Concept2 Forum

when going for personal bests at 500m or 2k m has anyone figured out how you should do it meaning: higher reps 30-32spm or 22-24spm and pull harder? I haven't done it both ways to tell which is faster. I have discovered that I can keep my heart rate lower by doing higher reps. I recently did 22 spm at 150 watts and HR was 152. When I did 26 spm I did 150 watts at HR 143. This was 2 weeks apart so I may have improved my conditioning. So it appears that pulling harder on the drive pushes my HR toward the anaerobic threshold which is 167.<br /><br />Sorry so long,<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Mark

<!--QuoteBegin-osteomark+Feb 7 2006, 01:48 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(osteomark @ Feb 7 2006, 01:48 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->when going for personal bests at 500m or 2k m has anyone figured out how you should do it meaning: higher reps 30-32spm or 22-24spm and pull harder? I haven't done it both ways to tell which is faster. I have discovered that I can keep my heart rate lower by doing higher reps. I recently did 22 spm at 150 watts and HR was 152. When I did 26 spm I did 150 watts at HR 143. This was 2 weeks apart so I may have improved my conditioning. So it appears that pulling harder on the drive pushes my HR toward the anaerobic threshold which is 167.<br /><br />Sorry so long,<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Mark <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Anaerobic Threshold is determined by the peak force requirement, i.e. does the peak force exceed the aerobic energy capacity of the muscles?<br />Associated HR's are correlated to various training bands however the HR alone is not particularly meaningful in determining what energy systems are being used.<br /><br />Now to your question. It all depends on how you want to consider and track your PB's, is it going to be simply the actual time to cover the specified distance at any rate you want, or will there be some form of rate control?<br /><br />Generally PB's are free rate endeavors, but the "P" does stand for 'personal' so you certainly don't have to adhere to that, i.e. 2000m R20 will likely be slower than a 2000m free rate, but both can cause suffering of a similar nature.<br /><br />500m is over quickly enough that extrememly high rates can be incorporated, I think even Graham Benton, who has a fast 2k at R29, uses a relatively high rate for the 500m test. Perhaps someone here will know the exact value, but I thought I'd seen something indicating 50+.<br /><br />- Paul Smith

Thanks Paul. I'd need a seat belt to go at a 50spm