How should one go about this? I'm feeling a little less excited about training everyday and my recovery has been feeling compromised. Honestly, I've been feeling terrible on the bike and my motivation to get on it each day is dropping too. Something isn't right. What's the proper way to break while not letting fitness drop into a deep chasm yet maximizing the recovery of the break?

For me (<--- probably the most important thing to note) I just get back to riding my bike.

No intervals. No riding in rubbish weather. No 'dragging' myself out of bed for an early morning spin. Ride for when as and as long as I like.

As what I love, more than racing, beating my times or other people's, is just being outside on my bike. Catching up with mates and enjoying everything around me (and a good cafe or two). Given the choice, I'd take a two weeks away with my bike as my version of a 'relaxing holiday'. Others would go to a resort


If you have a coach hopefully he'll be as understanding as mine. In fact, doing the above came from him. Only ever been in one massive 'low' with the bike, and doing the above fixed it.

Also lost no fitness. The first couple of interval sessions back hurt, but then was back to punching out good power numbers again. And, importantly, loving it.


YMMV, hopefully this helps.

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Baum Ristretto, Baum Mondrian Corretto & the '89 Merckx! | "If you could eat it in one sitting, hold your line." | twitter.com/Tinea_Pedis

YMMV, but it is generally thought that the maximum period that you can do without training and not loose too much fitness is 2 weeks.

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Whow! That's a pretty damn nice garage door!

That seems pretty solid. I hit the trails with the CX bike the other day and took today off.
I don't have a coach to annoy with my problems which means I'm neither disappointing anyone nor do I have someone who's been here before to guide me through it. I think just riding when it's pleasant and not doing anything structured may go a long way. Time will tell I suppose.