MORE ON CADENCE

After two days of hard workouts, I needed a recovery ride. My 31 mile route out to Hutto, leaving from home, provided the perfect venue to monitor heart rate and cadence. The goal: keep the heart rate under 140 (83% of max) and the rpms at 90 with an average of 85.
Of the 111 minutes (including stops for red lights and a quick bite of Clif Bar), only six minutes exceeded 140 and the highest bpm was 146 for only a few seconds. I spent a lot of time at or above 85 rpm but had some difficulty holding 90 except on the flats. Toward the end, into a stiff headwind, my energy ran low and the rpm dropped.
My average cadence came in at 82, an all-time high, with an average speed of 16.9mph, also PB for this course. The average heart rate of 126 left me feeling refreshed and without the need to recuperate (like, in the recliner) for a few hours. Of course, I was in the recliner, playing the TdF that we had DVR'd.
In time-trial practice, I recorded an average rpm of 80 for the last three workouts, with a goal of 85. So far, I've been concentrating on just getting the 20k distance in at reasonable speed and haven't dedicated any of the runs to just cadence. Maybe next week.