Heart Rate Question

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Could have been something you ate....perhaps something with more salt than you are used to.

Could have been the weather....too hot, too humid.

Could be not enough rest/sleep.

Could be stress.

I have had days like that....usually because of one or more of the above.

If it starts happening on a regular basis...is get it checked out.

 

Sounds like an off-day to me. Yesterday I did what I thought was a mild ride yet I suffered and lost 6 lbs of water weight. That is a lot for me. Today I did a similar ride and felt great the whole time and only lost a couple pounds of water weight. To add to what J said the humidity can definitely affect your numbers.

 

Agree with @mtnbikej and @UPSed above ^^. At 36, probably just an off day.

However, and not to freak you out, at age 54 I found out I have a bicuspid aortic valve. My heart rate will go higher than it should easier than most, because it's just not as efficient. Personally, if I were you, I'd not worry too much but I'd discuss it with my doc, and let the doc decide whether a referral to cardiology is warranted.

The dizziness/fuzziness was due to lack of oxygen; your heart wasn't able to pump blood fast enough to distribute it.

 

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First thing I thought reading this was maybe you have a mechanical issue on the bike and were experiencing a lot more resistance then normal but you were trying to carry the same speed on a normal day.

At 41 last year I went in to a cardiologist for a stress test just to be sure. Because getting back into riding, what you described above was a usual occurance for me for 2-3 months. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Turns out nothing was wrong and doc said I way healthy and to reduce effort to "moderate" for a while.

 

To add since you posted you have psoriatic arthritis it could be a side affect. I have cardiomyopathy and am on a couple of medications. I am not supposed to have a sustained heart rate above 150. I'm 53. Anything heart-related I would definitely recommend seeing a cardiologist.

 

Agree with the above posters. I am coming up fast on 65 and have had similar days like this and it does freak me out. For peace of mind (and make sure you are ok) I would definitely check with a cardiologist. It will make your family happy too. Recently had all the test including stress and every thing checked out so now I do not freak out as before when it happens. Hydration to INCLUDE electrolytes is crucial and easy to overlook. Good luck.

 

High heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness... Sounds like a normal day on the single speed.

In all seriousness, I'll echo the others and say that off days are common. Medicines, different foods, lack of sleep, caffeine can all have an effect. I think it's a rare day that the stars align, and I feel 100%. Sometimes you just have to deal with how you feel on a given day and adjust accordingly. Back off the pace, walk, throw in the towel, etc...

Also... Any chance the HR monitor wasn't recording accurately?

 

My solution is I never monitor heart rate. Or much of anything else. Probably a bad idea, but it's who I am.

 

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Here's to it being nothing. I'm pretty sure you just had an off day.

 

Many variables come into play (many of these have already been mentioned):

*what you ate
*when you ate
*how well you slept the night before
*been sick recently?
*time of the day
*moon phase
*air temp
*humidity level

...and the list goes on.

Personally, I think today was an "off day" for mankind. Call me crazy if you will. I woke up at 12:30am this morning having just had an acid reflux attack. It actually came up into my mouth and I had to get up and rinse. That messed up my sleep pattern for the rest of the night. I hadn't had an attack in months and that is saying a lot considering the past year or two for me. The amazing thing is that one of my close friends in AZ (and riding buddy) had an attack at 12:30am last night too! WTF?!

I rode like crap this afternoon. Just wasn't feeling it. Yet, my ride the other day was outstanding. Felt great that day. Every day is different...

 

Could be that your body is fighting some bug.....cold/flu/etc.

 

I'm pretty much with the general consensus. You confirmed your HR with your RPE (how you actually felt). So it wasn't just some number, you actually felt off.

But a lot of people mentioned a lot of potential causes. If it was me, I would give it a day and see how I felt. If I didn't feel bad, then just monitor the condition, take a few days off, then try again. If things don't improve, call the doctor.

As far as the Spot, I do have one. Remember it isn't flawless. It gives you a bail out, if you are conscious enough to use it. Or someone can track and notice you aren't moving, but that can have false alarms, or no alarms. Not a cure all, but it can come in handy. I carry mine any time I am riding solo and people may not know where I am.

 

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Bad idea.

Before I was only slowing down when starting to see stars while riding. Now I drive with HRM as close to 150 as I can, going below 140 I start pedalling harder, going above 160 slowing down unless it is on a steep climb, getting to 170 I look forward to see if I can get to the top before reaching 180; if I cannot I get off and walk till I get it down to 150 again.