My Performance
MartAstur
Posts: 122
This is not really a question more an observation but I would be interested to know if others experience similar performance ups and downs contrary to what their body is telling them.
Last week I popped back to the UK so didn't ride for 7 days. Got back at the weekend and started riding again on Monday. This is how it went:
Monday. I was feeling quite refreshed after a weeks break and the legs were feeling good but when I got to the first hill I suffered big time. I managed to crawl round the course but it was really hard and was way off my PB.
Tuesday went out again. Again feeling pretty good but again as soon as I hit the climbs I began to suffer. I pushed a little harder than the previous day but still struggled round.
Wednesday I was really tired and the legs were feeling heavy so I almost didn't go for a ride. Finally dragged myself out and off I went expecting the worst. Come to the first hill and flew up it and continued to fly round the rest of the course, smashing my PB for the course and my PB for the Cat 3 strava climb.
OK, I said this wasn't a question but I would like to know your opinions as to why you think I was so bad the first two rides. Does having a week away from the bike de-condition you that much? and why when I feel so tired and heavy legged I can ride so well? I guess it's a who knows answer. :?
Last week I popped back to the UK so didn't ride for 7 days. Got back at the weekend and started riding again on Monday. This is how it went:
Monday. I was feeling quite refreshed after a weeks break and the legs were feeling good but when I got to the first hill I suffered big time. I managed to crawl round the course but it was really hard and was way off my PB.
Tuesday went out again. Again feeling pretty good but again as soon as I hit the climbs I began to suffer. I pushed a little harder than the previous day but still struggled round.
Wednesday I was really tired and the legs were feeling heavy so I almost didn't go for a ride. Finally dragged myself out and off I went expecting the worst. Come to the first hill and flew up it and continued to fly round the rest of the course, smashing my PB for the course and my PB for the Cat 3 strava climb.
OK, I said this wasn't a question but I would like to know your opinions as to why you think I was so bad the first two rides. Does having a week away from the bike de-condition you that much? and why when I feel so tired and heavy legged I can ride so well? I guess it's a who knows answer. :?
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Comments
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Interesting post. There's a lot of mental attitude comes into play when you're cycling. Maybe expectations were too high at the start so you didn't anticipate having to work so hard, and ended up disappointed - the reverse being true at the end of the week. Sometimes things just conspire against you - diet, sleep, health, weather, mental attitude and you have to accept it and just enjoy being out and about, not focus on beating PB's.0
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maybe muscle memory came in on the third day and started performing at there normal level.may be hokum but i,ve read it a few time,just athought.Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori0
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I thought it could be a muscle memory thing .. quite interesting really although difficult to know for sure.
@Sprool I agree that it's not a good thing to focus too much on PB's average speeds etc. and I am forcing myself not to lol. The main thing is that although I suffered a little I still enjoyed the rides
I'm beginning to realise that mental attitude has a large part to play in cycling just haven't found the perfect one yet :S
Thanks for the comments, very interesting0 -
Sounds like Monday was just an off day and the rest were the result of insufficient rest. You really need to take rest days, unless you're at top level and subject to an incredibly strict training programme; you can't expect to perform your best if you're still tired from your last ride.0
