Following a camp

Slimbods

Just completed my first ever training camp in Mallorca. The training ruled, very structured but was bloody hard, multiple long climbs, then flat fast days etc.

Did nothing tuesday through travelling home. Then Weds went out and did just an hour ride and felt bloody awful, fealt heavy and empty somehow, much less fit then before I went.

Is this a normal reaction to hard training? Do I simply need more recovery time? Don't want to waste the efforts from the trip by not doing enough to get back either.

mattshrops

no chance of it being the end of holiday back to reality blues??

Richj

I got back from Mallorca 10 days ago, I've been told it could be 2 weeks till I start feeling the benefits. I have had one rest day and have just done mileage work since I got back, over the last couple of days have done some speed stuff.

First few rides back in the UK I felt awful, just couldn't find any rhythm. Getting better now.

For reference I was there 6 days, in the moutains everyday and we covered over 450 miles, I normally ride 200-250 miles a week so pushing double my usual training.

SBezza

If you did more than you are used to, it can be somewhat disheartening to suddenly feel worse.

You body no doubt has been put through a lot during the training camp, and will need some rest. As mentioned above, you will really start to feel the benefits is a week or two.

Don't panic that being off the bike, or only doing recovery rides will mean you lose fitness gained on the camp, your body has to recover for it to become stronger. You could be completely off the bike for a week, and you wouldn't lose much fitness at all, but you will recover better.

Just take it easy for a week, then build up over the next week to what you were doing before, and you should feel stronger for it.

fastandfurry

Yes it's normal...you've done lots of training and you're tired. Don't panic! There's a slim chance you might have a virus but you're much more likely to have tired muscles and lowered haematocrit from repeated more intense training than you're used to. The next stage is 'supercompensation' whereby your body overcompensates for your tiredness and you get fitter...that's the basic principle behind why training works.

I agree with SBezzas advice on taking it easy and then hitting it again in a few days or a week- I wouldn't suggest having time completely off the bike though- you'll undo all your hard work!

Hope that helps!

SBezza

fastandfurry wrote:

I wouldn't suggest having time completely off the bike though- you'll undo all your hard work!

Very unlikely to lose much fitness gained on the training camp in a week of rest. As you know rest is where the body gets stronger. This is a trap people fall into, hammer the body and suddenly expect it to go better, it has to recover and get stronger before you feel the effects.

I had 5 days off the bike/ easy rides due to illness, still raced after a week of this , and my power was what I expected it to be, so there was no loss of fitness.

The moral of the story is, if your body is tired, rest it !!

Slimbods

Thanks for the reassurance. I took it easy on Saturday and just did a small ring Cafe run and felt a lot better racing on Sunday. Back into the routine now with the time trial season starting in two weeks, so hopefully I'll start to see some improvements!

fastandfurry

SBezza wrote:

fastandfurry wrote:

I wouldn't suggest having time completely off the bike though- you'll undo all your hard work!

Very unlikely to lose much fitness gained on the training camp in a week of rest. As you know rest is where the body gets stronger. This is a trap people fall into, hammer the body and suddenly expect it to go better, it has to recover and get stronger before you feel the effects.

I had 5 days off the bike/ easy rides due to illness, still raced after a week of this , and my power was what I expected it to be, so there was no loss of fitness.

The moral of the story is, if your body is tired, rest it !!

I agree a degree of rest is helpful (ie you couldn't do a training camp style week every week) but I'm more a fan of active recovery and keeping up a degree of training even when I'm shattered- short term that might slow you down a touch but I wouldn't aim to do a training camp in the week before an event anyway.

Glad to hear you're feeling better Slimbods!