I'm 55yrs old and started racing this year as a Cat 5. Prior to this year I averaged 3,000 miles of mostly zone 3/4 riding. Over the winter I participated in an indoor cycling program that focused on cadence and force. Since the weather broke in March, I have been able to keep the fitness level up and have added intervals to my training schedule. Two Sunday's ago I overdid it on what was supposed to be a 35 mile ride with some hills and sprints with a partner ended up being a 52 mile slug fest with 8 more miles getting home while bonking. I felt like Superman on the ride and just kept pushing. I did not plan on 60 miles of hard riding and only took two bottles of water and no food or gels. Last week was a mess for training because of the bonk. I got dropped on Tuesday's group ride, Wednesday's hill intervals had no "pop or snap" in the legs and Friday's easy spin was hard. At Saturday's race everything seemed good for the first 7 laps of a 10 lap crit. On the 7th lap I just starting loosing it and finished the race solo. In looking at HR data from the race my heart rate was never in zone 5 and over the last three laps it was decreasing each lap even though I thought I was really pushing it. Yesterday I rode with my son on what was supposed to be a brisk 40 mile ride. The ride started out fine but at 25 miles I was done. My heart rate kept dropping, even though I was pushing, and latic acid kept building up in my legs. I knew I was tired and did not push myself to finish. Our speed kept decreasing as we worked home. I know I'm fatigued and need to rest. How long should I rest? Should I take some easy rides and spin or just stay off the bike? If at all possible I want to race on Saturday. Any advice is appreciated.
FitForever
04-28-08, 09:20 AM
After I read Joe Friel's "Cycling Past 50, 1998" I discovered how important rest and recover was after riding hard and fast miles. I need 36-48 hours between hard rides and when I do this I get stronger. I now lead pacelines which I never did before. Joe's book is a very good read covers racing and all kinds of training. Becasue it's now a 10 year old book the used ones are very cheap.
Allegheny Jet
04-28-08, 09:42 AM
I'll have to invest in the book. I do have Friel's Training Bible. My wife's advice that "your old and you should not ride so hard" has no scientific basis but probably is somewhat correct. I think I have been riding hard too many days in a row and it's caught up to me. I have been so motivated due to the gains, in fitmness and speed, that I am not allowing my body to rest. I know a few days off is good, but how do I know how many days are enough and not too much?
Enthalpic
04-28-08, 10:42 AM
Glycogen depletion, it takes a while after a bonking episode to get the muscles restocked.
Use sport drinks and gels on all your rides for a little while, and ensure you eat some carbs post workout.
Allegheny Jet
04-28-08, 01:46 PM
I took two bottles of 50/50 Gatorade and ate a Shot Block on yesterday's ride. I'll start to take non diluted drinks for the time being. Right now my thinking is to stay off the bike to at least Wed. I've bonked before but always seemed to get by with little lasting effect.
Terex
04-28-08, 02:04 PM
I'd also recommend that you drink something other than Gatoraid. Try some Amino Vital or something. And in the future, never neglect to refuel during a ride. It's really critical, especially as we age (I'm about your age). In addition to "just" bonking, you can develop an electrolyte imbalance that may affect the pace making function of your heart.
I've read that one of the most common mistakes among American riders is that they fail to properly fuel during rides.
Carbonfiberboy
04-28-08, 08:15 PM
Do not race on Saturday.
Yes, you cooked it. Overreached. Now you need to rest by riding easy with a few rest days for a week or two, then go back to training. You'll come back stronger if you rest it for a bit. So try riding only in zone 2 this week, maybe 3 days. Then do a weekend ride. You still won't be OK, but you should be better.
Depending on how that goes, either repeat that the next week, or change out one of the zone 2 days, Tuesday or Wednesday, for a day when you do a set of 4 each 10 minute hill repeats with 10 minute rest, at about 80 cadence and in the upper part of zone 3. That can be done on a trainer. Follow that with some short hills on Thursday and some more zone 2 on Friday, then nada on Saturday, and you should do better on Sunday. If the hill repeats don't go well (HR doesn't come up easily), stop them and go back to just zone 2 riding for that week.
I just went through that and had my best ride of the year on Sunday.
Allegheny Jet
04-29-08, 07:34 AM
Great advice guys, that's what I'm looking for. I've been following Dr Michael Ross's "Maximum Performance For Cyclist" book and it does not go into much detail on overtraining and recovering from it's effects. I will keep my rides this week in Zone 2 and will restrain my egerness to race this weekend and to ride tonight's fast group ride. Carbonfiberboy, the hill workout you mention is the one I did last Wednesday. When I do begin training again, I can repeat the workout and compare the differences in speed and HR since my GPS unit captured the first workout. The interval workout was a 1.2 mile hill x 4 with around 500' of climbing, I think I averaged around 18 minutes per cycle with my HR in lower to mid Zone 4.
So, this weeks rides will be easy Zone 2 rides, where I just get out and enjoy the ride and smell the blossoming trees and only dream of "blasting up and over the hills and keep it going".