Resting Pulse/Overtraining Question
 

After an accident late last summer, I was not able to ride for nearly 6 months. Before the accident, I was riding 200-250 miles/week steadily throughout the summer., and my RP was 48. (I am 53 y.o.) Starting in January, I got on the trainer, but at that point I had gained 12 lbs (up to 175) and my resting pulse had gone up to the high 60s.

I got outside to ride starting in early March and my mileage increased slowly up to 150 miles week by mid-April. My RP had gone down to about 56.

In May the weather got better and I upped my milage to 200-250 miles week. I couldn't resist. The rides began to include some all out hill-fests and the like. I am now up to 1300 road miles since I got outside.

By late last week, I had lost most of the extra weight, but noticed that my RP had gone up to the low 60s. Fortunately, owing to travel, I just took 3 days off, and this morning my RP is down to 48.

So I was pushing the mileage and the intensity too quickly, right? And I was headed toward overtraining, but not too badly? Obviously, 3 days of rest were very much what my body needed.

My plan is to return to riding (tonight!) and dial back the intensity just a little, hoping to build back to 225-250 miles/week by some time in June.

Thoughts?

Yes. If you were really overtrained, your RP would not have responded so rapidly to rest.

I also take my standing resting HR just after my resting HR. When you're done with the RHR, stand and watch your HR for exactly 2 minutes. Record the average of your SRHR for the last 30 seconds. If you keep track of your SRHR, you'll find it'll give you earlier warning of over cooking it. RHR increase of 6-8 beats over normal is cause for concern. SRHR increase of 10 beats over normal means rest now.

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0410.htm#

I think a bit of overreaching (which is what you did) is a good thing, that's how you introduce training stress that causes the body to adapt and become fitter. Just make sure the blocks of training that result in over-reach are balanced with some recovery (which doesn't have to mean complete inactivity, just backing off the intensity/volume a bit for a day or two can be sufficient).

I think "overtraining" has become a bit of a bogeyman that people worry too much about, and even use as an excuse to not push themselves to train harder. Full-blown overtraining (the kind that trashes your endocrine and immune systems) is something that happens over a period of months, not a week or two.

I have wondered about what you would call multi-day overreaching. If I ride very hard on Saturday, I should go for a recovery ride on Sunday, but if the weather is good and there's an interesting group ride on offer, I might do something demanding instead. I'll have tired legs and not ride with quite the intensity (or freshness) of Saturday, but still spend considerable time in Zone 4 or even Zone 5. This is a form of training stress, too, I suppose, and perhaps a net positive, but I some times wonder if I would build strength faster if I kept high intensity rides to isolated days (e.g., not the day before or after another high intensity ride). Of course, the professionals string together high intensity rides day after day, and though they are working from a level of fitness and stamina that I can only dream about, this does suggest that it isn't too harmful to go more deeply in to the red for a few days, and then rest/recover.

If you can hit your numbers, it's fine. If you can't, you should quit and rest. Two-in-rows are very good if you can do them, even if it's difficult.

If you can completely recover in 3 days, you'll gain fitness. If it takes a week to recover, you've overdone it. If you keep up that pattern, you're going to lose fitness in spite of all the work you did in overdoing it. I know people who ride a 200k every weekend and nothing during the week. They don't get faster in spite of averaging over 120 miles/week.

You should be able to recover by doing zone 1 or 2 rides during your recovery period. If any riding at all during recovery increases your stress levels as reflected in your morning resting heart rates, you may have done a little more than the optimal. Or not. Everyone is different and each must experiment with this. Remember that it's not only intensity that produces fitness, it's also volume. There's a delicate balance there.

It's usual to take every 4rd week as a recovery week and greatly reduce volume and intensity for that week. Some people may need every 3rd week. You should feel like you need that week. If you don't, you probably are underdoing it.