What is the training effect and 'effective intensity' of a workout when you are pretty tired (and probably need a rest day). A typical example would be a day where your data (HR and/or power) says that you rode 2 hours in your endurance zone - typically a pretty easy ride. But your RPE was more like a relatively tough tempo ride session.

From a training effect perspective, does this ride stress your system like a hard tempo ride. And yes it will take an appropriate amount of rest to actually get a benefit from the training effect.

dave

RPE doesn't really increase effective intensity (though it can certainly take away from it when you don't hit targets). Just because it sucks doesn't mean it's making you better.

Doing consecutive hard days helps you do consecutive hard days. The more you train, the more you can train.

I've done 4-5 threshold workouts a week for multiple weeks at a time before. Pros race weeks upon weeks.

It's all about the training load you can handle, so building that up helps you handle it better.

Thanks for the response. Let me put this in my personal context and see if I get it.

I am 'whipped' and can take a rest day or take an "easy ride" that feels like a hard day, but isn't. And in my case if I take the "high RPE easy day" I will not be rested the following day so will face the same choices all over again. Note that I am 70 years old so this might be a factor.

But given all this a rest day would seem to be the only sensible choice if a 'real training ride' just cannot be done.

Sound about right?

dave

if you are not recovered for the hard day the following day you need to take a rest day off the bike, or two. The endurance ride is actually hurting your training. Remember recovery rides are supposed to be easy.. and short. Under an hour is best, just enough to loosen the legs. Long endurance zone rides still add fatigue and require their own recovery

qfe

It's easy to turn an active rest day into just another training day, but you should avoid doing so at all costs. A two hour ride in your endurance zone is not active rest. If you are tired, get some sleep, take a kick-back day, or whatever it takes not to feel tired. When you don't feel sleepy anymore, you can try some active rest like a <30 minute easy (actually easy, not should be easy) cruise on the bike, or personally, I like to mix it up with other recreational activities like a walk or swim, again keep it leisurely and fun, remember this is just to keep the blood flowing and your muscles limber.

Seventy-year-old riders that do consecutive or regular hard days, (4-5 days a week) and recover adequately, exist. They are the exceptions rather than the rule.

After many years off the bike, I picked it up again at age 64. I steadily increased my performance steadily up until I reached 70. From 70 on it has been all downhill in every way since then despite continuing quality effort rides. Now as I approach 74 I've lost 60-65 watts of power in the past three and one-half years.

I turn 70 later this year. This post is truly inspirational :

dave

ps. This is intended as humor as it really is useful information..