[Sports psychology] - Pogacar and burnout

[poupou1975]

Pogacar himself talked about burnout at the end of the Tour. It's something I've been through as an amateur rider, so I found this approach really interesting...

https://cyclingreport.substack.com/p/burnout-in-sport-and-the-pogacar

 

[Mo1959]

He did sound very jaded in his interviews. Maybe he should take a year off and come back fresh.

 

[Paulus]

He did sound very jaded in his interviews. Maybe he should take a year off and come back fresh.

He has ridden a lot of races so far this year, what with the classics and monuments.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I maintain that having to ride conservatively to manage his workload and avoid a third week crack of some sort in the Tour was a big psychological issue for him. It took the fun out of it for him, he loves racing but when it becomes just a job where does his motivation go?

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I maintain that having to ride conservatively to manage his workload and avoid a third week crack of some sort in the Tour was a big psychological issue for him. It took the fun out of it for him, he loves racing but when it becomes just a job where does his motivation go?

Same as the rest of us then

Think of the poor domestiques who'll never even get a sniff of the gifts he has - they grind out Grand Tours for years on end.

I may come across as mildly unsympathetic. This is intentional

 

[presta]

The research I've read on Overtraining Syndrome refers to burnout just as an alternative name for the same thing. It's also been noted (both by researchers and a neurology consultant I saw) that the symptoms of OTS are almost a carbon copy of those of CFS/ME. It has been proposed that OTS/Burnout is the same condition as CFS/ME, just arrived at via a different route.

Just recently it's been discovered that chronic inflammation doubles the risk of depression and mood disorders, so considering that overtraining causes chronic inflammation, and 80% of OTS patients have depression, that doesn't surprise me. I think all these conditions are a lot more related than they first appear.

The problem with overtraining as I see it is that you can spend years piling straw on the camels back, and think there's nothing wrong right up until you put the last straw on.....

 

[geocycle]

Isn’t it just a motivational thing? He’s done it all so how does he find that extra 2% that makes the difference over and over again? At his level the difference is more between the ears than physiological so mental burn out is a real risk.There are loads of examples from different sports where people find it really hard to stay at the very highest level. Often it just comes down to who wants to win it more.

 

[mididoctors]

He has ridden a lot of races so far this year, what with the classics and monuments.

He has ridden fewer race days than many previous riders ..it's just ridden them all at a winners pace

 

[Pblakeney]

He has ridden fewer race days than many previous riders ..it's just ridden them all at a winners pace

There's a difference between riding and racing. Ref. C. Froome post 2019 and pre 2019. 😉

 

[Pblakeney]

I maintain that having to ride conservatively to manage his workload and avoid a third week crack of some sort in the Tour was a big psychological issue for him. It took the fun out of it for him, he loves racing but when it becomes just a job where does his motivation go?

I concur. The joy was removed. I suspect he'd rather be given free rein and lose than be conservative and win.

 

[mididoctors]

The research I've read on Overtraining Syndrome refers to burnout just as an alternative name for the same thing. It's also been noted (both by researchers and a neurology consultant I saw) that the symptoms of OTS are almost a carbon copy of those of CFS/ME. It has been proposed that OTS/Burnout is the same condition as CFS/ME, just arrived at via a different route.

Just recently it's been discovered that chronic inflammation doubles the risk of depression and mood disorders, so considering that overtraining causes chronic inflammation, and 80% of OTS patients have depression, that doesn't surprise me. I think all these conditions are a lot more related than they first appear.

The problem with overtraining as I see it is that you can spend years piling straw on the camels back, and think there's nothing wrong right up until you put the last straw on.....

Overtraining is more a physical thing in my lexicon. You literally done too much and performance declines. Burn out is much more ineffable. You can have it at work or play or fed up with your social circle. Grinding boredom of repetition . Motivation to grind through the training cycles can wane if you achieve nothing or you can't achieve more I guess .. I really do not know.

He may look at other guys getting a family life and feel left out . Or gets a interest in something other than dropping everyone . I think he likes racing on grippy circuits classics. The Monmatre stage he woke up .

He needs MSR and Roubaix . Vuelta if he can be arsed . He likes wearing rainbow stripes

 

[mididoctors]

There's a difference between riding and racing. Ref. C. Froome post 2019 and pre 2019. 😉

I make your point myself above ☝🏼

 

[mididoctors]

Deleted... Wrong forum lol

 

[cyberknight]

The problem with overtraining as I see it is that you can spend years piling straw on the camels back, and think there's nothing wrong right up until you put the last straw on.....

That sounds like how my depression caught up with me, years of minor things adding up on top of the big stuff till I finally lost it .

 

[Beebo]

Different sport.
But Scottie Scheffler, the No1 golfer who just won the Open and is worth $100mill has spoken openly about a lack of fulfilment in sport.

A professional sportsperson puts all their effort into achieving their goals, and when they conquer their goals some find it isn’t as life defining or important as they thought it would be.

When you break it down, sport really isn’t very meaningful. And can you really be bothered to put yourself through the endless training and practice just to win something you’ve already won?

I have always admired Bjorn Borg, who quit tennis at the top, aged 26 with many years of success ahead of him.