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How much will this time off affect my training?

nanoridernanorider Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Training, fitness and health
Hi all,

I've been training all winter on micro cycles, 3-4 weeks training, 1 recovery week, repeat. The last cycle I rode about 10 hours a week, 2 days of shorter intervals, one long interval workout and then longer rides on the remaining days. I also do weights 3 times per week. I just caught a nasty cold which also happened to come on my recovery week(although I haven't been able to do any recovery rides). It's now been a full week with no training and I still have a cough so I won't be able to do any hard training for a little while. I have a race march 30 and was wondering what I should expect from my performance. I doubt I'm the only one on here that's been struck with a cold close to a race so I was wondering how you felt your performance suffered from time off? I'm thinking I'll be back training in 2-3 days and training hard in about 4-6 judging by the speed I've been getting over my cold.

Thanks!

Posts

  • sloppyschleckondssloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    What are micro cycles?

    FWIW I find extended time on the turbo without being out riding a bike it takes a few rides for the position/ muscles to re-adjust even though the fitness is there.
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 11,013
    sloppyschleckonds wrote:
    What are micro cycles?

    Aren't they those really small bikes that they ride in the circus.?
  • sungodsungod Posts: 13,205
    for me, one week, no issue, but two weeks is noticeable, then it takes a few days to get back to normal

    i'm sure it varies person to person
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • dzp1dzp1 Posts: 54
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_periodization
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    sungod wrote:
    for me, one week, no issue, but two weeks is noticeable, then it takes a few days to get back to normal

    i'm sure it varies person to person

    This matches my experience - 1 week is actually beneficial if you've been working hard but 2 and I beginning to feel it in my lungs on the hills
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • Wallace and GromitWallace and Gromit Posts: 1,561
    I missed a couple of weeks of training before a race recently due to injury and then a cold. I was ill on race day and it was something of a struggle. It took another week to get over the cold, and even after effectively only one week of training in a month, I was back to normal in a couple of training sessions. (I've had many similar experiences over the years in other endurance sports.)

    I think with short periods of missed training due to a cold, the impact of the cold itself is much more significant than the missed training. i.e. performance is down because of being ill rather than due to having lost fitness.
  • dennisndennisn Posts: 10,496
    I think you're making more of it than it is. You are definitely not alone when it comes to getting sick, being injured, and simply having the pressures of life interfere with riding and racing. You are not special, nor have you been singled out for abuse by some demon. I would ask where you ever got the idea that this wouldn't happen to you? You know you'll get sick, etc. at various times in your life. Obsessing over lost training time is completely useless. When you feel like riding again get back to it. Until then suck it up. You're out of action for a bit.

    OR you can continue to try and thrash you body and become so sick or injured that you need hospitalization. Racing becomes really hard then.
  • thegibdogthegibdog Posts: 2,106
    dennisn wrote:
    You are not special, nor have you been singled out for abuse by some demon. I would ask where you ever got the idea that this wouldn't happen to you?
    What the hell are you on about dennis?
    https://gibworth.mypixieset.com
  • sloppyschleckondssloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    thegibdog wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    You are not special, nor have you been singled out for abuse by some demon. I would ask where you ever got the idea that this wouldn't happen to you?
    What the hell are you on about dennis?

    He saw a monkey on a micro cycle at the circus
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • dennisndennisn Posts: 10,496
    thegibdog wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    You are not special, nor have you been singled out for abuse by some demon. I would ask where you ever got the idea that this wouldn't happen to you?
    What the hell are you on about dennis?

    You're right, maybe I was a little off the wall with that comment. Still, the OP sounded a bit like "woe is me", how can I be sick with a race coming up?
  • nathancomnathancom Posts: 1,567
    thegibdog wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    You are not special, nor have you been singled out for abuse by some demon. I would ask where you ever got the idea that this wouldn't happen to you?
    What the hell are you on about dennis?
    Full stop after "on"
  • damocles10damocles10 Posts: 340
    Like some have said it will take a couple of days get the heart and lungs back on track. Depending on previous mileage/training you might be pleasantly surprised with your performance with time out.

    I had a bad crash last summer and was forced to take 7 weeks off the bike ( I hated every moment )....I was astounded how quickly I got back in to the swing of things - doc told me about muscle memory and how quickly things can return to normal performance wise.
  • nanoridernanorider Posts: 3
    Thank you for all the answers, makes me feel better. I never meant to sound like I was too good to get sick or whatever a few people perceived my question to mean. It's pretty rare that I get sick so that's why I was asking. In fact I'm pretty sure that I have overtrained to a certain extent for a few other reasons so I'm embracing the time off. Thanks for all your help :wink:
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