# Covid Jab and Loss of Fitness



## Maherees (16 Jul 2021)

Hi all,

For the 3rd week running I've had to bail out of our fast Friday road ride as I had absolutely nothing in the tank. A few months ago I was one of the fastest. I've not had Covid just the AstraZeneca jab 2 months ago but nowadays I seem to have lost so much fitness - is this in the mind or is something else going on.
Really annoying as i loved my Friday ride. used to feel really challenged.


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## Rocky (16 Jul 2021)

Sorry to hear that. The Oxford jab can have side-effects, some serious (which have been reported) although of course the risk is no where near as bad as having full blown Covid. However, I suspect without a series of medical tests, it won't be easy to diagnose whether what you've got is physical or something else.

Have you tried a graded approach to getting back to full fitness. I'm not an expert (and am not medically qualified) but a common sense approach might to be to some sprints and up the pace a bit but not to the pace of your fast-Friday ride.

Hope you get your fitness back again soon.


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## dodgy (16 Jul 2021)

Easy to fall into confirmation bias about this kind of thing, though I appreciate you're frustrated. Vaccinations have been around for around a 1000 years.
Try resting and build up slowly.


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## Ming the Merciless (16 Jul 2021)

Are you sure it’s not just that your club mates have got fitter whilst you have not? Some take till about now to hit their peak fitness for the year.


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## Maherees (16 Jul 2021)

Ming the Merciless said:


> Are you sure it’s not just that your club mates have got fitter whilst you have not? Some take till about now to hit their peak fitness for the year.


Yes I'm sure that's not the case.


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## Buck (16 Jul 2021)

I would suggest that you have a telephone consult with your GP with a view to getting a blood test. 
There’s a myriad of potential reasons not linked to the vaccine such as less restful sleep, low iron levels, other vitamin deficiency infection not to mention, diet, stress etc.

It would be good to perhaps note how you feel when not on the bike I.e. do you feel tired or refreshed when you wake up; appetite changes and so on.

Hope you get some clarity and resolution.


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## Sharky (16 Jul 2021)

Group riding, could put you into stress and make you feel not as strong as earlier in the season, especially if your mates are trying to better you.

The only way of knowing if you are really going backwards is by keeping data, to compare against previous rides. Best if you have a well tried training loop and riding solo and comparing times. Or if you are rich, using a power metre.


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## Maherees (16 Jul 2021)

Thanks for the advice. 
Strava data is backing this up so I know it's a measurable thing. After the first jab my blood pressure rose to levels that I had to go on medication for the first time.
Just going to gently build up again on my own.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (16 Jul 2021)

For the first few weeks after mine I pretty much couldn't ride, not fully back yet either and my second dose is tomorrow


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (17 Jul 2021)

Fully 5g'd now. Better speeds should kick in soon


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## Buck (17 Jul 2021)

Take a couple of paracetamol and drink plenty of water


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (17 Jul 2021)

Buck said:


> Take a couple of paracetamol and drink plenty of water


Beer contains water?


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## Buck (17 Jul 2021)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Beer contains water?



indeed. Just go steady!


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (23 Jul 2021)

Mild headache last saturday evening, since then I've felt 100%

Internet speeds are still slow though


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## Buck (23 Jul 2021)

Did the beers help? 🍺


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (23 Jul 2021)

Buck said:


> Did the beers help? 🍺


I'll have to try some more


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## Ming the Merciless (23 Jul 2021)

If no one mentioned already; your loss of fitness a few months on will be nothing to do with the vaccine


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## HLaB (25 Jul 2021)

Maherees said:


> Hi all,
> 
> For the 3rd week running I've had to bail out of our fast Friday road ride as I had absolutely nothing in the tank. A few months ago I was one of the fastest. I've not had Covid just the AstraZeneca jab 2 months ago but nowadays I seem to have lost so much fitness - is this in the mind or is something else going on.
> Really annoying as i loved my Friday ride. used to feel really challenged.



I had a pretty bad reaction to my first AZ jab. Got out of bed too fast and blacked out and bashed my chin (later I found my RHR had shot through the roof), after crawling back to bed for a few hours kip other than an annoying lingering hangover like feeling I was fine though and a few weeks later I was hitting power PB and getting TT results which calibrated to them. A few weeks later again though my power was down but it had nothing to do with the AZ jab just my usual mid season slump related to grass pollen. I've still managed to get OK TT results for that lower power by concentrating on my CdA  With you its probably nothing to do with the AZ jab either and something else you need to get to the bottom of


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