advice needed badly

tobermory

Any good advice please.
I have stated riding again after suffering from Malaria i was in hospital in Hanoi for 9 weeks and then 3 in London this was about 5 weeks a go and have been out riding and can just manage 10-12 miles i am wasted after.I tried a longer ride on Saturday and after 10 miles i was finished my mate had to come and get me.Should i just reduce my mileage and build up slowly or just get on with it.It really got me down and i feel like just giving up riding as i am not improving.any advice.

forcutty

I would say that it's better to do lots of short journeys at first, then build up to the long trips. Maybe try 4-5 miles every day then after a fortnight slowly pick up the mileage.

jonny_trousers

Consult with your doctor?

Bobbinogs

I agree with the above, just treat it as starting again. That may sound a bit depressing but I would rather target 10 miles (and finish it) than having to be bailed out after blowing on a 20.

4 or 5 rides a week, 5 miles at a time including a 10 at the w/e. Give that a few weeks and then start building up.

You may find a turbo a good investment if you haven't got one. Whenever I pick up an injury I find my turbo great for little 20 minute easy spins which keeps my legs moving and a base level of fitness. If I start flagging (or my injured muscles start to be painful) I just stop. A good turbo is also great for a burst after work without all the dress up hassle and it will be a godsend in the winter as well.

Good luck (stick with it; it will come back).

Rigged

Take it slow and steady. It's quite possible you're suffering from something similar to post-viral fatigue (although I believe malaria isn't a virus, but the results are comparable). The body can take a long time to get back up to full strength after the hammering it's just taken. As others have said treat it like starting again, and don't over exert yourself too early. Don't let it dishearten you though, you'll find you'll be much quicker to return to your previous level of fitness than it took to achieve that in the first place. Just don't expect it all to come back in a few weeks either.

neeb

It's not surprising you're knackered - you'll be suffering from a double-whammy because as well as your body naturally taking time to recover from a major illness, you've spent a long time being completely inactive and will probably have lost some muscle mass as well as a lot of fitness.

It'll all come back, but it will take as least as long as the period you were ill for. Just take it gradually and build up the mileage in small steps. You won't have lost the long-term conditioning and responses so it will come back fairly easily given time.

Also make sure your diet is good to give your body the resources it needs to build up the strength again.

tobermory

Thanks for advice i might invest in a turbo trainer and i will do small runs and see how it goes

neeb

You can cheer yourself in the meantime up by remembering that you're now one-up on Fausto Coppi - it didn't kill you!

tobermory

Man it's rough though i thought my time was up,and i took the medication as prescribed but got food poisoning so stopped for a while and i guess the little critter struck me in the dark recommend Vietnam though