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  • I've always hit highest HR at the end of 5k/10k races. (Max just over 200 in my early 40s, compared to ~215-220? during fitness tests in circuit training as a teenage cyclist.) My average HR would be very similar for the two distances; even though the 5k is a more intense effort, you spend a higher proportion of it getting up to the higher end. I don't recall ever doing a max HR test as such on the bike but from hard tempo/spinning sessions it's probably a good 10-15 beats lower than for running.

  • I seem to have a problem with pushing my running HR up then. Its easy on the bike just push 500w and after 2-2:30 mins I'll be right up there but when running unless it's Uphill i can't push my HR above 92% (current max 197) regardless of distance. I'm sure I've got another 5% in the tank but my legs simply won't turn over fast enough to allow me to get it out? So more speed work to get my legs used to turning over quicker or more easy miles for endurance so my legs aren't fading by the end of a race or a combination of both? Or something else? My head and cardio says yes but the legs say no at the moment so how do i engage the afterburners?

  • So more speed work to get my legs used to turning over quicker or more easy miles for endurance so my legs aren't fading by the end of a race or a combination of both?

    I'm guessing, but a bit of both I reckon. One of the physical effects of working on your endurance base with more volume is to increase the size and number of mitochondria in the muscles, which means increasing the muscles' ability to burn the oxygen that the cardio system is trying to deliver to them. Plus the muscles get more running-shaped, so less likely to fatigue when trying to maintain a given level of intensity.

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