Cycling too much!

[Globalti]

I don't want to write "over-training" because I cycle for pleasure and fitness, not to train for an event.

Anyway, this summer having been good and dry and not too hot, I've been cycling regularly and have built up good fitness and bulky leg muscles. Most of the summer my legs have felt tired and sore and taken a long time to warm up on rides. On one recent ride my legs felt terrible and I ended up taking a gel quite soon after starting, which certainly took away that "desperate" feeling.

However Iast Sunday GtiJ and I did a modest 25 miles on flat terrain as a change from hills. We went out yesterday evening for a quickie before dark and I found myself going like a train, with no tiredness and feeling super-strong. My belief is that we often under-estimate the effect of a long hard ride and don't give ourselves enough time to recover because we fear losing fitness during the rest days.

Recently we did a very tiring 86 mile ride with lots of hills and I reckon it took me two weeks to recover fully from that. I'm almost 60, by the way!

Any thoughts?

 

[I like Skol]

Get a fulltime job. That'll fix your over training problem

 

[TissoT]

Are you on a good Diet ?

 

[michaelcycle]

When was the last time you had a complete week off from cycling / strenuous activity?

Over training is a hard thing to get into and not pleasant. Over reaching is a lot more common and leads to a compromised recovery ability so you are unable to deal effectively with accumulated stress. Alternatively you could just be coming down with something.

Best bet in my opinion would be rest up a bit, relax, eat, drink, be merry and then get back to it.

 

[jefmcg]

Recovery time gets longer as you age. You could take HGH or steroids to shorten it, or just get used to the fact, and adjust your riding accordingly.

Which you are doing.

Edit: I mean you are adjusting your riding, not taking drugs!!

 

[i hate hills]

Nearly 60 and doing 80 odd mile rides , any thoughts ? Yeah good on you !!!!

 

[Joffey]

Interesting post. I'm 34 and cycle about 50 miles per week. I did Ride 100 closely followed by rides up Carlton Bank and White Horse Bank (of 100 Climbs fame) and my legs were shot for a couple of week afterwards. They are only feeling right now, and it must be a month after Ride 100!

As I rarely climb big hills maybe I underestimated how long it would take to properly recover too.

 

[Milkfloat]

I am usually astounded by the amount of time my Garmin says I need for recovery - I often ignore it. My problem is that I am erratic - some weeks clocking up hundreds of miles, others practically none. I tend to ignore the suggested recovery times and get out when I can.

 

[Herbie]

Interesting post. I'm 34 and cycle about 50 miles per week. I did Ride 100 closely followed by rides up Carlton Bank and White Horse Bank (of 100 Climbs fame) and my legs were shot for a couple of week afterwards. They are only feeling right now, and it must be a month after Ride 100!

As I rarely climb big hills maybe I underestimated how long it would take to properly recover too.

I used to be a runner and did a few marathons ....it used to take me a week to 2 weeks afterwards to recover and get the soreness and stiffness outta my bod but when I've done a longish bike ride recovery time is much shorter....different modes of exercise I suppose and increasing age and all that is a factor too

 

[Globalti]

Well I'm off this Sunday on an enforced recovery fortnight when I shall be in Africa drinking lots of beer, eating too much hotel food and taking zero exercise. I usually find when I return that the legs feel good but the cardio-vascular fitness has suffered a little.

How do the pros manage? I guess Froomey was still tired several weeks after the TDF and it's thought to be almost impossible to win the three big tours.

 

[ColinJ]

Nearly 60 and doing 80 odd mile rides , any thoughts ? Yeah good on you !!!!

60 isn't really that old these days, you know, and 80 miles isn't really that far!

I am the same age as Gti and ride in the same area. The biggest problem is not the distances we ride but the terrain. Here is the profile of a 64 miler in Gti's stomping ground ... LUMPY!

Well I'm off this Sunday on an enforced recovery fortnight when I shall be in Africa drinking lots of beer, eating too much hotel food and taking zero exercise. I usually find when I return that the legs feel good but the cardio-vascular fitness has suffered a little.

How do the pros manage? I guess Froomey was still tired several weeks after the TDF and it's thought to be almost impossible to win the three big tours.

If you fancy one last lumpy ride to tire those ancient legs before you go ... get yourself and GtiJ over to Whalley on Saturday morning for THIS RIDE!

 

[Andrew_P]

Tailwind = cycling god