Sick of it
 

So after coming off of first High School track middle distance running, than transitioning into bodybuilding over the summer, I started seriously cycling around mid December, which I've been doing all of my life (my dad owns a bicycle shop). I was super serious and trained really hard on the trainer for about 1.5-2 months.

Around the end of Februrary, i started to have disrupted sleep cycles. Now this was wierd for me because i always slept the whole night through. I often would get up and go to the bathroom, as it seemed to let me get back to sleep faster. But i would always wake up another 4-6 times after that until i had to get up. I kept training through it and my muscles started to really feel the blunt of not enough sleep even though i started training less. I sense really reduced my training load alot more, and have even take 1 or 2 weeks completely off the bike.

I went to the doctor and got some blood-work done. He had to leave town but i called him before he did and he said that from the information he had in front of him it seemed i was SLIGHTLY anemic, and my liver enzymes were elevated. So.. i have to wait another week before i can see him and talk to him about it, i want to ask him about my testosterone level and see if it seems "low". I've started taking an iron supplement, but i really havent seen much of a difference yet. My doctor says he doubts it's overtraining (he was big into sports but is no sports doctor) and thinks it's something else. I really don't know.

Basically, from any experiences any of you have had, what do you guys think. I HATE the idea of taking off like a month or more. It's just starting to get nice and i get pretty depressed when i can't exercise.

I guess im just kind of venting and looking for support, this is REALLY depressing and discouraging. Thanks

What do I know? But my personal opinion is that you're a kid and I just don't see how you could overtrain in 1.5-2 months. Maybe. Especially maybe if you had just trained hard bodybuilding. The sleeplessness is definitely a symptom for me. Why don't you try just riding outside easy and don't "train." Use a HR monitor and keep your HR down in zone 2. Don't ride more than 4 days/week. Stay off the trainer. Date someone. Enjoy life. Go to movies. See what happens.

Disrupted sleep cycles. Getting up multiple times in the night to use the bathroom. Sounds just like me, and half the guys I know over 50...

For a young person, not so good. Hope you get it sorted out.

It's almost impossible for me to say, but i'm going to TRY to just sit around and do nothing until i see my doctor again. I still ride my bike to the train station 4 days a week, it's only 4 or so miles each way, but that's what im going to limit myself to. If i get suited up and on my road bike i know, just KNOW, if i catch anyone else on the road, im gonna work to stay with them and pass them.

PM/email sent.

Feeling like your performance is dropping off and having trouble sleeping through the night are classic signs of overtraining.

You can get better without totally stopping riding - and I think it's better if you don't stop cold turkey - but you will have to make your rides recovery rides. Real recovery rides, and don't be tempted to start riding harder as soon as you start feeling better - you will need a few weeks to recover.

While you're doing this, get a copy of Friel's or Carmichael's training books, read about periodicalized and specific training, and when you're ready to start training again, do a field test and set some decent heart rate ranges.

And don't feel bad about it - lots of people think that the way to get faster is to work out as hard as they can every time they ride.

Well i got my blood work done and my testosterone levels are REALLY low.. but i just got a sonogram done of my abdomin because there might be something wrong with my liver or something.. not so great. Willl update once i see my doctor.

It's a good time in your life to develop a wider range of interests.