Training Hard or Overtraining?

[Pegasus]

Last years Argus wasn't great for me, too many distractions and too little training and I felt as if I was operating way below my potential, so I decided to up my training game for 2011. I'm in my mid-40's, weight 79kgs, about 2 or 3kgs' above my ideal weight. My best time for the Argus is 3:10 and I'd love to better that by a minute or 10!

 

I started training in December doing more k's and riding more times a week than I ever have before. I rode 5 times a week putting 31 hours during December. Not all hard sessions, I MTB'd with my son about once a week. But riding into the wind the last few weeks in CT has made all the longer rides seem tough. Previously I've never ridden more than 24 hours in a month. I'm trying to train in a cycle of two high intensity weeks and followed by an easy week.

 

I know what it feels like when I overtrain, I tend to get sick easily and then have no desire to ride. I don't feel like that now, I just feel stuffed, and don't feel recovered after my days off. I'm getting to bed early and eating well. I've steered clear of the recovery drinks, in the past they've just made me put on weight.

 

Do I keep up my training program and hope to feel better as my body adjusts, or do I ease up?

[Lucky Luke.]

Try doing a sub-max test to determine whether you need a rest or not. You need a heart rate monitor and it is easiest on a home trainer but perfectly doable without.

 

1. Start riding and aim for 60% HR. Give yourself 30 seconds to get there. Maintain this for 6 minutes.

2. Shift up to 80% HR. Give yourself 30 - 40 seconds to get there. Maintain for 6 minutes

3. Shift up to 90% HR. Give yourself 30 - 40 seconds to get there. Maintain for 3 minutes.

 

If you have difficulty hitting these zones in the allotted time and maintaining them, and as you say, you are feeling tired, you should probably take a few days to a week off.

[rudi-h]

Agree with Luke... Look at HR. If I'm well rested, then I can push my average HR for something like the 94.7 to 160 BPM over 3 hrs. If I'm stuffed, like last week after a whole week of hard IM training, I hardly manage 170 BPM on steep hills and average about 145 BPM.

[Pegasus]

Thanks guys. Useful advice