BeckyW

So... for about 3 weeks prior to Mille Lacs I was off my bike more than on it because of all those wheel issues. Then I went on a few short rides right before the big one, and felt great, felt strong, felt confident. Went up to MN and did 35 miles, which was HARD, and I wasn't fast, but I did it.

I got home on Tuesday, didn't really feel like riding, took a couple days off, then went for a short ride on Friday. I had NOTHING. No energy, couldn't go fast, heart rate was elevated quickly, etc. I hadn't eaten for about 6-7 hours before the ride, so I thought maybe that was the problem. But it didn't exactly make me eager to go out again, so no ride Saturday.

I went out today.. and... WTF?? I was properly fed and hydrated, but I was tired after three miles!! I went five, but I could barely maintain 10 mph!! My legs were burning, I was breathing hard, and my knees and wrists and hands hurt!

It's like I've gone back two or three MONTHS in what I can do. I really hope this is temporary, but I fear it isn't, and I'm back at square one. So... I guess there's not much to do but be glad I live in a warm climate, and build up from where I am. Again.

Tom Stormcrowe

Yep, you can lose fitness really quickly. One good thing, however.......you get it back quicker

tomdaniels

I've had this happen to me too. Not so much this week after Mille Lacs, but in the past when I was riding a lot. I don't know what happens, but sometimes it just does.

Try several short rides, 1 per day, until you feel the urge to go farther. Any ride is a good ride. When you feel the urge, do it and enjoy. You probably didn't lose much, just something going on with your body right now. Keep doing some riding and things will improve.

jaxgtr

Been there too. Just have to work through it and take short rides to work back into it. Make sure your seat did not drop during your transit back home either, that could explain the burning legs.

Stujoe

You can lose indeed ground fast. Even if you just drop your average miles per ride.

I was doing 30 mile rides on Sat or sometimes 20 miles plus each on Sat and Sun. No real problems. A couple weeks ago, I started commuting several days a week, which is 9 miles one way, and started doing only 10 to 15 mile rides one day on the weekend and resting the other day.

I went out yesterday and did 28 miles and my legs started complaining loudly after about 20 miles. lol I actually had some doubt that I was going to make the last 8 miles back to the car. Fortunately, I was able to put those thoughts out of my head. From now on, I am going to get a longer ride (20 to 30 miles) in on the weekend.

jboyd

Becky,

I went through it back in August after returning from the Tsali Trails in North Carolina. I rode those mountain bike trails like I was 18. There was nothing I could not climb or jump. The next week after I got back, I took a ride one evening and didn't think I was going to get back home after about 6 miles.

I also can have one day that I am strong followed by a weak day then the next day be stronger than the first. Go figure. I would say listen to your body. If it says not today, then maybe it is not today. But make sure you are listening to your BODY, not your head. My head is always telling me "Not Today". He is just lazy

I was more up and down with my energy before I started using the CamelBak. I was not hydrating enough. Now I ride even the shortest rides with it. Constant hydration is a good thing. Mainlining some sugars right before helps the mid point too. Good Luck.

Jay

edzo

just keep riding that is all

KiaTia

Wow interesting thread I too had one of those days today! A week ago I rode to my local trail and rode about 8 miles in the wood and rode home other than not bringing enough water I felt great. This weekend I could hardly get to the trail head and after I rode about 2 miles I was drained and could hardly get home total miles 7 and felt like 70. I don’t even know what the problem was but I will get drinking more water and get out again and ride in a day or so. Very very frustrating.

Mike

JumboRider

Yeah, I am afraid to get back on the bike. The commute begins Tuesday.

mrbubl

It is a very simple formula........use it (read do it) or lose it. Takes everyday for 30 days to become a habit, something you will miss if you don't do it and every journey starts with a single step or spin of the wheel and crank.

solveg

Well, one thing, Becky, is it's HOT down there compared to up here. You had never ridden before when it was below 80.

But that wouldn't be the whole reason for what's going on... I've heard of riders who, after a big ride, don't get on the bike again for a while for some reason, but that's not your case... you're back on the bike!

Maybe you're drinking much less water than you were for a while and your body is reacting to that?
(There...did you see that nasty look she shot me? )

Check your brakes and make sure they're not rubbing from being transported. Make sure your tires are inflated. And, yeah, your seat does tend to drop....

Other than that, maybe your body is kinda recovering? But I think it's the heat...

Caincando1

Don't worry about it to much. Just keep getting on the bike and riding. I've been through that when i was off the bike for a couple weeks. I've also went through it after a brutal ride, my tank is empty for a couple days. Just keep pounding out the miles and it will be fine.

BeckyW

Thanks all... I feel better having read all that. And Jumbo, good luck on Tuesday! Let us know how it goes!

b_young

This has happened to me before. I rode to work a couple of days in a row feeling sluggish. I just happend to ride by the lbs on the way home. I have been having issues with gears, so he adjusted it and then laughed because the break was rubbing some. It is amazing how fast you feel after that.

Other than that, "Just keep spinning"

jaxgtr

I did not even think about the difference in the heat levels. I typically ride at night and the heat factor is really limited. Saturday I went out for a day ride, first time in a while. It was 89F with a 85% humidity level, making the temp feel in the high 90's, no big whip, I ride in that all the time, but the sun just made it worse. I got so dehydrated and over-heated that I got a headache about the 30 mile mark. I started out to do 65, which I felt I was capable of doing, but after 40, I was barely able to limp home. I took today off to recoup and take in lots of water. I lost 6 lbs during my ride yesterday, that was 6 lbs in 2.5 hrs.

Just get acclimated again and get back on and ride your heart out.

v1k1ng1001

3+ weeks off the bike is pretty devastating in terms of losing cardiovascular fitness

get back on and stay back on!

Pamestique 

Becky I did the same thing. I trained for my Montana ride in July - was able to ride 80 - 90 miles a day and then when I got back, with all the heat we were having I stopped riding. Now it's like I never trained and did all those rides. I feel like I'm starting over.

There's something about overtraining, peaking and laying off that messes with your body. Just keep riding. It will come back in no time.

Air

What did you eat the day before? I sometimes feel like I have no energy and it's usually due to what I ate the day before rather than the day of.

jcm

Exactly. Also, if you are in the beginning stages of fitness (also known as over-weight-out-of-shape), you will fall back quickly if you stop riding for a few days. It's your body saying that it doesn't like the strain of training, and would rather go lay on the couch. Very common.

KingTermite 

I've had days like that....sometimes a few rides in a row. I don't know why....but I just have NOTHING. Maybe they are related to after a long ride, I'm not sure, but it will go away and you'll be back to normal.

mezza

I seem to only lose fitness if I'm off the bike for longer than a week. Mentally I'm a mess because I'm picturing small children on tricycles passing me when I'm back on. But I've only ridden once a week for the last 3 weeks and I'm no slower (Same commuter route)

solveg

Hey, Becky! I had a ride like yours this morning!

It was cold and it took forever to get my muscles warmed up. OK... they NEVER warmed up. I think my top speed was 12 mph, and I was averaging about 10... I never got out of the "warm up spinning" stage. I checked my brakes to see if they were rubbing. I was tired*, even though I wasn't when I started out. I ended up stopping when I saw a Berner (like Bella and Wolfie) and killed 1/2 hour til it warmed up. But even then it didn't get any better.

I ended up only going 10 miles. It was a pretty morning, though.

Rosie8

Hang in there Becky. I took a garage bike break (had to ride indoors for a week because of gusty winds). When I went to ride outdoors, first had to fix a flat, then had to adjust the brakes because I pulled them loose accidentally. After fixing all that, rode for 6 miles, but it felt more like 9. Checked my brakes the next day - one was rubbing on the rear wheel I had fixed the flat on. Amazingly, (ha ha), riding was a breeze after a small adjustment!

BeckyW

Well, maybe it's square 2, not square one... lol. I'm back to <10 mile rides for now, but I'll work back up to it soon enough. I also put an extra 5 lbs pressure (65 psi tires, I loaded them to 70) as someone (Tom? Cain?) at Mille Lacs suggested, and it definitely helped!

BTW, Jumbo... how'd that commute go?

Caincando1

Have you asked your lbs about tire pressure? If they think your tires can hold even more pressure than do it. You'll be AMAZED at how fast you roll on higher pressure.