HR Slowed

[CPRam]

I'm 34, and I've been riding for a fair few years. My resting HR is around 48bpm and my Max is 200bpm. I've used HR and power as a measurement for the last 3 years and it has always been fairly consistent.

However these last two weeks I've noticed a significant drop of around 20bpm or more when exercising. Basically, if I'm doing Zone 3 power my HR is Z1 or if I am doing Zone 5 power my HR is Zone 3. At first I thought it was the equipment, but I've tried 2 different HR monitors (chest and wrist) and both show the same results.

Even going at my hardest I can barely get over 170bpm other than one time I pushed absolute max effort in a race and got 180bpm, where as two weeks ago I would go over 190bpm easy and probably tip 200bpm. I've measured both on a turbo and outside thinking it may be temperature related.

I'm probably overthinking it, but I'm interested in what may be causing this. Have I just got fitter? I don't feel sick, I'm definitely not overtrained. Is this just something within the range of general fluctuation?

It just seems odd that after a training session or ride when my legs are blasted, my HR suggests I've just done a short Z2/3 ride.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Fatigue, lack of sleep. Could be anything really, inc a virus

 

[Bill Gates]

It's a figure on a screen, that's all. Max HR reduces with age and IMO not worth worrying about in the slightest. OTH resting HR is more of an indicator of something amiss and a check up of your pulse when you wake up first thing in the morning was routine for me when I was training/racing. Any changes there? For me that resting HR 48 bpm looks a tad high.
How do you feel? The answer is pretty good with no lowering of power. So no problem
Anyway this time of the year I would have been getting the miles in on the road; totaling around 1500 or so since the turn of the year. Plenty of time for harder efforts later built on a solid foundation.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You won't have got fitter by 20 bpm in two weeks.

Blood volume, fatigue, coming down with something. There can be a range of reasons. If you feel ok I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[CPRam]

Definitely not worried. I'm more curious if anything. I feel fine, so I dont think it's a virus. I cant be overtrained as I only do avg. 8-10 hours per week. 2 sessions with efforts and then the rest just easy or endurance work. So it's not a smash fest everytime I jump on.

Also I understand that age affects HR, but 20bpm overnight seems a bit odd lol. Thanks for the feedback anyway, I'll crack-on and maybe it will return to normal in time.

 

[lane]

Most likely virus or something similar. Had your testing HR changed?