Hopefully someone can help with some pointers. Here's the scoop.
Been racing Master 1 cat. for 3 years now, last year started being a contender. Bought a PT for Christmas and started training 4 to 5 days a week, 2 weeks in Carolina in March, feeling great started the season at the front. Wednesday night "fun" races was able to solo for 2 to 3 laps and could win every sprint and race with ease. Did well at the first couple of races, not placing well but trying different tactics like attacking constantly and trying to ride alone for the last lap and such.
Did a race May 12 and felt like Superman, we (M1) rode combined with S1 and I missed a 5 man break with all S1 guys, and then rode solo the last 800m off the front and only got caught by one guy. I felt like I could do anything. Next weekend big race with a big climb 9 times. I'm 6'2" and 185 pounds and was still able to ride at the front all day and bring a teammate to the base of the finishing climb at the very front, faded to 18th but still was content.
Since that day, I have no legs. I'm no getting dropped from our Wednesday fun races and just did a big race on Sunday and popped barely over half way.
5 different people (including guys who know what they are talking about) have told me to take some time off because I'm fried. Looking back my last real recovery week was in March.
My question is: how should I go about getting my form back. I'm taking this week completely off the bike, but don't know what to do when I resume training. I don't want to get into a cycle of just recovering enough to get by and then being fried again. I want to use this as a learning experience and get smarter and stronger from it.
I'm 38, been training for 4 years. 6'2" 82kg. Ftp: 350watts
5sec: 1500watts
20min: 380watts.
Sorry for the long read, didn't want to leave much out.
Thanks for any input.
Scott.
Been racing Master 1 cat. for 3 years now, last year started being a contender. Bought a PT for Christmas and started training 4 to 5 days a week, 2 weeks in Carolina in March, feeling great started the season at the front. Wednesday night "fun" races was able to solo for 2 to 3 laps and could win every sprint and race with ease. Did well at the first couple of races, not placing well but trying different tactics like attacking constantly and trying to ride alone for the last lap and such.
Did a race May 12 and felt like Superman, we (M1) rode combined with S1 and I missed a 5 man break with all S1 guys, and then rode solo the last 800m off the front and only got caught by one guy. I felt like I could do anything. Next weekend big race with a big climb 9 times. I'm 6'2" and 185 pounds and was still able to ride at the front all day and bring a teammate to the base of the finishing climb at the very front, faded to 18th but still was content.
Since that day, I have no legs. I'm no getting dropped from our Wednesday fun races and just did a big race on Sunday and popped barely over half way.
5 different people (including guys who know what they are talking about) have told me to take some time off because I'm fried. Looking back my last real recovery week was in March.
My question is: how should I go about getting my form back. I'm taking this week completely off the bike, but don't know what to do when I resume training. I don't want to get into a cycle of just recovering enough to get by and then being fried again. I want to use this as a learning experience and get smarter and stronger from it.
I'm 38, been training for 4 years. 6'2" 82kg. Ftp: 350watts
5sec: 1500watts
20min: 380watts.
Sorry for the long read, didn't want to leave much out.
Thanks for any input.
Scott.