Chronic fatigue and long distances

[Dudelsack]

Any of you long distance types wrestling with chronic fatigue?

I'm not asking for medical advice, medical diagnostics or medical therapy other than dietary manipulations.

I enjoy long distance riding. I've done distances of 100, 75, 68, and 65 miles within the past couple of years. These rides were done on a DF. Now I have a high racer bent and I suspect I'll be able to go longer once I get my 'bent legs'.

I also have, either by temperament or acquired factors, a low energy level.

For some reason the idea of dreaming big and aiming for PBP (next event, 2015, plenty of time to train) intrigues me. OTOH, I don't want to get weird about it. What I mean by that is, at 5' 10", slow, and with bad hands, I'll never play for the NBA. I realize there are some things that just aren't meant to be.

I'm not interested in HGH, DHEA, or any number of naturopathic or homeopathic therapies. As my body chemistries and hormone levels are fine (why, I'm almost in testosterone storm! My natural levels alone would disqualify me from the TdF ), hormonal supplements would not help. And no prion ingestion. I'll leave that for others.

If any of you wrestle with this and have overcome it, I'd love to hear your stories. I'm also willing to consider dietary management (I'm 210#) so I take it as a given that I should lose 20-30#.

Preshadit.

[10 Wheels]

How young are you?

[Dudelsack]

Now you've gone from preaching to meddling, youngin'.

I'm 59. Interestingly, looking at my 'business productivity', I'm working at full capacity.

Long rides leave me wiped. I know about recovery. I think part of the problem is often I only have two days a week I can ride, so they tend to be longish (30-55 miles). I tend not to do a lot of 15 milers.

[10 Wheels]

Work is getting in your way.

69 here. I Take 90 mg of Armour Thyroid to control my metabolism. (low thyroid) You may have the same problem.



Join us at The Track next June.
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[Dudelsack]

Slow month for you?

I must admit, you make a compelling case for retirement.

Add-Sorry to call you a youngin'. I should have more respect for my elders

[Steamer]

Now you've gone from preaching to meddling, youngin'.

I'm 59. Interestingly, looking at my 'business productivity', I'm working at full capacity.

Long rides leave me wiped. I know about recovery. I think part of the problem is often I only have two days a week I can ride, so they tend to be longish (30-55 miles). I tend not to do a lot of 15 milers.

Maybe your riding them hard enough to illicit a training response? This is a good thing. If I don't feel wiped out by a training ride that usually means it was a waste of time (I am time strapped as well).

I feel much worse after a 40 mile training ride than I do after a 200K brevet. I am hammering parts of the 40 miler, but I am riding an even, intelligent pace on the brevet. (Even and intelligent meaning never going anaerobic if I can help it.)

Now, do you routinely feel wiped out on days you don't ride or do other hard exercise? If you do, then something's wrong.

[Jamesw2]

I did 27 miles on my trainer yesterday in two hours. That is a personal best for me @ 13 mph. Then had some home made chicken soup. Then did some yoga stretches then Savasana, Shavasana.I need to practice relaxing. I'm 59 . Just beginning to understand the physical and mental needs (attitude) needed to ride long distance. The yoga stretching and hot tub/bath go a long way in healing for me.

http://www.youtube.com/user/yogatic for beginners. Learn about the therapeutic affects of concentrating on your breath. Sort of a meditation

Suggestion
get a trainer (one-up)

Get a stress test done .

Find where your fat burning zone is and ride a lot of miles in that heart rate zone.

[Trakhak]

Sounds as if what you're describing doesn't fit the definition of chronic fatigue syndrome. Here's a quote from a cdc.gov page on exercise and chronic fatigue: "All exercise needs to be followed by a rest period at a 1:3 ratio, exercising for one minute then resting for three minutes. These sessions can be slowly increased by one to five minutes a week as tolerance develops."

Me, I have post-ride laziness syndrome: after I've done a satisfying ride, I don't feel any urge to do anything else for the rest of the day.

[Dudelsack]

Any of you long distance types wrestling with chronic fatigue?

I'm not asking for medical advice, medical diagnostics or medical therapy other than dietary manipulations.

Preshadit.

I was careful not to use the term "chronic fatigue syndrome" because it invites information I don't need.

I'm interested in how low energy individuals, either by temperament or acquired factors, handle long distance riding.

[Jamesw2]

"all exercise needs to be followed by a rest period at a 1:3 ratio, exercising for one minute then resting for three minutes. These sessions can be slowly increased by one to five minutes a week as tolerance develops."

me, i have post-ride laziness syndrome: After i've done a satisfying ride, i don't feel any urge to do anything else for the rest of the day.

n+1