How to get back lost form.

A light bike doesn't replace good fitness.

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bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

Three weeks ago I was flying. Even had a 1.5 he ride at 287w then the next day the pm broke. Had good rides later that week but I can't tell you any numbers. Then I became ill. I was all hot and cold but was able to work and function. Tried riding. I did a 1hr criteria race with a new pm I managed 243w and nearly won that race but my break on the last lap did not last long enough and got caught 50m from the line. Tried riding the following Friday when I thought I was on. Keep I was wrong and struggled. I got better over the weekend but since then I have lost all my form. Had a bunch finish in a critical race last Wednesday averaging 228w but that wore me out and in Sundays road race I lasted 3 miles and dropped off. The race turned into a training ride. It was a hilly route and I rode solo at quite a decent pace (20.7mph) but that's still not enough it seems. My new pm had broke on Friday so I can't gauge easily how I performed.

I just can't match the output I had three weeks ago. What do I need to do to get it back. Is it rest and not ride or continue riding and hope for the best. This mornings ride was 20 miles at 19mph with 330m of climbing which is okay but there is still no spring in my legs. Everything is such an effort. No idea of power outputs as my second pm broke after a week of use. Bloody gamin pedals even installed properly to spec don't last.

I can't even tell you my ftp as before the first set of pedals broke they under read for a couple of months only had them since March.

So what to do.

benzebub
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by benzebub

rest
But I could be wrong

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ghostinthemachine
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by ghostinthemachine

You aren't better yet. You training and racing through illness. Takes far longer for proper recovery.

A criterium a few days after illness was probably a bad idea.

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

I here what you are saying but rest for how long. How do I know when I will be good again as my idea of rest is two days of at most. I booked a number of races at the begining of July. Next one on sunday. I rather not miss them.

Rest is really not part of my volcabulary (how do you spell this word never worked it out) I am probably my own worst enemy.

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Tapeworm
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by Tapeworm

Yep. Prediction: keep going like this and you'll steadily see your number decline, never quite getting back to where you were at previously probably for the next few months or so till you get sick again.


Or you can take a week off the bike entirely and see what happens.
"Physiology is all just propaganda and lies... all waiting to be disproven by the next study."
"I'm not a real doctor; But I am a real worm; I am an actual worm." - TMBG

CulBaire
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by CulBaire

If you refuse to rest, at least do light rolls... Z1 or light Z2 and nothing more, if you start to feel a little after a week or so better ramp it up to tempo. You will start to know when you are feeling good again.

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Tinea Pedis
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by Tinea Pedis

bm0p700f wrote:Rest is really not part of my volcabulary (how do you spell this word never worked it out) I am probably my own worst enemy.

Without seeming to plug my own blog, it still better sums up my thoughts (and advice) better than typing a reply.

http://nicksquillari.com.au/lessismore

tl;dr - resting more didn't hurt me. In fact, it helped. My data/race results proves it.

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Kermithimself
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by Kermithimself

If you're only looking at the PM numbers, it could be the fact that you switched powermeters. The first one might be reading too high, the other maybe too low.
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ghostinthemachine
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by ghostinthemachine

bm0p700f wrote:I here what you are saying but rest for how long. How do I know when I will be good again as my idea of rest is two days of at most. I booked a number of races at the begining of July. Next one on sunday. I rather not miss them.
You well probably have already done some damage by racing when you were still ill.
When I was still racing, depending on what was wrong it'd usually be no racing/training at all until I felt better (symptom free) then another 3-5 days of light training before getting back properly. If I've had a feber, it'd probably be 5 days.
At this point in the season, no training for 7-10 days will have no significant effect on form, training when ill could put you back for a month. Or end your season.

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

Well I will rest then for the next few days. I am meant to have a race on Sunday but I will see. Tonight's ride has decided It. I hope 3 or days is all I need. There is plenty of miles in my legs this year so a few days won't hurt. I take longer if I have too.

Multebear
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by Multebear

bm0p700f wrote:
I am meant to have a race on Sunday but I will see.



Did you race today? And how did it go?

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

Badly first hill I fell of the back. Rode the course anyway and the main group did not lap me which was something. Took an hour before I could sustain extended efforts. I seem to have turned into an old duffer who needs to do a 30 miles warm up before a effort. Tonight's ride was better than last week. Still got dropped from the chain gang but I chased for a 2 miles or a bit more to get back on only to get dropped again on the next big hill. So I'll do an mtb ride tomorrow nothing to strenuous for a couple of hours and rest Thursday. 40 miles Friday morning at endurance pace, mtb ride Saturday 2hrs (i find this helps before a race for some reason) and a race Sunday where I will try to hang on this time. Slowly recovering I get there in my non structured sort of way.

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Tinea Pedis
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by Tinea Pedis

Sounds to me like you're "cooked"/"in a hole" etc

Id' not race Sunday. But that's just my take and from my own experiences.

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Tapeworm
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by Tapeworm

Concur. Sounds like OP is "under-recovered", and not "over-trained."
"Physiology is all just propaganda and lies... all waiting to be disproven by the next study."
"I'm not a real doctor; But I am a real worm; I am an actual worm." - TMBG

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mattr
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by mattr

You're not getting it are you?
One thing that's been said repeatedly on here that you aren't doing.

Rest.

Put the bike away. Don't train, don't race, commute by bike if you must (jeans and t shirt commuting, not head down and lycra) eat well, sleep well.

For at least a week. Then start again, gently. Maybe race in a couple of weeks.

The longer you try and battle it, the longer the eventual recovery will take. Until it becomes impossible to recover.

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