DeCondition to New Condition

Training
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Just finished 2 weeks off the bike and where did my fitness go? Oh, and my saddle got harder in those two weeks!

After finishing my “A” mountain bike race for the year on 1 Sep I rode pretty easy up to 23 Sept with one fun race in, mostly an excuse to camp and drink beer with friends. My Dr. imposed a 2 week no riding period, which I really needed but better to have him tell me, after removing a golf ball size patch of skin cancer off my left shoulder blade. I hiked a lot with our 3 month old Golder Retriever, ate more food than I should have and drank a few extra beers on a trip to Bellingham WA. (It sucked not being able to ride in Bellingham)

I took my first mountain bike ride Sunday with the boys, while taking it easy not to blow out the 17 stiches in my shoulder, my heart rate rocketed, legs screamed if I pushed harder on the climbs, and was just flat slow.

Hope to get the stitches out early this week and start getting my fitness back. I just signed up for TrainerRoad and will start mid volume Sweet Spot the end of Oct. This will be my first year of structured indoor training and I’m excited to see what comes out the other side in the spring.

1 Like
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Welcome. The forum and calendar features are almost worth the asking price alone. Factor in the in depth info in the podcasts and pushing your workouts either indoors or outside? This is a really great product. I’m impressed with how active and positive the community is here. There’s no magic BS either, all of this is based on logic and science. mostly, I mean, we’re still cyclists…

3 Likes
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Seems normal!

You’ll be back at it in no time, and probably more fit than ever if you were training a lot through the season.

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  1. First week:

  2. Aerobic capabilities drops by 5%

  3. Reduced fatigue

  4. Second week:

  5. VO2 max drops by 4-10%

  6. Body’s metabolic rate begins to drop

  7. Muscle tone sees the first appreciable loss

https://semiprocycling.com/detraining-quickness-and-maintaining-fitness

Sounds about right with the associated losses: 5% drop in engine power…10% drop in high end…more noticeable flab… :wink:

Don’t worry, soon you’ll be cursing TR and the Blue Blocks of Doom for making you a faster bike rider.

:beers:

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glad you’re healed up Savage. Best of luck next spring!!

Brendan

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It will come back. 2 years ago I went from 2x days 5x a week to a 3 month period of nothing! (Injury recovery). Started from scratch when I came back. 10 min of easy pedaling was tough. It came back. Your will too.

Trust the plans. Don’t go for too much volume.

Enjoy life.