"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - first day of training...I threw up

So i've decided to start racing and take cycling more seriously, I've been riding my whole life but never competitively. I'm still trying to figure out a training schedule but today i thought i start out with some intervals since i ride solo allot and want to keep up on the accelerations of group riding.

I wasn't feeling the best, maybe because I woke up at 11 am, ate a grilled chicken sandwich at 12 and start biking at 1:30, an odd schedule for me. Did some climbing intervals for 10 miles or so, came back down into the rose bowl and on the second lap I pushed a little too hard and after a particularly intense sprint i pulled over, thew up on the edge of the golf course! some golfers came by and offered me water i laughed and said no thanks i'm fine. Felt great after though! Did two more laps and went home.

oddly enough this isn't the first time I've thrown up in sports, when i first moved to California and started surfing the salt water would make me throw up. And when i was a ski racer sometimes in dryland i would push too hard once and while and loose it.

maybe I should carry a bag with me so next time I can hurl on the fly?:thumb:

maybe I should carry a bag with me so next time I can hurl on the fly?:thumb:

Maybe you should consider adopting a training routine more appropriate to someone who is just getting into competitive cycling. Or even for someone who isn't just getting into it. You should NOT be wrecking yourself in training. There are a lot of people on these boards with a lot of knowledge to share. Do some searches, ask some questions. Just because you've heard people talk about intervals doesn't mean that you should be throwing yourself into high-intensity, especially not without a comprehensive long-term plan of which they are a coherent part, working toward some kind of tangible goal. Trying to train like this will not make you very fast or strong, and it will burn you out incredibly quickly. You'll hate racing, you'll hate training, you'll stop doing it and miss out on a lot of fun. Get some good training advice. Buy a copy of Joe Friel's book. Etc etc.

Yes good advice, Like i said i don't have a schedule down, I've been reading both online articles and threads on here. While I'm new to cycling racing I'm not a idiot, I've been a top level sponsored athlete and I know my body extremely well and the effects of over training. I've been doing interval training since in one form or another since I was 14 or so. I was not "wrecking" myself but rather just an odd day, perhaps I worded the event a little too dramatic ;-). I thought it was just kind of funny event.

Regardless I will get a good training schedule down with tangible goals. Tangible part is so important for me because in the past I've trained without a consistent way of measurement so I had no idea how i was progressing.

Maybe you're lactose intolerant.

Maybe you're lactose intolerant.

hrmm should i get tested? lol

I puked last year when I first started serious intervals. IMO it is a sign of a good workout and a barrier passed.

There are intervals that are very beneficial, they are called "ride 'til you puke" I am a firm believer that they work, but don't do them too often, maybe every 6 weeks or so.

Keep up the good work.

the first time reggie bush trained with L.T. he threw up.

Yes good advice, Like i said i don't have a schedule down, I've been reading both online articles and threads on here. While I'm new to cycling racing I'm not a idiot, I've been a top level sponsored athlete and I know my body extremely well and the effects of over training. I've been doing interval training since in one form or another since I was 14 or so. I was not "wrecking" myself but rather just an odd day, perhaps I worded the event a little too dramatic ;-). I thought it was just kind of funny event.

Regardless I will get a good training schedule down with tangible goals. Tangible part is so important for me because in the past I've trained without a consistent way of measurement so I had no idea how i was progressing.

Obviously you don't. You've been "reading" yet you've been "a top sponsored athlete"!

You pushed yourself too hard for your fitness level.

You're about 3 months behind schedule I'd say if you're planning to race. You should have started a base program in early December. Much like you, this will be my first year racing but I carried much of my fitness from last year into Base 1, 2, 3 and now Build 1.

You might be better served by coming up with a good, "consistent" base program and then move into intervals later.

Maybe you shouldn't drink so much ;)

The good news is that you have the will, and desire to push yourself so hard that you puke :thumb:

I puked last year when I first started serious intervals. IMO it is a sign of a good workout and a barrier passed.

There are intervals that are very beneficial, they are called "ride 'til you puke" I am a firm believer that they work, but don't do them too often, maybe every 6 weeks or so.

Keep up the good work.

No, it's not. There are tons of reasons why this can happen, most of them pointing to an error in self-nutrition. Then there's also going way over your means, which can (and should) be done without throwing up.

You're about 3 months behind schedule I'd say if you're planning to race. You should have started a base program in early December. Much like you, this will be my first year racing but I carried much of my fitness from last year into Base 1, 2, 3 and now Build 1.

You might be better served by coming up with a good, "consistent" base program and then move into intervals later.

It's fine to be "late" if you're just starting. You're just supposed to race, see if you like it and THEN start training hard.

It's fine to be "late" if you're just starting. You're just supposed to race, see if you like it and THEN start training hard.

If that's what's "suppose" to happen then I got it all wrong...different strokes I guess.

I figure if I'm going to race then I'm starting out "popin" giving it an honest effort. If I don't like racing or suck to high-hell then I'll be in great shape for centuries and fitness rides.

Buy a copy of Joe Friel's book. Etc etc.
+1 on this.

New edition came out last month, too; it's a good read

No, it's not. There are tons of reasons why this can happen, most of them pointing to an error in self-nutrition. Then there's also going way over your means, which can (and should) be done without throwing up.

Sorry man, but I have done these intervals and there is nothing that can match them, they are guaranteed to raise your VO2 and your pain level-you may not believe in them, but there was an article in Bicycling magazine with them last year, this was after I started doing them. The rider Herzig? said they were the most intense intervals he ever did, but they were also the biggest gain in strength he had.

You need to have a base to do them, but you cannot discount them-you may be unsuited to these, and although I hate them, they are my final 3-4% of ultimate gain prior to an A race.

and after a particularly intense sprint i pulled over, thew up on the edge of the golf course!

You actually stopped to throw up? :roflmao2:

Sorry man, but I have done these intervals and there is nothing that can match them, they are guaranteed to raise your VO2 and your pain level-you may not believe in them, but there was an article in Bicycling magazine with them last year, this was after I started doing them. The rider Herzig? said they were the most intense intervals he ever did, but they were also the biggest gain in strength he had.

You need to have a base to do them, but you cannot discount them-you may be unsuited to these, and although I hate them, they are my final 3-4% of ultimate gain prior to an A race.

Can you explain these ride till you puke intervals? You aren't taking about Tabata intervals are you?

You should NOT be wrecking yourself in training. There are a lot of people on these boards with a lot of knowledge to share.

don't listen to that guy. riding so hard you puke shows that you are way more motivated than most of the people supposedly "training" on bikeforums. just be sure to throw in some solid rest days to allow your body to adapt to the harder riding. by rest days I mean, go out and ride, just don't puke.


Buy a copy of Joe Friel's book

don't buy a copy of joe friel's book, it made my head hurt.

I'd say it's more likely you had a full stomach and were dehydrated than you went too hard.

Can you explain these ride till you puke intervals? You aren't taking about Tabata intervals are you?

Yes after looking at Tabata intervals, this is basically what I have done. There is a really steep hill near me, it is about 1 mile long and goes into a park. The road leading to that is about 2.5 miles of a climb, which I do at lt, I then go up the hill at VO2, recover until I can see again, VO2 again and repeat procedure. I do it when I am a few weeks from peaking-not in a base period, that's for sure. I always puke the first time I do it every year, after that, I don't puke, but I dread it-it is the worst workout I have ever done, but I do benefit from it.

I guess the question is what did you want to get out of posting this? I know there are a lot of responses, but it seems like you are not asking any questions in your original post.

Obviously you don't. You've been "reading" yet you've been "a top sponsored athlete"!

You pushed yourself too hard for your fitness level.

ha i said athlete not cyclist, I've been pushing myself to my personal limits for a long time unlike many beginning cycist who haven't done so. that was my point.


You're about 3 months behind schedule I'd say if you're planning to race. You should have started a base program in early December. Much like you, this will be my first year racing but I carried much of my fitness from last year into Base 1, 2, 3 and now Build 1.

You might be better served by coming up with a good, "consistent" base program and then move into intervals later.

Yes unfortunately cycling is somewhat low down on my priority list as I'm in a extremely demanding education program right now and i'll also be taking a full credit load this summer. I was hoping to gain experience and get into the sport and see how much time i can commit, then make plans for the next season.


Maybe you shouldn't drink so much ;)

The good news is that you have the will, and desire to push yourself so hard that you puke :thumb:

Haha at 13 bucks a drink i could only affoard two the night before:thumb:


No, it's not. There are tons of reasons why this can happen, most of them pointing to an error in self-nutrition. Then there's also going way over your means, which can (and should) be done without throwing up.

yep it was definitly because my schedule was off and my food wasn't settled, I felt it from the begining of the ride and took and extra long warm thinking i would settle in. I went for a ride today and while it wasn't as high intensity i pushed my body much harder, ate some oatmeal and a banana before and was feeling great. Best ride i think I've ever had actually!


I guess the question is what did you want to get out of posting this? I know there are a lot of responses, but it seems like you are not asking any questions in your original post.

Nothing specfic i wanted to get out this thread, I just thought it was a bit entertaining and figured it was a better way to introduce myself than making a "omg i have a cat 5 race tommrow" thread:roflmao2: I guess it does raise an interesting point of how far you should be pushing yourself in certain situations