How you handle Cyclist Fatigue Syndrome ?

Caroline_ie

Hi Guys – this year I am racing twice a week and usually have 1 or 2 long spins at the weekend … and I am absolutely shattered. Some of you who have been racing longer than me might have tips … ?
I think ‘sleeping’ would be a good one, but I already do that nightly ... even daily at times ..

Cheers

abcdggs

In school while playing too many sports i found napping in class very helpful...

Seaswimmer

I have been commuting 40k a day continuously for 4 years and 3 weeks ago decided to take a rest for a couple of months. i think if you are cycling constantly (as you are) you get stale and tired and the only way to recover is to take a break. I switch to swimming when not cycling. In your case you may be better taking a rest in Sept/Oct when the racing is over. Alternatively cut out/shorten the spins on the weekend. The regular racing should keep you at your current level of fitness.

DirkVoodoo

Get some compression socks or tights, maybe find a plunge pool in a gym. Anything that can help speed recovery I guess.

Oh, and HTFU!

Caroline_ie

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Oh, and HTFU!

Where can I get some of that HTFU you are talking about ...? :pac:

ROK ON

You are more than likely mentally as well as physically overtrained. You need a break.

Not sure if you are racing tonite but maybe you should give it a miss. If not take a weekend off the bike.
The amount at which people on this forum cycle is unnecessary in order to achieve certain goals whether they be racing or sportives.
Do it because you want to not because you feel you have to.

Take weekend off. Do something else. Come back next week refreshed.

I guarantee this approach will work. Works for me.

DirkVoodoo

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Where can I get some of that HTFU you are talking about ...? :pac:

I have a bucket of it I keep stored away somewhere, haven't started using it as I'm worried about the side effects, like winning. You can have it.

Caroline_ie

ROK ON wrote: »

Not sure if you are racing tonite but maybe you should give it a miss. If not take a weekend off the bike.Take weekend off. Do something else. Come back next week refreshed.

I guarantee this approach will work. Works for me.

TT'ing tonight even thought for me it's more Time Trying than Time Trialing.
Mount Leinster Cycle this saturday, but you will be happy to hear that I won't be cycling for a week after that as work is sending me abroad ...

As for the recovery tights ... I might have a look at that too.

Billy Whizz

Recovery tights won't help you if you're feeling fatigued.

Only solution is rest.

Lumen

ROK ON wrote: »

You are more than likely mentally as well as physically overtrained.

Under-recovered, not over-trained.

ROK ON

@Lumen. Sophistry. Unless one can't move then it is a case of mental fatigue. Call it what you like. Sometimes a person needs a break.

Caroline. If you are so fatigued then you have to ask what is the point of doing either hill tt or Mt Leinster.
As I said do them because you want to not because you feel you want to. As you go to throw your leg over the bar and plonk your ass in the saddle you will know whether you want to do them or not.

mloc123

Lumen wrote: »

Under-recovered, not over-trained.

Recovery.... rest, food and sleep. For me (a non cycle racer) the idea of racing twice a week all summer is madness... you will never perform to your peak in any of these races. Is this the norm?

Edit: quoting Lumen here beacuse he is correct, under recovering.

Esroh

+ 1 on take a weekend off. From reading about the weekend spins I would think the body would enjoy missing 200+ km and probably be glad to tell the mind to STFU;)

Nietzschean

mloc123 wrote: »

Recovery.... rest, food and sleep. For me (a non cycle racer) the idea of racing twice a week all summer is madness... you will never perform to your peak in any of these races. Is this the norm?

Edit: quoting Lumen here beacuse he is correct, under recovering.

normal enough for a lot of roadies i would think, club league + open races @ weekend....

ROK ON

@Niet. I am not sure that that many of the countries top roadies supplement racing with 2 100-200km spins. Somethings gotta give. Sometimes your body has had enough. Sometimes your mind. Sometimes both.

shaungil

Caroline,

You're about the fourth person I've come across in the last week with a similar issue. all the others we looked back and saw they haven't had a proper break since Christams. Have you?

Personally I find the balance very hard to get right but with young kids tiredness is no longer good indicator if I'm getting tired physically. Typically now a throat infection is what gets to me and makes me stop. Week up to Harry Reynolds I got on the bike once because throat acting up When I was doing 15 hr+ weeks I used to power nap for a couple of hours during the weekend with the baby, bed early eat good food and all that boring crap.

I do recall periodisation and three weeks hard one week easy and all that stuff is pretty recognised now.

Why don't you take a few days and sleep and hopefully in 5/6 you'll be raring to go again. You will not lose any fitness on a short break.

Chips Lovell

I'm a great believer in listening to your body and easing back if you're tired. You tend to come back stronger if you've been going hard and then take a bit of a break. I only did 40km last weekend because I was shattered from last week, for example.

Tonight's race is a TT, which means you don't have to go hard if you don't want to. Just show up, dawdle up the hill and go home. AFAIK, there's only three girls in limit, so you'll get some points for simply signing on.

I've spoken to a few racers who reckon that when you're racing two or three times a week you don't really need to be logging any training miles.

Lumen

mloc123 wrote: »

Recovery.... rest, food and sleep. For me (a non cycle racer) the idea of racing twice a week all summer is madness... you will never perform to your peak in any of these races. Is this the norm?

Evening club races are very short. Open races at A4 level are not exactly long either, and are often not that intense overall. I find a long "easy" boards spin in Wicklow takes waaaay more recovery (like half a week) than an average race.

Besides which racing is fun therefore more racing is fun-er.

jman0war

Weight Lifters and other gym-goers regularly plateau.
They have totally shakeup their routines to get beyond it.
Not sure what that means for cyclists.

But i suppose you could...

Gavin

Racing twice a week is hardcore, no doubt about it. It's an absolutely exhausting experience.

You should go for a spin on your mountain bike Caroline. Re-discover the fun in cycling. Idyllic mountains trails, deer bounding past, challenging terrain. So much better than the monotonous drag of a long long road cycle, the same road ahead and the same road behind.

Either that or a unicycle.

Caroline_ie

el tonto wrote: »

Tonight's race is a TT, which means you don't have to go hard if you don't want to. Just show up, dawdle up the hill and go home. AFAIK, there's only three girls in limit, so you'll get some points for simply signing on.

Actually .... more have signed up and will be racing tonight ... meh :P

Lumen

el tonto wrote: »

I've spoken to a few racers who reckon that when you're racing two or three times a week you don't really need to be logging any training miles.

Two of the least crap cyclists I've spoken to about this (one A2 and one ex-international vet) have told me that two intense sessions a week (intervals or races) and one long ride of 3 hours ish is all that's necessary to be much better than I am.

Just because Blorg rides his bike 169 hours a week doesn't mean we all have to.

DirkVoodoo

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Actually .... more have signed up and will be racing tonight ... meh :P

More people in limit??

godihatedehills

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

More people in limit??

Nope, more women in limit.

Chips Lovell

jman0war wrote: »

But i suppose you could...

Wear hot pants?

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Actually .... more have signed up and will be racing tonight ... meh :P

In any case, you'll still get your five points for showing up.

Planet X

Coke!

Billy Whizz

Agree with Lumen.

Cut back on the volume. Instead of the long 5+hr 100+km Wicklow spins I see on here ride 2 hrs tempo on your own or with someone of similar ability.

Much more specific training, less acute depletion and better recovery.

jman0war

el tonto wrote: »

Wear hot pants?

No, it's a row bike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIaQxdcGcEI

meh!
Stupid tags don't work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIaQxdcGcEI

el tel

I think a great big hug would be in order

thebouldwhacker

EPO

Caroline_ie

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

EPO

... i wonder is that what Blorg takes.

Nietzschean

ROK ON wrote: »

@Niet. I am not sure that that many of the countries top roadies supplement racing with 2 100-200km spins. Somethings gotta give. Sometimes your body has had enough. Sometimes your mind. Sometimes both.

I was replying to mloc who just questioned racing twice a week, nothing about long distance cycles

thebouldwhacker

Caroline_ie wrote: »

... i wonder is that what Blorg takes.

I'm not saying anything but I haven't seen him post since the headshops were closed down.....:rolleyes::eek:

dave.obrien

Personally, I go for a bike ride. It helps clear my mind and my body feels refreshed.





I hope my sarcastic tone is obvious...

cdaly_

OMG! I cannot believe you people! The solution's obvious.

Caroline, quit the day job...

Caroline_ie

cdaly_ wrote: »

OMG! I cannot believe you people! The solution's obvious.

Caroline, quit the day job...

I actually quite like my job ...
After tonight's 5km hill TT, i am still tired, but excited.
I am taking next week off the bike.

ROK ON

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I actually quite like my job ...
After tonight's 5km hill TT, i am still tired, but excited.
I am taking next week off the bike.

I am only quoting NOT here, but if you are not tired after a hill TT you are not doing it right.

Enjoy the week off. Remember your bigger goals for the summer and get your rest in.

uberwolf

I overtrained early one season. Wiped me out for months and finished my season.

Listen to your body, allow the recovery. Nice easy short rides sometimes better than absolutely nothing, but the mental tiredness is a symptom of the wider physical problem.