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Morning all... after buying a fancy turbo trainer back in January, i was probably the fittest I have been in decades (now 47) in the summer, but between work and a period of lower back pain, I ramped up training on the turbo doing lots of longer, hard sessions "panic training" before a cycling trip abroad, this was coupled with less sleep as my daughter is Type 1 diabetic and we have had to get up to her 3-4 times a night with puberty having started and her hormone levels being all over the shop.
Now having come back I have that feeling of legs being empty and motivation dropping that I tend to get when i know i have overdone it, not helped by being Type 2 diabetic (controlled purely with diet and exercise, no meds) and diet not being the best whilst I was away.
Do you find you are best to completely stop and rest for a few weeks, or just keep legs turning over with shorter Zone 1 and 2 rides is best for you?
I'd probably have a week off, start doing a few Z1 rides, keep the legs spinning, and gradually start introducing Z2, easing back into it whilst maintaining a base.
Most of your riding should be Z1/2 anyway. Those rides can have a lot of benefit even if it feels like you're not doing anything.
Sometimes it is hard to know if you are physically or mentally fatigued by the whole thing.
I would suggest just getting the legs spinning for 30+ mins as an intention and then if after 10 you realise you are up for more perhaps increase the intensity to make it a harder training session. I find it can be mentally easier to start an easy ride and then ramp up, while I can tell myself I am too tired if I had intended a harder session.
And try and make sure you get the fun rides in outdoors, with or without friends, that is after all what cycling is all about, the indoor training should just be to make the real riding more fun.
Genuine overtraining is pretty hard to achieve and hard to reverse - is that what you suspect? Overdoing it and being knackered, on the other hand, is v easily done as a busy 47 yo. Chill for a month keeping the legs turning and you'll be right.
Have you posted about being overtrained before? V sorry if I have you confused with someone else, but recollect you're a big strong bloke who does massive long rides. Needs a change of approach / style if you're getting put into fatigue time and again - appreciate it must be v hard with diabetes.
I would take 3 weeks off or mostly off. It's a lovely feeling after having overdone it, you'll probably feel great. Any fitness loss will soon be reversed.
Have you posted about being overtrained before? V sorry if I have you confused with someone else, but recollect you’re a big strong bloke who does massive long rides. Needs a change of approach / style if you’re getting put into fatigue time and again – appreciate it must be v hard with diabetes
I have posted about similar before, it does seem to be a pattern, but i have had loads of medical checks etc and nothing serious seems to be untoward, until this Type 2 seemingly caused by second bout of COVID. My problem before was that I was commuting by bike, so clocking 10,000 + a year, as you say I am a big lad, spent 20 years as a prop-forward, but could still ride 300 miles in a day, but I only ever had one pace...
Since diagnosis, i dropped from 106kg down to 93kg (with about another 7-8kg to go) and i bought the turbo trainer and got really into it (wahoo SYSTM) and by the summer felt ace, fittest i've been since my 20's.. I still rode outside when weather was good and with friends, but as usual have a tendency to over-do things!
Trouble is exercise is very much a part of my control of the diabetes, from diagnosis in December 2021, i had myself back in remission and to safe levels by March 2022 and first check up and that was via better diet and riding 5-6 days a week. So I struggle then to take time completely off it, as for me it replaces the need to medicate.
If you're on Systm I'd take a week or two and work through their Inspiration films - nice, easy rides but with the cadence targets etc you do at least feel as if you're doing something. Basically keep the legs moving but stress-free.
Thanks Mogrim, that sounds like a plan...
If you feel up to it, do ~30mins+ z1 a day for a week or so.Your legs will tell you when they feel fresh again.
as usual have a tendency to over-do things
I have that.
You only need a small amount of high intensity, but more low intensity. Too much high intensity will cause long term fatigue. The problem that I had (and you might also have) is that I end up going too hard on the rides that need to be slow. That's why a power meter is so important for me.
Just to add as another 'big lad' I find it hard to go easy on the road and actually ride z1/2 due to hills and riding pals.
The only real way for me to do it was in the turbo where I could monitor HR and power and treat rides out as the intensity work.
Take time off completely. I did this in 2019 after a big racing season and illness. Base fitness doesn't leave you. I can say that as two and a half years post COVID, and my base fitness is still fine despite little training. The performance end of the engine is poor, but Zones 1/2 is always fine.
Thanks all. I think i'll give it a week or two of bike rest and do some walking, then start with a few Zone 2 shor rides and see if legs still feel like lead, if so, give it some more rest.