Cycling Fitness / Training Advice

Worse.

After a couple of big weeks on the bike (ending Sunday) and a couple of massive negative TSB plummets, I'm in the midst of an easy week.

I did a quick turbo session yesterday with some short sweetspot intervals and it was fucking terrible. HR was soaring and every pedal stroke was trauma. Am off to Pyrenees on Saturday so going to do a short and easy session tomorrow to keep the legs moving, nothing more.

Was a bit concerning at how hard i found the session yesterday, but the recovery app thing on the garmin suggested i needed more recovery time from that than i did after my big ride Sunday. Hopefuly i've HTFUd in time for next week.

The last few days are the first in weeks where my TSB has increased for more than about 3 consecutive days, and the first time it's been above zero for a few days in a row! I've been feeling like a bit of a dead man walking since Sunday, but am starting to get my shit together today, like am actually capable of standing up and holding a conversation and not just wanting to sleep and eat all day, like i did earlier in the week.

I was aiming for the old 'supercompensation' knowing that I was going to take it easy this week, just hope I didn't push it one step too far.

It's because you've stropped riding for a few days. Your body has shut down and is recovering. It's turned the painkillers off and doesn't want to let you ride hard.
That's why I said easy rides with some short efforts.

You'll bounce back by the 3rd day of pryness. You don't need to be good on the first day. But your body will start opening back up. And you won't lose any fitness this week by doing not much, but you'll ensure you've the freshness to keep riding out there and ride some big multiple days.

Your Central nervous system is in recovery mode. Its the head of the Whole 'ride Your bike fast' operation. Forcing it suddenly into Train mode never Works.

My head likes the idea of starting a trainng period With long sweetspot. Sounds like a comfortable way of easing in. But my body hates it.

Exactly as Skinny says. Easy stuff, With maybe a few short Wake up Calls. No point in trying to do too much. Its going to be a shite session. Why Waste freshness on it?

Yours sincerely
Forum training expert.

why not just follow one of the trainerroad training programs?

Sweetspot is for blouses. If you don't burst blood vessels in your eyeballs you may as well not bother to train, you're just too shit.

400% of FTP for 10mins or GTFO.

/thread

My training plan was going pretty well before the issues.

Just need to ease off a smidge.

Thanks @skinny @Smallfurry (aka DSLFGSS).

Am starting to look forward to training again whereas earlier in the week even the thought of it scared me a bit, which suggests my body is repairing a bit i guess.

Feels nice mentally to have a bit of a break from it all too - no matter how much i love riding, there does come a point where you need to step away. Cannae wait for some cols!

Just need to ease off a smidge.

DTM.

Dont worry. They are opening the higher mountain passes over the next week or so.

I'll soon be hanging out my arse With a TSB of minus a gazillion.

Z4 PR with 15 minutes at #Thundercrit yesterday - guess tapering last week went well.

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Is it just me, Or does the first turbo session after a break from it really really suck? Ive not done a hard session indoors for a while but did a 2x20 yesterday and it was torture. Power was way down and time passed ridiculously slow. I am normally ok at distracting myself but yesterday I was just staring at the Garmin wishing it would end.

Rode a lot of miles in the nouhtains last weekend, but took two full rest days and bards short 90 min spin on the third day, so felt rested. Legs feel fucking achey today though.

Not sure if it's me just being lame, re-adapting to turbo, or just not being ready to train again after a hard week in France...?

You and your turbo ;-)
Where was your trip then?
As I don't really train all I can say from being a week in the mountains you should be in form to try a PB Beddlestead on the weekend.

Turbos suck.
You've probably gotten used to road feel, and being able to engage the upper body a bit. It can suddenly feel stagnant and heavier on the turbo.

In other News. I've bought a fan!!!

I honestly think thats going to give 20w indoors. I swear 90% of my blood is redirected to my skin surface when I start to boil. Squirting liters of sweat out per hour cant be great either.

My Laptop is fucked though. So I hope the fan has an entertaining rotation.

More rest required.

In Fitness News I flew through my last sportive/race.

Effectively my HRmax has seemingly increased by 7 bpm. Which makes everything far more managable. Last year I took myself to the brink on several occassions and never hit 179bpm. This year I hit 186bpm (all be it during the worlds stupidest sprint) at the end of 2 hours sportive-ing. Last sunday I ramped up to 180 3 times. The last of which lasted around 12 Seconds (but then the walls closed in and I parked on the 12% Climb, 30m from the line).

Theres a mental factor here, and probably a freshness factor too. But I still find it kinda strange. Feels odd too.

not just you. maybe all 3. Depends what your atl/ctl/tsb are (how bodies feeling)

does the first turbo session after a break from it really really suck?

Usually, yes, but it depends on the duration and nature of the 'break'.

For me, a few weeks of doing nothing but sinking piss, yes. One week off and then it feels so easy.

sportive/race

Your HR is supposed to go down as fitness increases. Hitting a new 'max' just means you weren't pushing hard enough the first time you thought you'd hit your max. Or you have the heart AIDS.

Exactly. Definitely heart aids.

I'll order a New bike on credit. Doubt I have much time left........

Also. Officially I'm racing. We have two classes you can compete in up here. 'Tur' (which is 'sportive' if you like), and 'Master' (which is more serious and gains you Nationals qualification Points).

I'm a bit meh though. 5th - 7th in my age Group is about all I can manage. When I missed the sign on date for my local event, and had to ride 'tur'. I really should have won. But some Young pupp also missed the masters cut off date and robbed me 5km from the line. Little scally wag. No respect for his elders.

Turd Master

I prefer 'Bestest Mamil'

I could do really well riding 'tur' class. But With the 'Masters' I can barely hold the front Group. There seems to be a massive gap between the 2 cats, and I'm in it.

Meh. Its all bike riding. I'm having fun.

I hate bike riding. I just do it to keep my calf muscles big so they look sweet in high heels.