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Heart rate response to ultraendurance cycling
  1. G Neumayr1,
  2. R Pfister1,
  3. G Mitterbauer1,
  4. H Gaenzer2,
  5. W Sturm2,
  6. H Hoertnagl1
  1. 1Institute of Sports Medicine and Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
  2. 2Department of Internal Medicine, University of Innsbruck
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr Neumayr, Institute of Sports Medicine and Cardiovascular Medicine, University Clinics of Innsbruck, Anichstraβe 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
 guenther.neumayr{at}sb-bruneck.it

Abstract

The heart rate (HR) response to ultraendurance cycling is poorly understood. This case report describes the exercise intensity of ultraendurance cycling by means of HR monitoring in a well trained male amateur cyclist performing the Ötztal Radmarathon twice en bloque in a circuit of two identical laps (distance 460 km; cumulative altitude difference 11 000 m). The overall intensity was moderate (HRmean = 130 beats/min; HRmean/HRmax = 0.71) corresponding to an average individual workload of 47% of Vo2max. Almost the whole race was performed under aerobic conditions (99.6%); high intensity work was negligible (0.4%). The average speed and the HR response also declined in the course of the two laps, average speed by 17.2% (23.8 to 19.7 km/h), HRmean by 10.1% (138 to 124 beats/min), and HRmean/HRmax by 10.7% (0.75 to 0.67). This scale of HR decrease corresponds to comparable data gained in the field of triathlon and represents a specific cardiac feature of ultraendurance exercise in general.

  • ultraendurance cycling
  • exercise intensity
  • heart rate response

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