Racing while sick - deadline - please reply asap?

[BullGod]

So tomorrow is my first spring classic, and preparation was going to great until wednesday. Got a good 120km of racing in last sunday in Belgium, rested well, some good endurance and intervals tues and weds and then - Bang! down with a sore throat, coughing, shivering.

I know there has been plenty said over training whilst ill, but what do you guys advise on racing whilst ill? The symptoms are manifested above the neck....so excercise shouldn't be dangerous, but the prospects of a super tough 175km wind ravaged, 160 guys start - 45 finish RR isn't currently appealing. The forrecast is dry, but windy and 8 degrees celsius (46F)

obviously the chances of doing well are limited, and it's likely that I will only delay the time it takes until I recover. On the other hand, next week I am away for 3 days on buisiness, so i am guaranteed a rest.

My main concerns are - missing a race - not getting any ,more quality racing time for 2 weeks, when a superfast crit is on the menu, and letting the team down - and perhaps jeapordising my place next time round - but then being sick and riding **** won't help that much either.

I have also been training especially for this race for some months, and really looking forward to it.....which sucks as now I am dreading it - I tried a 1hr L1 ride on the trainer this arvo and stopped after 20 mins because of throat pain.

I'm also thinking this is my THIRD cold in 3 months......and if this is going to be a regular thing I need t learm to beat it and grit my teeth.

any suggestions? If I am going to cancel it had better be soon....

BG

 

[Felt_Rider]

Still shivering? Checked for a fever?

My riding buddy's nephew had to bail out of the TDC after the 4th stage from similar symptoms.

It would not do you any good to start the race and have to bail because you still put the burden on your body to recover and heal at the same time.

"live to fight another day" is my thought, but then again I am pretty stuborn and often ride when I shouldn't.

 

[daveryanwyoming]

...
any suggestions? If I am going to cancel it had better be soon....

Scrap the race. Shivering implies fever, coughing and sore throat are definitely below the neck symptoms. What little fitness or experience you might gain during this race is nothing compared to the fitness you'll lose if you get really sick and develop bronchial problems. Simple risk/reward analysis, it aint worth it. The fact that you've been sick so often recently doesn't bode well either. Take a bit of rest, you have a long season ahead.

-Dave

 

[BullGod]

Still shivering? Checked for a fever?

My riding buddy's nephew had to bail out of the TDC after the 4th stage from similar symptoms.

It would not do you any good to start the race and have to bail because you still put the burden on your body to recover and heal at the same time.

"live to fight another day" is my thought, but then again I am pretty stuborn and often ride when I shouldn't.

pretty sure I don't have a fever. don't have the means to check though. it's evening now though, and of course it is worsening - but sees to be moving away from throat to nose.

 

[BullGod]

Scrap the race. Shivering implies fever, coughing and sore throat are definitely below the neck symptoms. What little fitness or experience you might gain during this race is nothing compared to the fitness you'll lose if you get really sick and develop bronchial problems. Simple risk/reward analysis, it aint worth it. The fact that you've been sick so often recently doesn't bode well either. Take a bit of rest, you have a long season ahead.

-Dave

another thing that doesn't bode well is the fact that I know from Belgium last weekend that classics involve cold weather - but you have to dress for the warmest you'll be - so the start, the neutral zone and the sitting in the bus if yoiu abandon are freezing cold - then driving back without a shower and so, plus gettinmup at 6am, and not back til late.....

Dave - I think you're right - I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and pull out.

I mean, i live in amsterdam and this race is in groningen....3 hours away - so it's a long way to go for a potential half an hour of misery.

What sucks is I clearly vaught this off a teammate (who feels better since today) but before I knew I had caught i did a 5 hr ride, with the virus obviously incubating. That probably didn't help/

 

[alfeng]

...

My main concerns are - missing a race - not getting any ,more quality racing time for 2 weeks, when a superfast crit is on the menu, and letting the team down - and perhaps jeapordising my place next time round - but then being sick and riding **** won't help that much either.

If you were a solo rider who doesn't mind doing the Typhoid Mary routine + plan to be picked up after about a half hour's time into the race + you aren't concerned about the fee, then I'd say "why not?"

But, since you may still be contagious, I think you would be doing your team mates, in particular, a disservice by showing up ...

BTW. While Vitamin C (1000 mg PER DAY over-dose) may not prevent a cold-or-flu, it should mitigate the symptoms. Also, look into TheraFlu (or, equivalent) ... for the immediate situation and/or future to mitigate the symptoms (for YOUR comfort ... so you can sleep/rest better, etc. ... if you feel better, even while you are recovering, you'll probably be able to get some better training in before the next race).

 

[Steve_B]

I mean, i live in amsterdam and this race is in groningen....3 hours away - so it's a long way to go for a potential half an hour of misery.

I've been to both cities but I rode trains. You would be in for an ugly day if you were to race, sitting in the cold car, etc. It's a long distance by Euro standards anyway. Pulling out is the best thing. If you were getting paid, you might think again about it but since you are probably not, or at least not getting much start money, bag it.

Though I run the risk of looking like a psuedo-science nut, I will say that I believe in lots of Vitamin C, Echinacea and Zinc at this point in the illness to boost the immunity system.

 

[Felt_Rider]

On a similar note I have been skirting that line for several weeks now. I have been around a lot of sick individuals at work and otherwise and with training 6 days a week my body has held on some how with recovery. On a number of occasions I thought I over extended and felt slight symtoms coming on, but after a good night of sleep and a good dosage of glutamine & BCAA's following training and Glutamine before bedtime I am making it through. (also using Vit. C, E, Zinc)

I also made a decision since so many around me are sick is to increase my caloric intake to help my body fight the good fight. My body weight has increased a little, but at the moment I would rather have the slight weight gain than to be detraining for several days due to an illness. One my coworkers is a triathlete and her illness put her out of training for almost 3 weeks.

 

[BullGod]

The discussion has now become irrelevant as I just heard from the team leader that we MUST start with 6 riders, and we don't have any reserves so I will have to at least go along, get a number and line up.

I guess now I'm riding on last wheel with no pressure, with plenty of warm clothes in the team car.

have to see how it goes. difficult to imagine anything other than an early finish right now.

 

[alfeng]

The discussion has now become irrelevant as I just heard from the team leader that we MUST start with 6 riders, and we don't have any reserves so I will have to at least go along, get a number and line up.

I guess now I'm riding on last wheel with no pressure, with plenty of warm clothes in the team car.

have to see how it goes. difficult to imagine anything other than an early finish right now.

Ask your team leader pick up some disposable dust/face masks for you and/or your team mates (for when you are all sitting in the same Van/car OR for afterwards).

You'll probably want a thermos with some hot beverages ... also, a knit cap & WARM boots for if/when you have to abandon.

Don't be more of a hero than you have to be ... but, if you're feeling better, let your body & the pace dictate whether you finish.

 

[BullGod]

I felt crappy and knew alreadfy at the start that my race would not be long. I made the decision to start, then abaondon asap and get the hell back to the warmth of the changing rooms

This being Holland, the neutralisation zone was insane, as this race has historically always been decided in the first 10km - with the speed going through the roof and the bunch breaking into echelons, with everyone knowing that the first echelon is where the winner comes from, and if you're not in the 2nd one you won't be allowed to finish.

3 crashes in the 2km neutralisation, and then once on the smaller rroads and race time the speed went up to above 50 and the bunch strung out in a long line with gaps opening up. Yours truly was right at the back coughing and sneezing and the legs just didn't have 50kph with crosswinds whilst grovelling in the gutter.thought I was the first to abaondon but the chaos in the neutral zone had already accounted for 2.

I saw all my teammates apart from 1 back in the cchanging rooms within an hour. we have a lot to learn this season. I think being fit and training hard is is only a fraction of what it takes to be a good racer, especially with factors like wind, rain and cobblestones to contend with/ .

 

[Piotr]

I felt crappy and knew alreadfy at the start that my race would not be long. I made the decision to start, then abaondon asap and get the hell back to the warmth of the changing rooms

This being Holland, the neutralisation zone was insane, as this race has historically always been decided in the first 10km - with the speed going through the roof and the bunch breaking into echelons, with everyone knowing that the first echelon is where the winner comes from, and if you're not in the 2nd one you won't be allowed to finish.

3 crashes in the 2km neutralisation, and then once on the smaller rroads and race time the speed went up to above 50 and the bunch strung out in a long line with gaps opening up. Yours truly was right at the back coughing and sneezing and the legs just didn't have 50kph with crosswinds whilst grovelling in the gutter.thought I was the first to abaondon but the chaos in the neutral zone had already accounted for 2.

I saw all my teammates apart from 1 back in the cchanging rooms within an hour. we have a lot to learn this season. I think being fit and training hard is is only a fraction of what it takes to be a good racer, especially with factors like wind, rain and cobblestones to contend with/ .

Now would be a good time to talk to your teammates about SST in the off-season.

 

[Felt_Rider]

snip.........we have a lot to learn this season. I think being fit and training hard is is only a fraction of what it takes to be a good racer, especially with factors like wind, rain and cobblestones to contend with/ .

There was a comment from Urikola in one thread that could provoke a deeper discussion about your thoughts. We all have something to learn. Just when we think we are nearing the pinnacle of our genetic limitations we find out there is something else about our training and nutrition that can be tweaked that will eak out just a little more performance. In my mind improved performance is planned training, adapting and recovering.

What I have seen in my 25 years of general training with athletes from various sporting events is that many have a true desire to grit through discomforting training, but severly neglect other assets like nutrition.

While this will not always prevent a setback from illness it will give your body a little more help to recover from both intense training and help keep the immune system from being overwhelmed.

If you were to take a look at this for your training records in order to apply it for future needs what is it that can be tweaked to help you to train with intensity, recover and keep the immune system up?

Again sometimes there is nothing that can be done to prevent the illness except live in a closet and not train hard, but that is not an option that many of us will take.

drug free considerations:
Link

Link

 

[Steve_B]

I think being fit and training hard is is only a fraction of what it takes to be a good racer, especially with factors like wind, rain and cobblestones to contend with/ .

I've never raced at your level but I can certainly believe it.

I have compared my power meter files with those from some competitors and from teammates. Though I can often put out similar numbers (in both absolute watts and also in a watts/kg sense), our individual outcomes can sometimes be radically different. Conclusion: I think that having the fitness is your "ticket to enter" but it's how you use that fitness that matters a tremendous amount. That includes things like reading the race correctly, being in the right place at the right time, smoothly moving through the group, saving energy, etc.

 

[BullGod]

The main lesson that needs to be learned is that to be in contention you need to be at the front from the off. There can be no resting at the back, taking it easy in the middle etc.

You need to have the balls, and the handling ability to get up there, and because everyone wants to be there it sure won't be easy, and there may well be "contact" and crashes from time to time.

Even at elite level there are still differences in ability and experience, and when the speed goes up to the max, the bunch will break up. If you're not at the front you're out of it.

In some places this "selection" occurs later in the race, or at a particularly tricky section. in holland it is always windy, and this cut always happens in the first 10 mins.