What does it mean? I’ve had this before. I’m an above average but not amazing V40 cross racer (usually in the top 10 in our regional league).
During a race I push as hard as I can, but I always notice how compared to everyone else I’m not breathing really hard. I can always chat straight after the finish.
Now I think about it, I’ve always had a bit of a reputation for chatting away even when riding hard…
I guess it means my heart and lungs are “better” than my legs? Is it is simple as that?
And in which case what do I need to do in training? I feel there’s some more performance to be had. Maybe it’s the difference between coming 6th and challenging for podiums?
@Leon_99 I have limited CX experience but do have a lot of STXC experience. I have personally found CX a bit easier from a cardio perspective given all of the turning and less climbing than XC but it is definitely course dependent. You likely are just better at recovering from short hard efforts than others.
If you are in the top 10 already suggestions that come to mind is working on more efficiencies when negotiating the course and probably the more important focus is to do a lot of MAP and AC work to improve power on any straightaways or other areas where you have an opportunity to overtake others.
What sensations are preventing you from going faster? If it’s your legs aren’t strong enough, the usual is to use a higher cadence. Higher cadence is easier on the legs and harder on the cardio.
I’m not sure. I don’t think it’s a cadence thing, as I can hold a high cadence and am very dynamic.
I might put my power meter on the bike for the next race just to take a look afterwards.
I definitely feel tired, and need to recover after hard sections or big pushes for example, but I just don’t seem to have the same ragged breathing I observe in others at the end of the race.
Sometimes I think, that’s just how I am. Other times I think maybe I don’t push myself enough…
Another thing to mention is that my heart rate just isn’t that high anymore. When I was in my late teens/ 29s, my max HR was about 195. Now it seems to be more like about 170, cTHR measured at 154 last full monty I did
Maybe not causally related but very definitely correlated with performance decline with age. I’ve been going downhill fast, and I don’t mean my speed on descents.
Interesting that you don’t have the PM on your race bike. It’s not something I’d look at during the race but it would be interesting to look at afterward, along with, of course, HR.
In terms of analyzing what’s going on, it’d probably be better to do some specific rides or workouts where the conditions can be better controlled and repeated. CX can be pretty chaotic so tough to try things and make comparisons.
That wasn’t so much my point. I want sure if a lower heart rate correlated to lower respiration rate, and hence less “panting”? (Although actually the opposite would seem to make more sense!). I could probably find the answer to that with googling though.
It’s rare to do a full sprint in a cross race. Two weeks ago I did a hard push for the line trying to close a 6 or 7 second gap, but it’s not the same as a bunch sprint in a road race.
Well, that’s kind of my point. I feel like I’m trying as hard as I can in the race. I don’t think I’m settling for 6th or whatever. I just don’t seem as ragged at the finish as I think maybe I should.
Makes me think it’s a mental thing. I need to be more like MvdP (don’t we all)
Like someone else said, a lot depends on the course and, similarly, who you’re racing with. I got tired of chasing 12 year olds (who just get stronger and faster every year ) so haven’t ridden CX in a few years now.
My other 2 cents, I wouldn’t put too much weight on my respiration rate or comparative sense of who’s panting more than who. So much of CX is on the cornering technique and soooo much time can be gained by mastering that at speed. I was just as strong as a bunch of other riders and on the flat, could beat many. My cornering sucked yak baIIs tho and I’d lose minutes over the length of a course to people MUCH less fit than me.
Agree, but that’s different than what I’m talking about. I’m not comparing max-HR vs performance between athletes, but the HR and performance of a single athlete as they age. Performance and max HR will both go down as that athlete ages. A different athlete that may have a higher or lower max-HR, but will experience a similar decrease as they age.
) so haven’t ridden CX in a few years now.