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Getting Fitter

by Donal "Putney" Fitterer

Greetings fellow FLCCers. I’ve begun a quest to again become a competitive mountain-bike racer. I thought you might be interested in what I’ve learned. On Sunday, February 7, I arrived at Glenn Swan’s shop with my road bike, intent on determining my current level of fitness. Glenn attached my bike to a "CompuTrainer." The CompuTrainer consists of a stationary bike stand and several data-acquisition sensors plugged into a control console. The console connects to a computer to display graphic and digital information.

 Glenn put me through two separate tests. The first was a five-mile time trial, at a speed that I could maintain but which nevertheless made me work. The second test consisted of one-minute intervals at a constant speed while increasing the resistance. The purpose of the second test was to determine my "anaerobic threshold" (AT). It is referred to as the Conconi test, named after the Italian sports doctor who made the importance of the test known by using it as an important part of Francesco Moser’s successful assault on the World Hour Record.

 We started the five-mile time trial using a speed of 20 mph and a pedal cadence of 110 rpm. In less than a minute I knew that I could not maintain that pace. We started over at 18 mph with a 90-rpm pedal cadence. My heart rate rose gradually to 158–160 bpm and then steadied out for the remainder of the test. Glenn took a digital photograph of me while I was spinning.

 The computer screen displayed two bar graphs and various numbers that were constantly updated. The bar graphs implied that my pedal down-stroke was much stronger than my upstroke. Additional information on the screen indicated that one leg was delivering more power than the other.

 After the time-trial test Glenn critiqued my form. From the photograph he showed me that my elbows were straight and that if my back were flatter my efficiency would improve. Glenn suggested that I move my seat back and roll my hips forward.

 The second test was painful. Glenn set the resistance level to 50 watts for the first minute while I maintained 18 mph. After each minute Glenn recorded my heart rate and asked me to give a value for my perceived exertion level. He would then increase the resistance by 20 watts. My heart rate maintained 130–140 bpm until the resistance level reached 150 watts. Each 20 watt increase raised my heart rate by approximately 6 bpm. Right after my heart rate passed 160 bpm, my breathing became louder and I had to work very hard to maintain 18 mph. Glenn stopped the test at 177 bpm and 290 watts. He interpreted my AT to be 160 bpm, or 87 percent of my maximum heart rate.

 My purpose in taking the tests is to have a base line against which to compare my fitness levels during the spring and summer. I’m hopeful that my AT will exceed 90 percent during the racing season, and that when I time-trial again at 18 mph my heart rate will drop 10 bpm or so. I also learned that I need to improve my pedal stroke and change my riding form.

 I thought that my next step to getting fitter would be to start riding hard now. Yet Glenn recommends an approach that may appear counter intuitive. He suggested that during this time of year I chose activities that keep my heart rate near 120 bpm. This approach will build a strong base fitness and prevent setbacks in training later on. Believe me, it is difficult advice to follow.