be more. Topo says our one ride is 19,000 feet but Topo TOTALLY lies!! I expect this ride closer to 10 -12,000.

Anyway, make sure you know how much climbing is in your goal ride and get a training ride with 80 - 90% of that.

[Blueberry]

Sarah-

Thanks for the advice!

The first ride I'm plannig is www.bloodsweatandgears.org. I'll probably shoot to do the 47 mile version with 5800 feet of climbing, as realistically given where I am now, I'm not sure I can be ready for a century with 13k feet of climbing in 2 months.

The second is the Hilly Hellacious Hundred http://www.blueridgebicycleclub.org/hilly/ It's 2 months later - I'm shooting for the full century which is 8k feet of climbing.

I live in an area with some hills, but nothing like there will be on these rides - so I think I have lots of hill repeats in my future

Of course, all of this is job dependent - I left a bad (for me) job last fall and am really ramping up my search for a new firm now. Could be a relocation in my future...which would likely interfere with the biking plans, unfortunately....

-Carrie Anne