Fifty Plus (50+) - I stopped riding for a month

and I can't believe how much of my fitness I lost.

Because of work schedule and a bad cold I stopped riding for about 5 weeks. Before that I'd been in my best shape for years. But after a month, my butt hurts again, my speed and cadence is down, and I struggled on hill climbing.

The good news: my aerobic endurance did not decline (I was not out of breath when riding) and my overall strength and endurance is still far better than when I started riding about 15 months ago.

But still I was shocked at how much I lost in a month, and I'm not looking forward to a winter layoff and a spring re-training.

Your screen name is so appropriate! I'm assuming you're back on the bike, right?

Your screen name is so appropriate! I'm assuming you're back on the bike, right?

yep, backinthesaddle is back in the saddle again :D

I know what you mean. Tomorrow will be a week now that I haven't been able to ride, due to muscle pulls in my back and right rear leg. At least I hope it's muscle pull and not sciatica, which I've never had before. The bike sits on the trainer constanly reminding me that the clock it ticking.

Yeah whenever I lose the "drive" I find it takes 2X the time off to get it most of the way back.

Strange things can put me off... like you, I had a cold about 4 weeks ago and the days then started getting shorter.

I know that as soon as I climb back into the saddle, it's gonna take 2 months of "suffering" to get back to where I was... and that doesn't help motivate me either.

I agree
I have been out of action too. due to operations, and a touch of manflu

Started back on the bike yesterday and the two rides have taken about 20% more time than before.

Just keep out there and hopefully after a month back on the bike all should/could be back to normal.

But here in the UK winter is starting, at least you are in California, I believe its warm there.

george

just a follow-up

after bemoaning last week how out of shape I was, I went out on a previously scheduled metric century on Saturday. First I didn't expect to go, then I thought I'd go but use the various bailout options, but finally I did the whole thing, 60 miles, 2500 ft. climbing. Beautiful day, good ride, made my usual 10 mph (i.e. 60 miles in 6 hrs including all rest stops). Did I mention I got only 4 1/2 hrs sleep the night before?

so it goes to prove once again I don't always know what shape I'm in. I can leave in the morning feeling great and drag my butt on a ride.

Or I can get sick, stop riding, have little sleep, and have a great cycling day. Go figure!

Glad you're riding again. 7 days is the longest I've gone without riding since I started 25 months ago. I'm scheduled for hernia surgery in January; we'll see how long that keeps me off the bike.

Glad you're riding again. 7 days is the longest I've gone without riding since I started 25 months ago. I'm scheduled for hernia surgery in January; we'll see how long that keeps me off the bike.

Bud, I just had DOUBLE hernia surgery six days ago and I was hoping that it wouldn't take THAT long before I'm back-in-the-saddle again. Not looking like that's gonna' be the case. Just walking at this point is an accomplishment. I'm 6'2" and 220 lbs.

Before the surgery, I was working out at the gym five days a week with a combination of light lifting and cardio. My passion was for those long (40+) mile rides on the weekends. I got as much riding in as I could before the operation in anticipation of a long lay-off... but if I were to guess now, it's gonna' be around Christmas when I climb back on.

All went well with the surgery... they did both sides at the same time laporoscopically and I had a "pain pump" attached for three days afterwards. I strongly recommend the pain pump...

BITS-you're experience is so typical. Several of us were bemoaning the same fact yesterday on a long ride ride on how quickly being in peak condition slips if you're not regularly exercising at that level. The good news is it will come back......Sit back and enjoy the rides getting you back to where you were!!

I just had one surgery followed by another. I had a Nissen Fundoplication on November 7th and hernia surgery (conventional left inguinal) on the 22nd. I did get one short (16 mile) ride in between the two surgeries. I was suprised that I felt that I had lost less fitness than I would have expected at that point. That may be that I just had low expectations. I did walk a lot though, starting hours after the surgery with walks around the hall of the hospital and building to multi-mile walks quickly. After the hernia surgery it took a little longer to get walking much, with a couple days of hardly any walking, but I was back to multi-mile walks after a week or so.

I would probably get on the bike today, but the doctor said to wait until he OK's it after my wife ratted me out for riding between the surgeries. :) I see the surgeon again thursday and hope to be riding again after that. I an really chomping at the bit to be back on the bike!

In the past I have found that whatever fitness you lose at least comes back MUCH more quickly than if you had never reached that fitness level before. If the time off isn't too long recovery should be pretty quick. At least that is what I am telling myself.

Pete

I can leave in the morning feeling great and drag my butt on a ride.

Or I can get sick, stop riding, have little sleep, and have a great cycling day. Go figure!

One of these two scenarios happens to me maybe half the time I ride. At least I've learned not to be too discouraged, or too optimistic, in the mornings!

Why not just stay in shape over the winter with non cycling activities?

Maybe we should revoke your membership in the club for non attendance? bk