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2009-08-25 7:35 AM

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Subject: Course management
I know that in golf, "course management" is a big consideration which many new golfers overlook.  Where they could easily hit a smaller iron accurately 150yds twice to get onto a 300yd green, they inevitably pull out a wood, slice it into the woods, chip out and then pitch onto the green in three.

That said, how much course management is involved with cycling?  Is it better to keep your heart rate down on a steep incline and push it harder on flatter sections?  Should you push as hard as possible on inclines since your heart rate will eventually come back down on flats and downhills?  I'm just curious as to where the bang for the buck lies.  I'm guessing that the more you can keep your heart rate down, the longer you can keep it up at a higher average?



2009-08-25 8:25 AM
in reply to: #2368504

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Subject: RE: Course management
I've found that the biggest bang for the buck is in moderation: go a bit harder up the hills than on the flats and a bit easier on the downhills than the flats. You'll be faster than if you keep a consistent effort over all 3.

On the other hand, going to hard up the hills has a definite cost and you can only do that so many times before you've lost the snap in your legs.
2009-08-25 8:48 AM
in reply to: #2368504

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Subject: RE: Course management

Giving a little more power up hills and a little easier on flats pays off since your speed up hills is directly proportional to power once you're going slow enough that wind resistance is significantly smaller than potential energy.  Whereas spending the extra power on flats wouldnot pay off as much due to the expotential increase in wind resistance.

Also, exspecially on a rolling hills course, proper momentium management will give huge dividends.  Spending a lttle extra energy to carry your speed across the flats btween the last downhill and the next uphill, siginifcantly reduces the amount of effort needed to crest that next hill.

 

2009-08-25 8:50 AM
in reply to: #2368627

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Subject: RE: Course management
dgunthert - 2009-08-25 9:25 AM I've found that the biggest bang for the buck is in moderation: go a bit harder up the hills than on the flats and a bit easier on the downhills than the flats. You'll be faster than if you keep a consistent effort over all 3. On the other hand, going to hard up the hills has a definite cost and you can only do that so many times before you've lost the snap in your legs.


I definitely agree about going hard up the hills killing you.  I do it in practice in hopes that by race time I'll be stronger.  That's what got me thinking about it.  On the steepest hills of the course, there is a relatively flat area at the top.  Some days after I hit the top, I'm too dead to take advantage of the flat area if I pound it to where my HR hits the 180's.  If I pace the hill at 2mph slower and keep my HR in the 170's I seem to be able to go about 5mph faster on the area after the hill.  I planned to handle it that way during the race since this loop forces you to face this particular hill 3 times over the 28 mile trip.

On the other hand, it has always seemed that there are minimal gains one can make on a downhill, some gains to be made on flats, and lots of gains available on hills. 

Edited by Pector55 2009-08-25 8:51 AM
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