Aching everywhere...

[Meschersmit]

Guys,
Frustrating when you planned a nice ride and when you wake up the following
morning you ache too much from previous rides in the week. I did three 50
milers last week and my body feels shot so I thought the best thing to do
was to have a rest today. Did I do the right thing do you reckon or should
I have ridden through it? I am trying really hard to get fitter and
hopefully that will make my recovery better. I do not want to overtrain and
get myself unwell.

I have played semi professional football and ran marathons in the past and
nothing knackers your body quite like cycling does. No wonder it had a
reputation for drugs - how the heck is it possible for guys to be doing
hundreds of miles a day for 20 days? I take my hat of to the honest guys.

Anyone got some training tips for cycling and some schedules/splits? Thanks
guys.

Regards,
MS

 

[Tony Raven]

Meschersmit wrote:
>
> I have played semi professional football and ran marathons in the past and
> nothing knackers your body quite like cycling does. No wonder it had a
> reputation for drugs - how the heck is it possible for guys to be doing
> hundreds of miles a day for 20 days? I take my hat of to the honest guys.
>

Rest and don't overdo it. Yes you've played football and run marathons
but those use different muscle groups while cycling is training a whole
new set which is why they are getting knackered. It'll come but it
takes time. Rest days are important.

Tony

 

[Meschersmit]

Thanks for the reassurance Tony,
Regards,
MS

"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Meschersmit wrote:
> >
> > I have played semi professional football and ran marathons in the past
and
> > nothing knackers your body quite like cycling does. No wonder it had a
> > reputation for drugs - how the heck is it possible for guys to be doing
> > hundreds of miles a day for 20 days? I take my hat of to the honest
guys.
> >
>
> Rest and don't overdo it. Yes you've played football and run marathons
> but those use different muscle groups while cycling is training a whole
> new set which is why they are getting knackered. It'll come but it
> takes time. Rest days are important.
>
> Tony

 

[Tony W]

"Meschersmit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Guys,
> Frustrating when you planned a nice ride and when you wake up the
following
> morning you ache too much from previous rides in the week. I did three 50
> milers last week and my body feels shot so I thought the best thing to do
> was to have a rest today. Did I do the right thing do you reckon or
should
> I have ridden through it? I am trying really hard to get fitter and
> hopefully that will make my recovery better. I do not want to overtrain
and
> get myself unwell.
>
> I have played semi professional football and ran marathons in the past and
> nothing knackers your body quite like cycling does. No wonder it had a
> reputation for drugs - how the heck is it possible for guys to be doing
> hundreds of miles a day for 20 days? I take my hat of to the honest guys.
>
> Anyone got some training tips for cycling and some schedules/splits?
Thanks
> guys.

Since you are an experienced athlete it seems strange that you need to
ask -- or that you find cycling so hard.

On a well set up bike cycling is easy. You just need to build the muscles
and stamina.

Days off are always nice.

T

 

[Meschersmit]

Note the "have played" - not "still play". I haven't played football at
that level for nigh on ten years. I still play a little bit now too.
However, I never got so knackered as I do nowadays when cycling 50 miles (a
modest distance compared to many guys admittedly) up hills going for it at
100%. Maybe its a psychological thing too; when you are on a football pitch
you get moments when you can take it easy but when climbing an hill you have
got to get up that hill and maybe this forces a 100% maximum commitment.

MS


"Tony W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Meschersmit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Guys,
> > Frustrating when you planned a nice ride and when you wake up the
> following
> > morning you ache too much from previous rides in the week. I did three
50
> > milers last week and my body feels shot so I thought the best thing to
do
> > was to have a rest today. Did I do the right thing do you reckon or
> should
> > I have ridden through it? I am trying really hard to get fitter and
> > hopefully that will make my recovery better. I do not want to overtrain
> and
> > get myself unwell.
> >
> > I have played semi professional football and ran marathons in the past
and
> > nothing knackers your body quite like cycling does. No wonder it had a
> > reputation for drugs - how the heck is it possible for guys to be doing
> > hundreds of miles a day for 20 days? I take my hat of to the honest
guys.
> >
> > Anyone got some training tips for cycling and some schedules/splits?
> Thanks
> > guys.
>
> Since you are an experienced athlete it seems strange that you need to
> ask -- or that you find cycling so hard.
>
> On a well set up bike cycling is easy. You just need to build the muscles
> and stamina.
>
> Days off are always nice.
>
> T
>
>

 

[Tony Raven]

Meschersmit wrote:
> Note the "have played" - not "still play". I haven't played football at
> that level for nigh on ten years. I still play a little bit now too.
> However, I never got so knackered as I do nowadays when cycling 50 miles (a
> modest distance compared to many guys admittedly) up hills going for it at
> 100%. Maybe its a psychological thing too; when you are on a football pitch
> you get moments when you can take it easy but when climbing an hill you have
> got to get up that hill and maybe this forces a 100% maximum commitment.
>

I would get yourself a simple guide to training. Going for it 100% all
the time is not the right way and unnecessary. Its quite possible to
cycle up hills slowly and even to stop and take a rest part way up if
you want. Its a combination of the right exercise with the right amount
of food and water during the ride.

Tony

 

[James Annan]

Meschersmit wrote:

> Note the "have played" - not "still play". I haven't played football at
> that level for nigh on ten years. I still play a little bit now too.
> However, I never got so knackered as I do nowadays when cycling 50 miles (a
> modest distance compared to many guys admittedly) up hills going for it at
> 100%.

I have always found long distances to be a bit of a struggle, although I
was certainly quite fit before I started cycling seriously. There's a
big diference between ~30-90 mins of activity and 3h+. Build up the
distance slowly and you will get better at it!

James
--
If I have seen further than others, it is
by treading on the toes of giants.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/

 

[Simon Mason]

"Meschersmit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Note the "have played" - not "still play". I haven't played football at
> that level for nigh on ten years. I still play a little bit now too.
> However, I never got so knackered as I do nowadays when cycling 50 miles
(a
> modest distance compared to many guys admittedly) up hills going for it at
> 100%. Maybe its a psychological thing too; when you are on a football
pitch
> you get moments when you can take it easy but when climbing an hill you
have
> got to get up that hill and maybe this forces a 100% maximum commitment.

I am 46 and still play 5 a side and two days ago did a 100 miler. You don't
have to go at it hammer and tongs, there is no hurry. In my 100 mile ride, I
had to cross some 14% hills and at the first one I just managed it (I failed
the same hill every time as a teenager - albeit with less gears) , but at
the second hill coming back home, I went anaerobic big style, got terrible
stitch with the lactic acid build up and had to crash out for 10 minutes in
a field utterly spent 35 miles from home.

There was no shame in it, I reckoned that none of my work colleagues was
capable of what I was doing and judging by a lot of men my age neither would
they be. I used to compare myself with the elite athletes and be a bit upset
at how far behind them I was, but I am me and not them. I can only do the
best I can and be satisfied with that.

When I was at work last night I told my workmates what I had done the
previous day and they were gobsmacked, they couldn't imagine doing what I'd
done, so it's all relative!

--
Simon Mason
Anlaby
East Yorkshire.
53°44'N 0°26'W
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

[Peter B]

"Meschersmit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Note the "have played" - not "still play". I haven't played football at
> that level for nigh on ten years. I still play a little bit now too.
> However, I never got so knackered as I do nowadays when cycling 50 miles
(a
> modest distance compared to many guys admittedly) up hills going for it at
> 100%.

As has been noted 1.5 hours of football is half the time it takes to ride 50
miles at a respectable pace. I bet you could ride for 1.5 hours at a time
with a break after 45 minutes several times per week with ease.

Anyway, I believe the rest is very important. Anecdotally: one of the
fittest blokes I rode with regularly was also into swimming, running and
ultimately triathlon, he had always been into sport and was a PE teacher,
but every time I saw him between athletic pursuits he was asleep

Regards,
Pete

 

[Arthur Clune]

Meschersmit <[email protected]> wrote:

: Anyone got some training tips for cycling and some schedules/splits? Thanks
: guys.

Remember it's not the training that makes you strong, it's the recovery
(read rest) between the training.

Training wears down muscles etc. Rest rebuilds them stronger.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

 

[James Annan]

On 2004-07-31, Arthur Clune <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Remember it's not the training that makes you strong, it's the recovery
> (read rest) between the training.
>
> Training wears down muscles etc. Rest rebuilds them stronger.

Well that's half true. Even a maniacal cyclist is going to get
rest while sleeping etc. It's quite possible to train hard for
many consecutive days, but it is of course important to not
completely overdo it. Certainly no serious athlete in any sport
waits until they feel fully rested before another training session!


James
--
my other signature is wittier

 

[Martin 'MSeries' Newstead]

Meschersmit wrote:

>
> Anyone got some training tips for cycling and some schedules/splits?
> Thanks guys.
>

Get a book on the subject. There are many available, some aimed at racing
and some aimed at riding long distances (>200km). All talk about rest. I
like the ones written by Ed Burke.