Overtraining

[s1ngletracker]

I dont know if a lot of you race, but I thought Id throw a topic for discussion out there.

Last year, I had the best early season ever. Up until about mid to late june I was very strong, and was doing very well in races.

Come late june/july, I stopped doing very well, and gradually got slower. I would feel tired during races, couldnt hammer or hold a hard pace, and I think it was due to overtraining.

What is the best way to prevent this? I really dont want it to happen again this summer.

I know a few things will help:

1. Dont ride too much, build in rest time
2. Eat right and get enough sleep

but i have been also thinking, maybe I accidentally made myself peak physically, and after that I just couldnt do much. How do I avoid doing that?

[manual63]

Originally posted by s1ngletracker
I dont know if a lot of you race, but I thought Id throw a topic for discussion out there.

Last year, I had the best early season ever. Up until about mid to late june I was very strong, and was doing very well in races.

Come late june/july, I stopped doing very well, and gradually got slower. I would feel tired during races, couldnt hammer or hold a hard pace, and I think it was due to overtraining.

What is the best way to prevent this? I really dont want it to happen again this summer.

I know a few things will help:

1. Dont ride too much, build in rest time
2. Eat right and get enough sleep

but i have been also thinking, maybe I accidentally made myself peak physically, and after that I just couldnt do much. How do I avoid doing that?

I used to train for BMX and I overtrained and got burnt out. I don't think it's a physical thing because it doesn't make much sense, but to me it was mental. I just lost the drive to push as hard. After I took a little break, I was back in my game. I think this goes with anything. All things can be overdone and burn you out. Taking a short break every now and then only helps you regain mentally and I am sure some physically.

[grizzly adam]

I've never been one to really "train", but a friend of mine does. He trains ALL the time. I think he eats while he rides - it's crazy.
I think that your body is just telling you that you've peaked. Take a look back at what you did before the season started and then see when you think you peaked. Is there anything that you can change early on so that you can peak later?
In high school we tried to time it so that we peaked at the end of the season so that we could make it to the state meet (we finally made it and then won the relay - YAY!). We didn't go all out early on, rather we stepped the practices up gradually so that the intensity and the duration was longer as the season progessed.
I guess that's why I like living in Minnesota, we actually have seasons so that we can get out and ski, snowshoe...whatever. Give our bodies a change of pace so that our bodies get a break from cycling and it's more fun when spring comes around.
Do you keep any sort of record as to what you're doing for training? miles, meals, etc.
If so, it could be good to look back on and say "okay, I started my longer rides here. What if I waited two weeks and THEN started my longer riders." I dunno. I'm just going by what little training I've done and from sometimes watching the pros. Look at Lance - everything he does revolves around the Tour. His only goal is to peak at the Tour.
Enough of my rambling - hope this helps you in some way or other.

GA

[Trevize1138]

How varied are your workouts? I read earlier this spring an on-line guide to training and it said that most workouts should be LSD (long, slow distance) with only one or two hard, hammering days a week. If you're packing 4 or 5 hard, hammering days a week I can see you peaking really fast and then not going anywhere.

Another big thing is cross training. Of course, this is more important in the off season or earlier in the season. Just as Grizzly said below, it's nice that we have seasons. I don't bike at all in winter, that's snowboard time! :D I also go to a cardio boxing class at The Firm near downtown during spring and fall when it's too crappy out for either boarding or biking.