Quickly lose fitness

[James Blackwell]

I am amazed at how quickly you can lose your fitness. Off the bike for 9 weeks after an accident and three weeks in of being back on the bike and while I still have a certain level of fitness, Im no where near where I was after 3 years of long (ish) commuting.

It is mainly the stamina, (to do all five days and 175 miles) and recovery.

I used to keep a good strong pace all the way, not so now. Also after 5 days I felt great on the Friday knowing I had two rest days coming up and used to push myself hard, just about made it home this Friday.

I know it will come back, was just making the observation, not moaning (much)

James

 

[mgarl10024]

I made the comment recently that after 18mths off the bike, it feels like I am starting from scratch again - even though I'm the same weight as I was back then.

 

[ianrauk]

18 Months?
Blimey...

Like James. A couple of weeks off the bike and I certainly know that I have been.

 

[vickster]

The cooler weather doesn't help either!

 

[Sharky]

The fitness will come back quicker than you think, just don't attempt to pick up where you where. Give your self a 2 to 3 week progressive training programme and you will be back to where you where.

Cheers keith

 

[James Blackwell]

I made the comment recently that after 18mths off the bike, it feels like I am starting from scratch again - even though I'm the same weight as I was back then.

Feel your pain mgarl. Like Keith says I know it will come back over time, thankfully not 3 years. I do feel better after 3 weeks back on, and although I was not expecting to be where I was, I was amazed at how far off I was.

James

P.S. I see your Bristol mgarl, How is it going being back on after such a long time off?

 

[summerdays]

I usually end up having a break over the summer when I have various family commitments and don't get as much cycling. I find that although I loose a bit, it comes back a lot quicker than it did the first time.

 

[Drago]

I do notice the drop in fitness in terms of performance over known routes, but I seem able to claw it back pretty quickly. This surprises me a little considering my crap diet.

 

[mcshroom]

Just returning after 12 weeks off the bike with a broken arm. I did do a bit of turbo work and spinning in the last few weeks before I came back, but it is noticably harder work riding now than it was before. Coming back slowly, but just a little worried how well I'll cope with a 100km audax on Sunday.

 

[Mo1959]

A bit reassuring that I'm not the only one struggling. Off for around 3 months with badly broken collar bone and just getting going again now. Combination of loss of CV fitness and putting on weight has found me feeling like a newbie all over again. Was blowing really hard on even small hills this morning.

I've decided just to stop beating myself up over it and just get some reasonably gentle paced base miles back in the legs over the winter and hopefully pick up a bit in the spring again.

 

[James Blackwell]

A bit reassuring that I'm not the only one struggling. Off for around 3 months with badly broken collar bone and just getting going again now. Combination of loss of CV fitness and putting on weight has found me feeling like a newbie all over again. Was blowing really hard on even small hills this morning.

I've decided just to stop beating myself up over it and just get some reasonably gentle paced base miles back in the legs over the winter and hopefully pick up a bit in the spring again.

Best advice I had was just get the miles under your belt first, dont worry about anything, just do the miles, the rest will follow.
Mine was a collar bone too, not broken, but clavicle has moved, all because someone turned right without looking or indicating. Frustrating more than anything.

James

 

[ColinJ]

I lost 8 months of riding 2012-2013 and my muscles just withered away but I was pleasantly surprised how quickly they started to come back again once my heart and lungs were working well enough for me to put some decent efforts in. After about 3,500 miles of riding and a few hundred miles of hill walking I am fitter than I was before I got ill.

I think there must be something to the 'muscle memory' concept because it certainly took me more than 3,500 miles of riding to get fit in the first place about 25 years ago!

 

[winjim]

This article popped up today on facebook...
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/training/detraining-the-truth-about-losing-fitness-22330

 

[mgarl10024]

P.S. I see your Bristol mgarl, How is it going being back on after such a long time off?

Pretty good.
As background, I started cycle commuting in 2011 and would commute most days (around 7 miles each way) - went from nothing to about 3000/yr. Did some 50 milers - including to your neck of the woods a few times. Then I was forced to change jobs to one where cycle commuting is difficult and the poor bike sat neglected for 18mths.

I've since done a few trips (all under about 5 miles) on days off or at the weekends and enjoyed them. My GF was feeling left out, so she joined me on the last one (being a former weekend cyclist and also having had 18mths off the bike) and kept saying how much she enjoyed being back on the bike. This weekend, I have high hopes for a 10 miler.

My current job is around 13 miles from home (so 26 return). Right now, whilst I probably could do it one day a week, I think it would be too much and I might end up hating it. While I also own a good set of lights, I would feel uneasy too at travelling along some pretty isolated places in the dark (both ends of the commute). I also find that bus tickets tend to trap you (weekly are much cheaper than daily, and monthly moreso - so you pay for a monthly and then feel that not using it is madness).
I think in the short term, I'll be cycling on the weekends and the commuting will have to wait until I change jobs again (looks like April) or when the nights open out (also looks like April).

However, definitely enjoying getting back in the swing, and I certainly don't think it'll take as long this time around to get back to where I was. (I was slow at the best of times! )

 

[luckyfox]

Keep at it, you'll get back to where you want to be soon enough!