Good days and bad days biking



B

Badger_South

Guest
It's often surprising to me how little I can judge if a ride is going to be
a good ride or a slog until I actually get out on the road.

Some days when I just don't feel like riding, I'll go out anyway and just
tell myself 'OK, recovery ride, just spin a little and enjoy the day', and
I'll find in the first mile or so that I'm having a very good day, and am
able to push it very well.

Other days, I'll go out thinking, 'OK, I'm feeling great, I'm gonna make a
new course record', and I just don't have it in me, and end up having a
rather disappointing ride.

The week before I got in my recent 150mile week for two weeks in a row, I
was just slogging trying to get in even 10 miles per day and ended up
getting only 85miles that week. The follow two weeks ended up being -very-
easy and fast 150+ miles. (oddly, the week following this period, I didn't
ride for two days and on the third day I felt like I could ride up the side
of a building!)

I'm now wondering if the days that I think I'm going to have a good ride,
but can't spin it, represent the slight dip in ability before your body
hypercompensates and you reach a new plateau.

Would it be in my interest to try and push it especially during those days
where I feel pretty good, but have to struggle to reach pace? I have a
feeling I'm missing out on even larger hypercompensation by going ahead and
'surrendering' to the urge to drop back on the pace.

Hope this makes some sense. ;-p

-B
 
Badger_South wrote:
:: It's often surprising to me how little I can judge if a ride is
:: going to be a good ride or a slog until I actually get out on the
:: road.
::
:: Some days when I just don't feel like riding, I'll go out anyway and
:: just tell myself 'OK, recovery ride, just spin a little and enjoy
:: the day', and I'll find in the first mile or so that I'm having a
:: very good day, and am able to push it very well.
::
:: Other days, I'll go out thinking, 'OK, I'm feeling great, I'm gonna
:: make a new course record', and I just don't have it in me, and end
:: up having a rather disappointing ride.
::
:: The week before I got in my recent 150mile week for two weeks in a
:: row, I was just slogging trying to get in even 10 miles per day and
:: ended up getting only 85miles that week. The follow two weeks ended
:: up being -very- easy and fast 150+ miles. (oddly, the week following
:: this period, I didn't ride for two days and on the third day I felt
:: like I could ride up the side of a building!)
::
:: I'm now wondering if the days that I think I'm going to have a good
:: ride, but can't spin it, represent the slight dip in ability before
:: your body hypercompensates and you reach a new plateau.
::
:: Would it be in my interest to try and push it especially during
:: those days where I feel pretty good, but have to struggle to reach
:: pace? I have a feeling I'm missing out on even larger
:: hypercompensation by going ahead and 'surrendering' to the urge to
:: drop back on the pace.
::
:: Hope this makes some sense. ;-p

I think on those days that you find you have the energy or whatever to push
it, you should push it. However, on those days that you find you really
don't, you should listen to your body and take it easy.

Of course, the first thing that popped into my mind while your reading post
is that maybe on some days you've had more carbs, and the greater level of
carbs is affecting your attitude toward your rides positively. That thought
came to be because I've noted, for myself, that when I carb up before a ride
I'm just most positive about attacking harder. Like seratonin in the brain
or something. Just a theory from personal observation, though, as I have no
idea of your carb levels prior to your daily rides.

from http://www.angelfire.com/hi/TheSeer/seratonin.html

"We really do not know the triggers for hunger or appetite. It seems that
serotonin is involved, but where and how are currently unknown. Serotonin
release is triggered by a carbohydrate load (sugar, etc.) and there are many
who feel that eating Carbohydrates under stress is aimed at this serotonin
release. "