I've been doing some long rides recentky and my immune system is suffering.

How do the pro riders complete a tour with successive long days?

I'm getting my regular signals (swollen lymph glands, sore throat, mouth ulcers) which are my body saying "SLOW DOWN! cold appoaching" so I'm taking a few days off.

How can I help my system recover overnight?
Should I be pushing further in the hope my system will become stronger?

Bruiser;

I get all the same symptoms -- clear sign of overtraining and one other thing to consider: a food allergy. For me its milk. Food allergies are often linked with an autoimmune response and when combined with overtraining it can be devastating. Two weeks ago, I lost a 5 days of training to what you describe. If you get swollen glands, I think its best to stop training.
Interesting, Jan Ullrich had visible cold sores at the start of last year's TdF and was not right until midway, after La Mongie and we all know what happened there...

PS l-Lysine can help, along with B-12 and folic acid. Hope you get well soon.

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John979

I'm not sick but if I train today I know I will be tomorrow.

I've been doing rides >200km and I'd like to be able to do two back to back.

But it's also bad one day have >200km ride and other to have no training...

Have you tried zone 1 recovery rides?

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"Ride it like you've just stolen it!"

Glutamine. Increases immune system.
Sleep, good sleep.
Vit. C

I'd second Captain's suggestion of sleep. Most important IMO.

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"Ride it like you've just stolen it!"

Very Good topic,very good questions.

John979,my food allergy was milk too,but i passed it with
"Cornflakes+Honey" mixing.it's very good after the trainings.[Less milk,more cornflakes]

i got sinusitis+throat inflammation.i am using anti-inflammation drugs which my doctor given me.it's really helping me on my "hard-sick" days.

Also,making "very hot baths" X hours after the ride[night-before sleep] helps sweatin and throwing toxics out.[am i wrong?Please correct me if i am.],plus, it's very helpful for muscless if you feel a lot pain..

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Only immortals leave their wheel marks to the places,where mortals wont be able to walk

Recovery and rest are different.
I ride around town for recovery and sleep exceptionally well after my rides.

I take a Euchinacea tablet with 1000mg of Vit C when I feel a cold approaching.

The best tips are: good quality sleep and good food.

For food it is don't eat too much sugars but try to eat complex carbohydrates which means meals with a low GI. Get enough quality proteins and enough polyunsaturated fat (omega 3 and omega 6).

And for sleep try to get 7-9 hours of sleep during the night in a silent and dark environment.

When you want to use supplements stick to the multi vitamine and vitamine C. When you use vitamine C in a high dose (> 250mg a day) don't forget it on a day because some literature described a negative bounce.

There is no sciencetific evidence that Glutamine or l-Lysine will improve your immune system when you have a good eating patron.

Sleeping hours is also important, it's recomended to go to sleep until 23,00. Because until midnight sleep brain and after midnight - body.

where did you read this? I'd be interested to hear where this quote came from.

Surely all sleep is body sleep (by definition your muscles are not moving) and REM ("rapid-eye-movement") sleep is brain sleep.

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"Ride it like you've just stolen it!"

Your body can only produce small amounts of Glutamine and when you stress yourself (exercise) you use it up quickly so supplementing helps keep levels up.
Try www.bodybuilding.com/store/glutamine.html for some info.
After #4 click on the more info link..........

Tippster:
It is said by doctors and coaches almost every day.
Because my blood pressure is a little bit to high, my doctor says that's because i go to sleep to late.

More important it is is to go to bed on the same time every day. Your body doesn't know what time it is on the clock in your living room...