Puzzling TT results. Looking for answers. Overtraining??

[retemple]

My LTHR is 188 bpm. During a 40k TT I historically average ~182 bpm.

This weekend, I did the TT and I was 15 seconds off my PR... but my avg HR was only 169. I couldn't get my HR up.

Other pertinant info:

I had a busy week (3 races the previous weekend)
TT workouts 3 days prior to race (work efforts were 40 mins, 20 mins, and 10 mins leading up to race day)
I raised my saddle ~6mm the night before the TT (long story)

To me, all indicators say overtraining but how would my TT be so good w/ such a low HR???

Can I trust my Polar HRM???

[awpincus]

HR can be very inconsistant. If you want to know how much power you are putting to the pedals you would need a power meter.

As far as TT goes, there are many other factors that can affect speed (Air Desnisty, Wind Speed and Direction, Position, Tires, Air Pressure, Passing Cars etc....).

[retemple]

I know that HR isn't the best baseline. I'll order my PT in the next couple months.

It's just puzzling that I've done 12 time trials in 12 months. In EVERY one but this last one, my avg HR has been within 5 bpm at the same level of perceived exertion (TT pace). This time, my avg HR was ~15 beats lower than normal.

As a postscript, today I went out for a pretty easy spin but did just a couple hill repeats to see what my HR would do. Just as yesterday, I could not get it 85% of max. My performance is good and I feel fine but my HR seems out of whack.

All the more reason to get a PT.

[Hyde]

What were the weather conditions? Why did you move the saddle at the last minute?

[urace4me2]

You are 15 seconds off your PR in a 40km? What's the problem? Did you seem to be a gear higher and slightly lower RPM? One gear difference over a long portion of the course could have made that difference in HR. I go to a higher gear to lower my HR and hold speed and it almost always works until my legs are gone. Were your training efforts working towards higher gears and lower RPMs? Maybe you're legs are getting stronger and can push that bigger gear now? But the other poster is right, HR is highly variable. The time (speed) is what's most important.

[LarsEjaas]

This sounds excactly like how my body reacts when I am a bit overreached from a high trainingload.
My wattage at threshold is OK (maybe slightly lower) but my top speed and jump is bad and my heart rate is lower than usual. The heart rate will also react slower than usual.

[retemple]

I had someone do a bike fit for me over the winter and he lowered my saddle significantly and my TTs have sucked this year. Out of curiousity, I raised my saddle a bit right before the race to see if it'd help (knowing that my muscles wouldn't be adapted to the new position).

During the course of the raise, I varied my cadence and gearing to try to get my HR up. I couldn't. My HR was the highest pushing a gear one higher than what I "wanted." I'm sure my avg cadence was over 90. It was as though my LTHR dropped 15 beats overnight.

I postulate that I'm either overtrained or that my legs haven't adjusted to the new position. I wouldn't think that 0.25" would make that much of a difference.

I didn't know if anyone else has seen this. Just looking at historical performance, this last TT, and my HR. I'd like to think I could do much better if I could ride w/ my HR 15 beats higher while holding everything else equal.

This just reinforces my need for a power meter....

[rustychain]

Dehydrated?

[retemple]

I'm sure I wasn't dehydrated. I really focused on hydration (even getting up in the middle of the night to drink a little). Urine was crystal clear.

Wouldn't dehydration (volume depletion) increase HR anyway??

Air temp was low so I wasn't sweating much.

Normally my legs are really sore (especially my upper hams) immediately after a TT and even for a day or two after. My legs didn't even felt like they raced.

I have a short crit on Saturday. If I am overtrained, would the following schedule allow recovery?

Today: SUPER EASY spin, 30-60 mins (active recovery)
Wed: Training race, 1.5 hrs
Thurs: TT workout (20 min work interval)
Fri: 1.5-2 hrs super easy, form sprints
Sat: Race (40 min crit)

This race is low priority for me and I'd like to get good training in before I go on travel next week (6 days off the bike).

Suggestions??

[iliveonnitro]

Sounds like you just want us to tell you that it is overtraining while ignoring other factors...alas, you convinced yourself.

An off day isn't overtraining.

[retemple]

What factors am I ignoring?

I haven't heard any other suggestions as to why I could not (for two days ) get my HR above 85% of max.

I'd love some sort of logical explanation (physiological).

I'm by no means experienced as a racer and in two seaons have not seen this.

[John979]

First, you are not over-trained. If you were over-trained, you probably could not race but if you did, your results would be so poor that the conclusion would be obvious. Most likely, you either over-reached or had a poor taper to the event. Why reasonably good results with an atypically low heart rate? This is hard to tell without more data. It is possible there was a consistent tail wind to mask poor results. Is it the same course? Did you change tires to a different brand or type? Typically, a 10 or more BPM heart rate reduction would be indicative of a reduced power output. Finally, which Polar HRM do you use? Can you download from the HRM to search for data drops?

One final word of advice, switch your TT training to the day before your race training.

[urace4me2]

I'm sure I wasn't dehydrated. I really focused on hydration (even getting up in the middle of the night to drink a little). Urine was crystal clear.

Wouldn't dehydration (volume depletion) increase HR anyway??

Air temp was low so I wasn't sweating much.

Normally my legs are really sore (especially my upper hams) immediately after a TT and even for a day or two after. My legs didn't even felt like they raced.

I have a short crit on Saturday. If I am overtrained, would the following schedule allow recovery?

Today: SUPER EASY spin, 30-60 mins (active recovery)
Wed: Training race, 1.5 hrs
Thurs: TT workout (20 min work interval)
Fri: 1.5-2 hrs super easy, form sprints
Sat: Race (40 min crit)

This race is low priority for me and I'd like to get good training in before I go on travel next week (6 days off the bike).

Suggestions??

We can't tell anything from this without knowing your normal weekly training hours. If I had a race and then 6 days off the bike I'd be keying to do well on THAT race. Cause you'll be a week trying to get some spin back after 6 days off. That's just me though. My routine is two days before the race is off the bike or just lollygaging for 60 minutes, then the day before therace a good hour warm up with 10 minutes of AT work (maybe in two 5 minute efforts), then cool down. Good Luck.