Off season sleep

A light bike doesn't replace good fitness.

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HUMP DIESEL
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by HUMP DIESEL

I am into my third week off the bike, more because my cardiologist wants me to take four weeks off completely to check my heart again in a non-trained state. This is the longest I have taken off the bike in 10 years, and I am finding, that even though I am not exercising, I am sleeping a great bit more than before.
Just a curious question, have any of you found that you do the same?
I also wonder if I have been chronically fatigued for years and now I am just trying to recover.

HUMP
Why are the best things in life always the ones you start last?

AGW
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by AGW

Well, just imagine the cumulative training load over 10 years wherein you've taken no more than 3 consecutive weeks off. Your brain and endocrine system is probably getting in on some of that recovery action.

by Weenie


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HUMP DIESEL
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Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:19 pm
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by HUMP DIESEL

I hope that is what it is. I have not fought it, if I start to fall asleep I go, except for at work for obvious reasons, but there have been nights where I have been sitting down after supper early and just go to sleep. 12 hour sleep bouts are not un-common.

HUMP
Why are the best things in life always the ones you start last?

CerveloBert
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Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 12:43 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA

by CerveloBert

Great Scott - 12 hours of sleep the amount of recovery sleep I need after a rough friday night out with my buddies.

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boysa
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by boysa

I think you are certainly catching up on some MUCH needed rest. It's incredible how we can abuse ourselves day in, day out on the bike. I wouldn't be surprised if you come back in a few weeks, take a couple days to get back in the swing, then see some real gains.

I've been trying to end my season, but knowing I'm headed on a month-long vacation, sans bicycle, has me fighting to finish one last block of volume. Fortunately, my wife is letting me take my running shoes along. Cross-training!! :wink:
"Deserve's got nothing to do with it." William Munny

AGW
Posts: 477
Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 2:11 pm

by AGW

A race-ready state of training - year-in, year-out - isn't a state that the body would preferentially adapt to, but it will when given no choice. You may have managed to raise your short-term recovery ceiling to such a level that you simply could get by with 8 hours of sleep. Now, your body is cashing in while it has the chance. You'll level out soon, and I agree that you'll probably see some gains should you continue to race as you have been (I noticed your conundrum in the other training thread).

HUMP DIESEL
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by HUMP DIESEL

Yes, and I actually made the decision yesterday to hang up the race cleats. I will continue to ride, because I love to, but going to give it a go without the competition.

HUMP
Why are the best things in life always the ones you start last?

User Name
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Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:32 pm

by User Name

Are you a bit 'sad', or just on a downer, because of your situation? If so, maybe this is making you feel like you just wanna stay in bed, rather than springing out of the sack and seizing the day.

I know when I occasionally have the "can't be bothereds", or when something's getting me down a bit, I don't feel like facing the day, so I sleep more. I work evenings, so I rarely have to get up early to be anywhere
Last edited by User Name on Sat Apr 08, 2017 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

HUMP DIESEL
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by HUMP DIESEL

No, not really. This week, the sleep patterns have actually been more normal, I still seem to go to bed early, but I do get up early to get to work.

HUMP
Why are the best things in life always the ones you start last?

by Weenie


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