Hello fellow sufferers
Since March, I have been training for a very challenging 150k climbing event in July. Living in a flat area where I can’t train on actual climbs, I built my own training plan from the Systm library with sustained intervals at FTP, Over/Unders, low cadence work etc. (for me it won’t be a race, I simply wanted to finish strong. Therefore less focus on AC work).
I usually have one busy work week, alternating with a part-time week (where family duties keep me busy). So naturally I did all the hard bike work during the part-time week. I felt how fatigue was building up during these last weeks to a point that I am currently suffering (in the bad sense;) from muscle pain in the back and a general feeling of complete exhaustion. I significantly reduced my workouts, instead going out for more gravel rides at a comfortable pace, which helps a little with morale, but not with my training goals.
TBH I am frustrated to realize how hard, even impossible it is to train hard for an event like that. My conundrum: I can’t do it during the work week, I over-train during the part-time week. So I go into my work week fatigued, and work-related fatigue is building on top.
How do you guys manage that? I am 46y, started structured bike training only 5 years ago, so there is an element of FOMO. I don’t have those 20,30 years under my belt/butt like many of you I suppose.
Thanks a lot for any friendly words or advice.
Phil
@Phil5236 Take a few days off and then I would suggest sticking to 60 to 80% of FTP and trying to get more saddle time and reduce your intensity. Intensity can help with fitness improvement but it requires more recovery time whereas endurance work requires less and you can do more volume. You seem to be dipping into the red per your description. Also sleep plus family and work stress can affect training as well. The body doesn’t differentiate between different stressors.
Generally when you are climbing you are around 75 to 80% FTP. Even though you don’t have the grade to practice if you get your legs conditioned for the distance you should be able to get you prepared.
Hey @Phil5236, I feel your pain. Both about living in the flat lands where actual hill training is near impossible and in sometimes over training or, more accurately, not training appropriately.
PSA: take anything I say with a grain of salt as I’m not a coach, sport scientist, or life long athlete. Just a guy who loves riding his bike.
FWIW, I love climbing and will usually get away once or twice a year just to see some hills. As for your goals, and the event, if your goal is “merely” to finish and finish strong then you need to make sure you’ve got sufficient gearing to tame the climbs such that you can “spin” at the high end of your endurance pace without blowing up. This means being PATIENT when climbing and being willing to take the time to reach the ascent. You’d be best served with 1:1 gearing (I’ve got a 50/34 and 11/34 cassette) or even better if your bike has the capacity for it. You’ll never regret having more gears and you may seriously regret not having enough.
Also, fwiw, I’m 60 years old and have only been an avid cyclist since about 2013 so I don’t have years of training under my belt either. With your event nearing in July, I’d say the most important thing is having volume so go out for those gravel rides at a more comfortable pace and know that it will contribute to your training goals. IMHO, it’s much better to be fresh and slightly undertrained than exhausted and sore.
Having had LEA and RED-S, are you eating enough to fuel these workouts? Are you making sure to prioritise extra sleep? Even on a hard training week, you need a rest day or two when you should be REALLY lazy. Are you eating immediately after a hard workout? These things all help with recovery.
If youre getting back pain etc and youre sure your bike fit is good, Id recommend dialing back riding volume and replacing with some nice core workouts 2x per week. That has helped me so much with fatigue on the bike. Wont help with your climbing event but you cant ride for many hours if you cant sit on the bike anyway. Plus wont add much to your training load either.
How many hours are you doing per week? How many interval sessions are you doing per week? Did you build rest days and rest weeks into your schedule?
Your body can only handle two or maybe three (if you’re young and already fit) interval sessions per week - anything else doesn’t help your fitness and just tires you out. All your other riding should be easy Zone 2 stuff - as much as you can fit into your schedule, and aim for long rides on your weekends if you have time. In the week too if you can fit it in - few hours on the trainer before / after work wouldn’t hurt.
As your event gets closer (July you said which is next week), you want to do more event specific workouts which sounds like they should be sustained tempo and FTP efforts to simulate hill climbing. I hope you did those…
Your body is telling you to back off. Listen to it. Take a well deserved recovery week. This means NOTHING above Zone 2 and nothing longer than one hour. Your body will thank you
Hello,
Thank you all for the detailed replies. A lot of great inputs. I obviously overcooked the training by ignoring the demand work and family life put on the body.
@DameLisa yes the core workout. I did a lot of strength work in Winter, where riding was 80% indoor, and when I got the chance to ride in Mallorca for a few days I felt really good on the bike.
My bike fit is actually spot on. I guess, the back pain (shoulder) was a result of the hard workouts. Or to be frank the lack of supporting muscles. And I remember now: a wise Physio once said one should treat oneself to a massage every now and then…
@Yojimbo everything you write makes sense. Thanks.
Ok, I will priortise to get rid of the acute muscles issues. Then for the rest of the year, avoid forcing training onto the body and believe in the effect of longer sub-FDP workouts rather than FTP+/MAP.
If you have a subscription or access to Zwift and an indoor trainer, there’s a hill training route that I use. The elevation is 2800 ft (I am in the US) and I did it up 795 feet.
The degree is between 3-12 and if your trainer has resistance simulation, then you can get ready that way.
Otherwise, ride in a higher gear (9-11) at a steady cadence for a longer distance to get your strength that way. Consider your “Cadence Versus Resistance” (CVR) when riding.
polarized (80/20) training is generally the most preferable option. here’s is an example of one of the best ever XC skiers, presented (as part of a PhD project) at a scientific conference two weeks ago
the circle in the second shows a change in training regimes. the coaches thought she could/ should actually train harder than she did before. results (black line, the lower it goes, the higher the WC ranking) improved for the following year, then deteriorated and injury rate (mainly overload) increased. training was changed again, and results increased. OK, this is a case study, but it usually applies to endurance sports in a more general way and is supported by current research. a lot amateur endurance athletes (mainly runners) tend to train the opposite way which makes them more prone to illness or injury
just my two cents here
