TromboneAl

As you can see, I've been training very hard for the upcoming Wildflower century on May 1:



But yesterday's 80 mile ride really whipped my butt, and I'm still tired today. My average speed is rarely above 13 MPH.

I don't really feel like yesterday's ride was any easier than a similar ride a month ago.

Is this expected? Is it possible I'm training too hard (I usually exercise on the off days as well)?

Thanks,

Al

robtown

It's ok to be tired the next day. Who knows why it was harder - changes in sleep, hydration, type of food, - temperature / winds. You've done a number of 80 mile rides - you are ready for the century. Give yourself some more rest before the big day.

10 Wheels

Rest two days before the event. You will come back very strong.

bradtx

"Is this expected? Is it possible I'm training too hard (I usually exercise on the off days as well)?"

This.

Your body needs downtime or light aerobic days to repair muscle, if the healing doesn't happen you're really worse off. All it takes to ride a century is a comfortable bike and the ability to grind out the miles.

Brad

StephenH

I don't really understand your schedule there. But anyway, just keep riding.

On the average speed, it will depend on how you ride (alone or in a group/ paceline), will depend on the wind and the hills, will depend on how hard you work at moving fast, and will depend on how you measure your average speed.

I've heard of people that felt really tired and had stints put in or something like that, and felt like a new man. And one of my local rider friends recently had a little episode with anemia that sure slowed her down...so it's possible there's something going on medically. Get a checkup if you haven't had one in a while maybe.

cyclinfool

You are cranking out about 130 to 150 miles/week over 3 to 4 days of riding. You may be just wearing yourself out.

Velo Dog

"Shouldn't I be less tired at this point?"
I've been asking myself that question for 40 years. FWIW, though, I agree with everybody else. If you're CHRONICALLY tired, it could be overtraining or a medical issue. Being inexplicably tired after one fairly hard ride probably isn't a big deal. As somebody else said, if you're doing 80-mile rides, you can do 100. Go out slow and expect to suffer toward the end. I've done the Wildflower four or five times; you'll love it.
(Seriously, go out SLOWLY. I always feel good the first 50 miles or so and hammer a little, then die the last 20 or 25 miles).

rdtompki

There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to training. I ran 60-70 miles/week for years into my early 40's. I'm a 200 lb. guy and was every bit as fast as my friends (which included a 2:42 marathon), but I could only run hard every other or every third day. You're probably over training a bit. Take 3-4 days off and see how you feel afterward, but don't go hard the first day after the rest days.

stapfam

Training or not training and I do 3 rides a week. 50 to 60 at weekends and 2x 20 mile rides in the week. Those 20 milers and one is hills and one is flat with just a bit more speed than I would normally ride at. With that riding I am able to change the weekend ride to a metric or 100 miler or go out and play in the mud up on the hills on the MTB.

This is not a "Race" program and is just for me to keep up to the fitness of the 30year olds I have to ride with occasionally. All I have to do right now is get back into training to do the 20 milers with my new neighbour who wants to start riding and is only 25.

Looigi

Looks like you have a lot of rides listed, but are you structuring your efforts wrt to doing temp rides, strenuous intervals, etc.? I think the best current book on the subject is "Training for the Time Crunched Cyclist", by Carmichael.

I'm sure you already know that fueling is key. ~30gm of carb per hour while riding (with proper hydration) and eating a good meal within an hour of finishing a ride.

And as Greg Lemond is purported to have said, "It never gets easier. You just get faster."

big john

Let me know if you figure out how to do a hard 80 miles and not be tired afterward.
Oh, yeah, do take some rest days.

BluesDawg

+1 What he said.

capejohn

Check out the faces on any pro in any sport at the end of an event or training session. They are tired also. That's why your doing all that riding right? To get a work out. On the day of the event your adrenaline will take over. Not to worry, your doing the right stuff.

Looigi

I experience two types of tired: Tired as in feeling wasted, exhausted and without energy or motivation, or tired and feeling good. With the former, I just want to lie down for awhile and really don't feel well. With the latter, I feel motivated and continue doing things and being active. Eating properly before, during, and after the exercise makes the difference between which of these I experience.

stapfam

One thing not mentioned--Salt or rather electrolites.

Many years ago and it was Karting on an International level. One very hot humid Saturday and for the first time I had got salt tablets. At 1 pm I was shatterred after driving 300miles and took a tablet. 1.30 and I was ready to go- and unloaded the van to start practice. Gave one to my team members and 30 minutes later we were on the track. Temp up in the 90's on a hot tarmac track and humidity was way up there aswell. We had the track all to ourselves and by 4pm had all the practice we needed and started packing and checking for the next days racing. 6 pm and we were back at the hotel and in for dinner by 7. The other teams could not practice till 6 pm and even then could not do much.

Next day and it was the same. Ho tand Humid and everyone flagging ==except us.

I know salt is a dirty word on the health front but if you exercise- you lose it and need to replace it. But modern science has come up with the "Isotoic" drinks that do the same job or failing that- a packet of ready salted crisps work wonders.

jppe

Al-you are doing great and have no fear that you will be able to do the Century. If you are working out on the off days I suspect you might be overtraining. However, I like to see folks doing around 150+ miles a week. That is usually two 30-40 miles weekday rides and at a faster speed than normal. On weekends it's an accumulative of 100-120 miles with one day being 60, 80 or 100 along with a shortish recovery ride the next day. The off days are off days--give your body a break to recover. You have to be disciplined about that. Give yourself an extra day or to recover. You'll actually be stronger in the long run.

You will not gain or elevate your riding abilities for your century one bit the week of the event. You can only hurt your riding ability by riding too much and too hard. So, next week you could actually not ride at all after Sunday if you are still tired -----or do a regular ride of 20-30 miles on Tuesday. Then go ride at a really easy pace on Thursday--for about 15-20 miles----you have to just spin and get blood in the legs and not elevate your HR above your normal riding level.

Let know how it goes!

TromboneAl

Thanks guys!

I had a remarkably good ride today. I wanted to make Sunday my last long ride day, but the weather didn't cooperate. So today I did 81 miles, and I feel really good. As Looigi said, today I feel tired and good, not tired and wasted.

What was different? I think I'd had a little more rest and ate a little more than usual. I did a 16 miler yesterday and no exercise on Sunday. This morning I had two vitamin pills, .5 cup peanuts, two powerbars (which include electrolytes), two slices of lamb (yes, I ate hard-to-digest meat for lunch), a cheese stick and a coffee. Also, I've gotten a handle on butt pain, and was comfortable the entire ride.

I'll take it easy the rest of the week. If the century is like this, I'll be OK.

smoore

Good advice. I have found that actually not riding (or running) three days before a long event helps me greatly. After doing a lot of training it is a little scary to be totally off for three days but experience has shown me (ymmv) that three days really refreshes my batteries and I don't lose any conditioning.

jppe

Outstanding news! Now, just keep your routine for May 1 the same as you've done the longer training rides and you're going to have a great day. Avoid doing anything different like new shoes, sleat positions, bike positions, different food and drinks during the ride outside from what you'd normally do.

BigBlueToe

I'm certainly no expert, but I find when I ride every day for many successive days I get an overall tiredness/soreness that doesn't go away quickly. That's what a long bike tour is like for me - a chronic feeling of being tired and a little sore (but also with an excellent glow of endorphins.) On tour I'm in no hurry and the chronic soreness isn't enough to stop me from riding.

When I'm training for something like a century I don't ride every day. I may ride 2 or 3 days in a row, but also try to have rest days interspersed. I'm more likely to ride closer to every other day. A rest day revives my body and makes me feel stronger, and I don't feel like it makes me lose any of the fitness I've achieved.

Before that actual century I like two or three rest days. It makes me feel extra strong on the ride, but still in tiptop fitness.

Note: I never worry about speed any more. I worry more about being comfortable and happy (or at least not suffering too much) all the way to the end. Finishing is my main goal.

TromboneAl

Well, I did it. I had a crash at mile 70, which made it much harder, but I still finished.

Ride report here.