Overtraining or just ill?

Chris McG

I've been feeling rubbish and often mildly ill with colds, etc. for around two months now, and just attributed it to normal illness, but after being completely knackered on a 50 mile road ride today (a distance that would normally cause me no trouble) I looked into overtraining symptoms.
Turns out that I fit most of the symptoms. However I'm still not sure; I took 4 days off this week with no riding at all, got back on the bike and was fine for two days (one short road training session and some easy messing about on mountain bikes) then today; BAM! no energy, dead legs after half an hour.
This has happened to me a few times in the past few months: feel rubbish, take time off, fine for a few days, then knackered. It shouldn't be the training load as I have easily coped with that much in the past, and tried easing back into training, but no matter the intensity I always end up dead on the 2nd/3rd/4th day, even if I only ride once or twice at an easy pace in that time.
Can anyone enlighten me as to what my problem is and how to fix it?

-Chris

sungod

if it's been going on a while, see a doctor, might be overtraining, might be something else

amaferanga

How many hours a week are you riding?

What's you're diet like? Are you sure you are eating enough to replenish your glycogen stores after rides? Undereating could explain why you're knackered after a few days on the trot.

Chris McG

I'm eating loads, same as always. Going to try and rest for a few weeks and see if it gets any better.

ShutUpLegs

If you are doing 20+ hours a week it could be overtraining.

amaferanga

Chris McG wrote:

I'm eating loads, same as always. Going to try and rest for a few weeks and see if it gets any better.

Loads of pizza or loads of the right stuff? How many hours a week riding?

Chris McG

I'm doing about 15 hours a week riding, and I think I'm eating the right stuff: it's certainly not pizza every day, mostly pasta/fish/that sort of stuff... I don't think the food is a problem as its pretty much the same as what I was eating long before I started feeling bad.

ut_och_cykla

Sounds like insufficient/inadequate recovery. Rest & right food - carbs & stuff but also proteins vitamins etc. And SLEEP! But if its like this all teh time it could be you are nursing a virus, suffereing from some allergy, or just possibly suffering from a thyroid problem - or similar. If it continues - see a doctor to rule out more seriosu health issues than just overdoing it and being knackered afterwards.

Chris McG

Thanks for your input... As I said above, I'm going to try and rest for a few weeks and see if I feel any better...