Long distance endurance: going further

[Wobblers]

I seem to have lost all my long distance endurance. Whereas last summer I could manage a fast 30+ miles fuelled by a cup of tea (well, okay, breakfast beforehand probably helped ) now I'm can't seem to go more than 10 - 20 miles without my legs turning to jelly. Normally I'm that smug b****** who'll breeze past you uphill on a folding hybrid. Being scalped by every passing arthritic snail is Not a change for the better.

Is my body telling me it wants to hibernate for the winter? Should I be carb loading? Stuffing my face with pasta? Just how do you set about increasing the maximum distance you can cycle?

 

[Zoiders]

Dough-nuts.

Quick fix sugar and longer release carbs all in a one-er.

 

[Cush]

You get used to being scalped by all sorts after a while (you never like it but you get used to it)

 

[Norm]

It could be that you've got an infection that you don't know about, it's only effect being a reduction in lung capacity or something like that.

It could be that the cold weather (breathing air at or below freezing) affects you more than others.

It could be that you are getting cold bits (cold knees perform badly, I understand) that are affecting your performance.

It could be that you try harder because it's cooler and you don't sweat up as much, which means you are burning out much faster.

I doubt it's just your body telling you to hibernate.

 

[dubhghall]

Perhaps your body has lost a bit of efficiency burning fat whilst out on a ride and is relying more on carbohydrate? Having said that, there should be approx 2000kCal stored as glycogen which is more than sufficient to do 15miles!

 

[ColinJ]

As dubhghall suggested, your body should easily have enough stored glycogen to see you through 10-20 miles, especially since you are used to doing 30+. Something is wrong here...

As Norm says, you might have some sort of underlying bug which is a bit subtle so you don't normally notice it, but it is restricting what you can do on the bike. I've had one of those too. I could walk up and down the local canal towpath all day, but when I tried walking up a hill off the towpath, my pulse rate went crazy and I felt sick. It took me over a month to shake that off.

Actually, the hibernation thing isn't necessarily wrong... It's possible that you suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is fundamentally a kind of hibernation reflex. I suffer from SAD and many winters I have been reduced to a weak sickly lump who can't even carry a couple of bags of shopping home from the local market without stopping for a rest every 100 yards or so. In the summer, I can comfortably do hilly century+ rides.

I find that exposure to sunlight makes a big difference to how I feel in the winter and how much energy I have on the bike. If I don't get enough sunny days, I use a SAD lightbox at home to boost my daily light dose.

Have you ever had a problem like this before in the wintertime?

 

[Wobblers]

Thanks for the replies.

I've not had this before - last winter I was chalking up hilly 20 mile rides (between the ice and snow!) at a faster place than now. I would expect to have enough glycogen to go at least that far... but sometimes I can feel the energy dropping off after only 7 miles: other times 20 miles is fine. According to the Garmin, my HR isn't any higher than it was in the summer, so it's not down to an increase in effort.

I haven't done much long distance (50 miles plus) recently - I'm probably less used to going longer distances than previously. It could be my legs have simply aren't burning as much fat as before - but I should still have enough glycogen! Sigh... Maybe I just need to build up some miles at an easy pace?

 

[ColinJ]

I haven't done much long distance (50 miles plus) recently - I'm probably less used to going longer distances than previously. It could be my legs have simply aren't burning as much fat as before - but I should still have enough glycogen! Sigh... Maybe I just need to build up some miles at an easy pace?

I think you (and others) are over-complicating things. We aren't talking about 24 hour time trials here, or sub-5 hour centuries. We aren't really talking about endurance or even speed. Energy dropping after 7 miles just isn't normal. I was able to do 7 miles comfortably on my first ride after a 20 year lay off, when I was 4 stone overweight and very unfit.

I hadn't touched my bike since November 20th but I got on it last weekend after 10 weeks of detraining and did an undulating 57 mile forum ride and I didn't feel as bad as you say you feel after 10-20 miles.

I still say that something isn't right. If it isn't due to a virus or other bug, or SAD, then perhaps you are developing some other medical problem like a thyroid disorder or diabetes? I'd suggest a trip to your GP if you don't start to feel better soon.

 

[Rob3rt]

Thanks for the replies.

I've not had this before - last winter I was chalking up hilly 20 mile rides (between the ice and snow!) at a faster place than now. I would expect to have enough glycogen to go at least that far... but sometimes I can feel the energy dropping off after only 7 miles: other times 20 miles is fine. According to the Garmin, my HR isn't any higher than it was in the summer, so it's not down to an increase in effort.

I haven't done much long distance (50 miles plus) recently - I'm probably less used to going longer distances than previously. It could be my legs have simply aren't burning as much fat as before - but I should still have enough glycogen! Sigh... Maybe I just need to build up some miles at an easy pace?

Heart rate is influenced by temperature, it is also influenced by illness (whether apparent or relativelly symptomless) and many other factors.

Forget the technology and go back to basics. What are you eating before these rides?

 

[Wobblers]

I still say that something isn't right. If it isn't due to a virus or other bug, or SAD, then perhaps you are developing some other medical problem like a thyroid disorder or diabetes? I'd suggest a trip to your GP if you don't start to feel better soon.

It's a possibility. I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything glaringly obvious though. (wouldn't be the first time!) I think a trip to the GP is in order - hopefully he'll be of more use than the last time....