[azokie]

I was hoping some of you experts can help me out. I'm new to heart rate training and have been working on it for about four weeks now. I know there is a direct correlation to hot temperatures and an elevated heart rate, but I have a question about colder temperatures. Today I was attempting to do some power interval training and had trouble getting my heart up to the necessary level. It was cold outside (about 45 degrees), and I seemed to be hittting my lactate threshold at about 7-9 bpm less than I should. So, does cold weather have anything to do with this, or is it more likely fatigue from a long MTB ride the day before, or cold weather issues with the Garmin heart strap?

 

[2fst4u]

Super hot temps will add a bit more to your heart rate at a given output but what your experiencing might be...

Like you already said, tired legs. This means you have the sensation that your perceived exertion is much higher than it is. If the legs are tired you'll have a harder time making them work hard enough to get your heart rate to where you think it should be.

As you train using just heart rate over time you'll find that as you increase your aerobic fitness your resting (and training HR rate will decrease) So make sure to retest to re evaluate your training zones every so often.

45 degrees isn't cold, you must be in CA or somewhere south!! My cheap polar works fine all winter in 20 degree weather all winter.

Power intervals are very taxing I'm assuming you have a great aerobic base of fitness built up right?

Also, the big picture here is that HR is better than nothing for measuring intensity and design workouts around (I've been doing it for years) but it gets tricky when training stress and fatigue sets in, thus skewing the heart rate. Power is much better but I'm not paying for one until they get affordable for a sport class old man such as myself.

I would back off your intensity if you cant get your heart rate to the right zone. Try a few "test intervals" and if it aint happening don't force it.

 

[rob_co2]

I've found that when its really, numbingly cold, sometimes I dont have much drive to go hard. i can pedal hard, but just don't feel much zip, and the HR is much harder to get up. Also feel this way about early morning intervals.

 

[azokie]

After I posted, I figured I would get some grief over the 45 degrees. I'm in Phoenix AZ, so we are pretty spoiled. Sounds like it more than likely has to do with "tired legs" / fatigue and maybe just a little to do with the cold. Exactly as you said, it certainly felt like the "percieved effort" was there, but I just couldn't get the heart rate up. I've been riding for many years and doing a few X-country MTB races over the last couple years, so I do have a decent aerobic base. I've been working the Time Crucnched program for the last four weeks and have definately seen some quicker times on familiar loops. This is the first interval training, I've been unable to reach my PI zones. I knew it would be a learning process...Thanks for the valubale information! :thumbsup:

 

[2fst4u]

After I posted, I figured I would get some grief over the 45 degrees. I'm in Phoenix AZ, so we are pretty spoiled. Sounds like it more than likely has to do with "tired legs" / fatigue and maybe just a little to do with the cold. Exactly as you said, it certainly felt like the "percieved effort" was there, but I just couldn't get the heart rate up. I've been riding for many years and doing a few X-country MTB races over the last couple years, so I do have a decent aerobic base. I've been working the Time Crucnched program for the last four weeks and have definately seen some quicker times on familiar loops. This is the first interval training, I've been unable to reach my PI zones. I knew it would be a learning process...Thanks for the valubale information! :thumbsup:

The PI zones are tough to reach on the TCTP and with HR being somewhat subjective there were times that I killed myself last season making the heart rate go to where it should then later realizing my power output didn't correlate (either higher or lower depending on how I felt)

Are you doing the PI off road? If so that would be pretty tough to maintain the steady output, its hard enough on the road!!

 

[azokie]

Are you doing the PI off road? If so that would be pretty tough to maintain the steady output, its hard enough on the road!![/QUOTE]

I'm doing all the PI training on the road or some very flat dirt roads surrounding farm fields near where I live (on my MTB). No doubt, the SEPI and Over & Under PI's are brutal. I've been trying to stick exactly to the program. However, this last weekend I flipped the PI training from Saturday to Sunday, and did a pretty big MTB ride on Saturday. Based on what your telling me, I think my legs were just tired from Saturday and could not bring me up to speed during the PI's on Sunday.

Without a power meter, it seems to be just educated guess work...and I am still learing a lot.

I've got another PI training coming up tomorrow, so I'll see how it goes!

 

[2fst4u]

Yeah the PI workouts are brutal but eventually you start to get used to them. Weeks 3-7 were pretty tough and took a toll on my overall energy and mood. The program helped me to get faster than I've ever been. I'm sure by week 8 you'll be significantly faster than you are right now. Make sure to take 4-6 weeks easy riding after the 8 week cycle before doing it again and good luck!