Fitness - Echoes - Effort

ROK ON

I have a few related queries that I am hoping people can help me with.

I completed a endurance based event a few weeks back. Long days in the saddle with lots and lots of climbing.

I took 1 week off the bike when I finished and began to eat lots and lots and lots. I lost 3lbs during the event and have since put on 9lbs. Happy days.

Since I got back on the bike, my cycling has consisted of a a 20min commute each way 3.5 days a week. Other than that I have tended to do one 2-3 hour mid week spin and a 4 hour club spin at the w/e.

Despite weight gain I feel stronger than I ever have on the bike. I am doing PB's on nearly every hill that I come across. But I find that on the flat I am pushing a much higher gear at a higher than usual cadence. That is the real benefit - faster at a lower level of effort.

This is a sweet spot for me and I think that it is an echo of the fitness from the event that I have done.

It feels great and I would like to maintain this feeling for as long as practical.

My queries are:
(i) When will this echo begin to diminish?

(ii) How can I prolong it on 7 hours of cycling plus a few commutes per week.
In the 7 hours of cycling it is a mix between tempo and some intervals. I feel stronger than ever, and would hate to go back to feeling abysmal on a bike. Cycling seems very easy at the moment.

(iii) Why despite putting on a net 6lbs in weight on my pre event weight am I climbing much faster - how long can this be sustained for. Surely the extra weight will tell at some stage?

mloc123

Did you peak or taper for the event? What you have now sounds very much like a peak.

A peak is the sweat spot between fitness and fatigue. You will have lost some fitness but you will feel much fresher from the reduction in training.

You can probably hold a peak for about 1-2weeks, after that your fitness loss will begin to out weigh how sharp you feel.

chakattack

Supercompensation after multiple hard days and proper rest.

It's a great feeling - hard efforts feel easy. It won't last forever, 2-3 weeks I reckon so enjoy it while it lasts.

coastwatch

@RON_ON: That would mean only a week left by now, so off you go then, Priests Leap, full report please

Morrisseeee

Perfect now for the SKT next Sunday, you'll murder those hills

/that's if you're doing it of course

What do you think yourself ROK ON ? has you're aerobic fitness improved, has her leg strength improved ? or both ?

I know it's very hard to measure without specific equipment, but I'm going to make a bold prediction and say that you've increased you're leg strength by a bigger margin than your aerobic fitness.

I'm no expert, but if you take the 2 engines, aerobic & leg-strength, my personal opinion is that I'd rather have the combination of :
a) bad aerobic engine / good leg strength
versus:
b) good aerobic engine / bad leg strength

In your case, you've probably hit that sweet spot of an increase in both engines, enjoy

J Madone

ROK ON wrote: »

I have a few related queries that I am hoping people can help me with.

I completed a endurance based event a few weeks back. Long days in the saddle with lots and lots of climbing.

I took 1 week off the bike when I finished and began to eat lots and lots and lots. I lost 3lbs during the event and have since put on 9lbs. Happy days.

Since I got back on the bike, my cycling has consisted of a a 20min commute each way 3.5 days a week. Other than that I have tended to do one 2-3 hour mid week spin and a 4 hour club spin at the w/e.

Despite weight gain I feel stronger than I ever have on the bike. I am doing PB's on nearly every hill that I come across. But I find that on the flat I am pushing a much higher gear at a higher than usual cadence. That is the real benefit - faster at a lower level of effort.

This is a sweet spot for me and I think that it is an echo of the fitness from the event that I have done.

It feels great and I would like to maintain this feeling for as long as practical.

My queries are:
(i) When will this echo begin to diminish?

(ii) How can I prolong it on 7 hours of cycling plus a few commutes per week.
In the 7 hours of cycling it is a mix between tempo and some intervals. I feel stronger than ever, and would hate to go back to feeling abysmal on a bike. Cycling seems very easy at the moment.

(iii) Why despite putting on a net 6lbs in weight on my pre event weight am I climbing much faster - how long can this be sustained for. Surely the extra weight will tell at some stage?

This year a group of us went to the French alps the last week in June . We averaged 3000metres climbing a day for 6 days, 100-120km a day. Since we came back home I have never felt as strong. My cadence is lower, flying up hills, pb in TT,just feel much better, able to work in scratch group etc.
You didn't mention if you were at altitude?
I have no doubt this benefit in form will last me til the end of the season.
Enjoy it while you have it!

Lumen

My theory is that there is a fixed quota of miserable suffering that you are destined to experience in your life, and this represents the zero line.

Doing the Raid has pushed you "into the black", so you can enjoy a few weeks of spending all this wonderful performance credit. Once the credit runs out you'll be back to suffering like a dog again to stave off fitness bankruptcy.

Esroh

Lumen wrote: »

My theory is that there is a fixed quota of miserable suffering that you are destined to experience in your life, and this represents the zero line.

Doing the Raid has pushed you "into the black", so you can enjoy a few weeks of spending all this wonderful performance credit. Once the credit runs out you'll be back to suffering like a dog again to stave off fitness bankruptcy.

And so the need of Mountain Training Camps a few times a year

ROK ON

Another PB this morning on the Healy Pass cycling into a very stiff headwind - so I still think that I am benefiting from the fitness echo.
Legs strong and engine strong Morrisseee.

Not liking hearing that I will crash and burn at some stage in the very near future - but I suspected that anyway. My corpulent frame has to triumph over fitness at some stage.

I wonder if I began to lose weight could I sustain this for longer.

Think I might book a holiday in Velopeletons place next year. These mountains might be worth something afterall - maybe Brad Wiggins has the right idea.

Donelson

I had a little bit of this after a week long tour at the start of the summer, I put it down to better cycling mechanics, it's a fantastic feeling to just feel so at home an easy with a bike!