grebletie

Hey,

I'm currently dealing with a pretty nasty case of the flu. I'm wondering how long other people wait before starting their training regimen again. It really couldn't have come at a worse time, with finals next week, plus my schedule calling for 14 hrs of base training. I've pretty much abandoned hope of making that second goal.

I know when to get back in the saddle is largely dependent on when I'm "over" it. But lets say I'm feeling pretty good by Thursday or Friday, would that be too soon? I'm a bit worried about starting again too soon and prolonging it. Luckily this is the off-season, so a week lost here isn't the end of the world.

Since I'm just bumming it right now, I thought I would see what experience people have in dealing with this.

timmhaan

i just got hit hard by the flu in the past 24 hours. i actually went for a ride this morning and only managed 7 miles at a slow pace and i couldn't ever get warmed up. i was shivering so i just went home.

in the past, i've always waited until i felt good and then tried riding on a trainer for a little while. basically just to move the legs a little and see how it goes. that way i can stop without all the hassle of changing clothes to go outside, etc.

the flu is a little deceptive sometimes, in that you may feel good for periods of time and then get worse a few hours later. so you gotta be careful. for me, it takes a good solid 1-2 weeks after it's cleared to get my fitness back. if it's a bad one, it may take a couple weeks longer.

webist

I agree with Timmhaan.

After you think you are feeling OK, try some really slow spins [trainer or on the road.] Do maybe thirty minutes at a fairly light intensity. After a few hours, or that night, if you feel OK, you can probably start building up to a full workout. Do it gradually though.

supcom

Like any activity, resume when you feel up to it and take it easy the first day or two. Your body will tell you what you can handle.

Enthalpic

If weight loss is one of your goals, forget about it for a few days. You don’t want to cut off the supply lines while your body is waging war.

14 hour weeks in Nov??

grebletie

It's almost December

Collegiate Season starts in Feb, so I'm aiming to be ready a bit earlier than the normal start of racing season.

I bet this takes a lot out of me, though. I couldn't even finish a bowl of soup. Getting the flu would almost work out, in that I need to write some papers for finals. I can't really concentrate or stay awake for long periods, so that's a bust.

Thanks for the advice.

fastbub

I got hit hard recently too. I am doing about 18-20 hours base training right now. No big deal, I just took 2 or 3 days off. easy spin for two days once I was back on, and cleaned out my lungs in the mountains on the third day. Better to take the time off now than to draw it out longer. It is early in the base period so no harm done. As a side note, my traiing partner from Costa Rica who is Cat 1 made me squeeze straight limes into a pot and boil it, add a touch of honey and slurp it down right before bed. It feels like your mouth will turn inside out but it worked wonders.

grebletie

Well, I was feeling pretty good today, so I tried a half hour spin on the trainer. I was pretty exhausted by the end. Still not retaining water well, and really only started eating with a purpose today.

I hate to think about the precious muscle my body is likely cannibalizing due to caloric deficit. I might do some gym work next week because of it.