# TCTP Trouble with EM rides



## westekBike (Aug 10, 2009)

I am following the "New Century" plan on TCTP. It's going well so far, and the way I need to work it usually is that I do the intervals during the week on my trainer and hopefully the weather is nice enough that I can do the EM rides on the road or the bike trail on the weekend. 

However, I am having trouble when it gets time to do the EM rides. My problem is that the heart rate for EM seems so slow to me for a 90-120 min ride. I really don't enjoy riding slow for no reason. I am by no means a racer, but I guess I feel like I am wasting my time unless I "push" it. What I end up with are avg heart rates in zones much closer to my Max HR than I am "supposed" to do. I guess I just enjoy being on the road so much compared to the damned trainer that I am having trouble riding slower and I want to "test" my progress I guess. 

How important is it to do these rides at an average HR of EM pace as opposed to a higher zone avg?


----------



## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

westekBike said:


> However, I am having trouble when it gets time to do the EM rides. My problem is that the heart rate for EM seems so slow to me for a 90-120 min ride. I really don't enjoy riding slow for no reason. I am by no means a racer, but I guess I feel like I am wasting my time unless I "push" it. What I end up with are avg heart rates in zones much closer to my Max HR than I am "supposed" to do. I guess I just enjoy being on the road so much compared to the damned trainer that I am having trouble riding slower and I want to "test" my progress I guess.
> 
> How important is it to do these rides at an average HR of EM pace as opposed to a higher zone avg?


Riding too hard when you shouldn't be leaves you too fatigued to work hard enough on more intense intervals so you stay slow and are tired too.

Or the resulting training stress isn't sustainable and you need to fit more recovery time into your schedule which means you don't progress as fast.


----------

