Originally Posted by
chasm54
... your muscles will demand more fuel than your not-yet dilated vessels can provide, and you'll suffer fatigue. In those circumstances a short period of recovery is bound to help, and you're sure to feel stronger when you restart, if only because you are now warmed up and can cope better with the effort required. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if a period of gentle spinning in recovery mode didn't serve you even better than taking a break.
... .
I think you described it well -- because that is EXACTLY what it feels like: Like my body and muscles have simply not been able to get the fuel (oxygen mostly) they need. And, the short break enables my circulatory system to catch-up....
Also, as I slowly get stronger from both a muscular as well as cardiovascular perspective, I find that I am better able to recover on the downhills and don't need the break as much as I did when I first started riding a year ago. Increasingly the break is just a habit.
Thanks for the insights!