IF and illness

Nicolai Foss

I´ve had my PM for a little under 2 months. I have also been almost continually ill with varying URTI since january in the pattern of one week on one week of. I probably have a need to compensate by intensity over quantity due to limited time (especially with all the illness). I am on my back for the last three days wondering how to leave this vicious cycle of immunedeficiency and still make some progress on the bike.

I´m 35, CTL 50 at the moment (estimated TSS on my Polar files from january through feb since then only pt measurements). What struck me reviewing my files whas that I only had one ride with my PM with an IF < 0.91 (that one was .87) the TSS for my days was typically between 100-200 on the days were I rode (not sick). Seem to me that I´m overstressing the system by intensity more than volume. I´m thinking about a forced regimen on L2/3 rides for a prolonged time (1-2 months), this just contrasts with all i´ve read here about junkmiles and SST.

Any opinions will be much appreciated.

frenchyge

Some thoughts here: http://www.cyclingforums.com/t390794.html

Nicolai Foss

Thanks, I´ve read the thread already, but my thoughts were more along the lines of whether TSS accumulated at a high IF is more detrimental to your health than the same TSS at a lower IF.

acoggan

FWIW, in 2002 my wife 'cracked' at essentially the same long-term average daily TSS (i.e., chronic training load, CTL) both early in the year, when her training was almost exclusively level 2/3/4, and later in the year, when it was almost exclusively level 5/6/7.

DesFlurane

Two months with only 1 ride under IF .91 are you sure your FTP is set correctly/accurately?
URTI, is that a urinary tract infection? If so, what does your doc say?

Nicolai Foss

URTI: Upper Resp. Tract Infections

I think I´ve nailed my FTP correctly. My two PB for 20 min.s are 288 and 292 respectively (both after a 5 min max test with 10 min rest in between) my FTP is set at.95 of that or 277 watts. My best 60 min test is 271 (but that was not meant to be a 60 min TT from the start so it was paced poorly). I think my problem is that I have a very hard time riding tempo, since most of my riding is < 2 hrs, and i have a 18 km commute two times a day - with lots of stops - i end up riding at 300 watts+ between stops. I always say to myself that it is going to be an easy ride, and 10 minutes into the ride I find myself chasing a moped at 50 k/h Two days later I´m sick once more

DesFlurane

Well I think this is where Timan comes in with his rest and recuperation talk

Probably not your CTL as such, maybe your ATL is the problem

Do you have a coach? If not sounds like you need one

daveryanwyoming

Are you familiar with the concept of training "discipline"? Come on man, if you're in a pattern of blowing off your rest days to chase mopeds and then getting sick a couple of days later you know what to do. If you can't take easy days on the bike then perhaps you should take the bus to work those days to avoid the temptation.

Remember you need the training stress to bring about adaptations, but those adaptations don't occur while you're training, they occur while you're resting. Without the rest you're just digging an ever deeper hole for your body to try to climb out of. Looks like your body takes the shortcut, gets sick and forces some rest