Good idea to take a break?

cantalach

I've really enjoyed my cycling this year. Despite turning 40 during the summer, it was definitely the best season I've had since I first got into cycling 6-7 years ago. I've averaged just under 10 hours per week since the start of January which isn't bad for a non-racer and much of this time has been in relatively targeted 'smart' training.

But in the last couple of weeks, I've felt increasingly drained and have struggled a bit with motivation. This time last year I was still heading out at every opportunity, setting PBs to chase the following year. But this year I honestly couldn't be arsed.

Possibly a stupid question with an obvious answer, but would it be a good idea to take a complete break from cycling for a month? I'm thinking it would allow me to fully recharge the batteries and regain some motivation. Then I would jump back on the bike at the start of November and build up again from there (I hope!). I know that a lot of elite and pro riders take a break for October. But what makes sense for them with their insanely high workloads doesn't necessarily make sense for the rest of us. I'm worried that I'll lose so much fitness that I'll end up like a complete newbie in 2012. Is it essential to do some sort of cross training during the break to stop the fitness from completely evapourating?

dewindygap

Far from being an expert but have you had a blood test recently? I remember similar symptoms a little later in years than you but discovered a vitamin B deficiency to be the cause. Do no harm to have a test in any case.

rp

dewindygap wrote: »

... similar symptoms a little later in years than you but discovered a vitamin B deficiency to be the cause...

"Beer deficiency syndrome" - sounds bad, how can you treat it??

ashleey

Do a different exercise such as spin classes for a few weeks and then buy something new for your bike. The more expensive it is the more you will be determined to go out on your bike. Obviously even a whole new bike would work too!

cantalach

dewindygap wrote: »

Far from being an expert but have you had a blood test recently? I remember similar symptoms a little later in years than you but discovered a vitamin B deficiency to be the cause. Do no harm to have a test in any case.

Thanks. I don't think a B deficiency is the issue - I supplement B and C year round and also D during the winter months.

Note to mods: I'm not asking for medical advise in this thread - I'm asking for training advice.

ROK ON

Hi Cantalch
Youve done a savage amount of cycling for past number of years possibly your mind is tired. It happens.
With your base fitness you will not lose much endurance from a short break, you will notice some sharpness is lost. But it's easily won back.
Take a two week break and do something else then reasess as to another two weeks.

First spin back, do something different. Try a new route.
The mind gets stale and the body soon follows.

crashoveroid

You will always need a break at some stage in the season. Best advise my coach gave me when the head was starting go

Was go eat what you have avoided all year go to bed late sleep in and don't think about the bike for a few weeks.

cantalach

ROK ON wrote: »

possibly your mind is tired. It happens.

I reckon you're right. It's the head that's gone more than anything else. Motivation is lacking - it's difficult to be up for it when there's nothing on the radar for 6-7 months.

First spin back, do something different. Try a new route.

Good idea. Must have a think about it and have a chat with my Sat morning partners in crime.

cantalach

crashoveroid wrote: »

You will always need a break at some stage in the season.

You seem to know what you're doing...so maybe I'll just keep an eye on your Strava log and take a break whenever you do. Actually, having just checked, I see you haven't logged anything since last Saturday (a big gap for you!) so maybe you're already on a break?

Khannie

Best advice I ever read about training is to take 6 weeks off a year. Spread it whatever way you want. If you fancy a month off, go for it. You'll get the fitness back quickly enough.

What's your diet like? Would you get your 5 a day? More than that?

Bambaata

Every year should have a break. I had 10 days of nothing at the end of my season where i didn't even talk about triathlon (well not as much as normal!) and now im into 2 1/2 weeks of 1 session a day for as long as i like with no real focus with 1 to 2 days completely off. Both the mind and the body need a break. Im back to training proper from October 10th but up til then im just enjoying whatever i do.

cantalach

Khannie wrote: »

Best advice I ever read about training is to take 6 weeks off a year. Spread it whatever way you want. If you fancy a month off, go for it. You'll get the fitness back quickly enough.

Thanks for that. I took a preemptive week off in the latter half of June and I must say it worked very well. I was super motivated after it.

What's your diet like? Would you get your 5 a day? More than that?

I'm only ok as regards veg but I'm very good when it comes to fruit and put away lots of the stuff. And as I was saying in response to another suggestion above, I supplement year round too.

Tenzor07

Are you in a club? Cycling with a bunch of riders makes it more social/enjoyable than being out on your own..

Also, buy a Mountain bike if you have not got one already, head out for a few fun spins and keep your fitness up that way?

Khannie

cantalach wrote: »

Thanks for that. I took a preemptive week off in the latter half of June and I must say it worked very well. I was super motivated after it.

Time off is great. I used to train 5-6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. It's no good for the soul.

cantalach wrote: »

I supplement year round too.

Don't worry about the vitamins...... Have got the minerals?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8Fi08u8bh8

ROK ON

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056382800&page=4

Keep_Her_Lit

cantalach wrote: »

But in the last couple of weeks, I've felt increasingly drained and have struggled a bit with motivation.

Yes, if this is how you're feeling, it definitely won't do any harm to take a complete break for a while. IIRC, you and your training buddies gave me a high speed tow for approx. 20km not very long ago, during the early part of the SKT 160. I didn't spot much wrong with your motivation then! So the change you're experiencing now may well point to something real, which ought to be addressed.

I'm worried that I'll lose so much fitness that I'll end up like a complete newbie in 2012.

I think there's very little risk of that happening if you only break for a month. You've invested 6-7 years of solid training in building up your fitness. That will have effected long term changes in your physiology which won't abandon you overnight if you take a shortish break. Just a few years ago, when I was already on the wrong side of 40, I was forced to take an entire friggin' year off because of a knee injury I inflicted on myself in the gym. [oh, driving that Micra to work every day was such FUN!] I was very pleasantly surprised by how quickly it all came back once I resumed. Yes, the first few spins were slow and wheezy but within a couple of weeks, everything had woken up again and I was on a roll.

Some people who normally push themselves very hard respond to these kind of symptoms in exactly the wrong way. They decide that their weariness and loss of motivation indicates laziness and that the solution is punishment, in the form of increased training volume and intensity. That decision can be the precursor to overtraining, which is a nastier deal altogether.

Take a break. You'll fly once you come back.

Harrybelafonte

Same here Cantalach. My only suggestion would be to change it up for a few months, try a bit of mountain biking, just have fun doing it and you'll stay decently fit and learn some new skills. That's what I did (though be warned, I now have a badly sprained wrist and possible cracked ribs which may interfere with getting back on the road).

cantalach

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

That's what I did (though be warned, I now have a badly sprained wrist and possible cracked ribs which may interfere with getting back on the road).

Ouch! I can sympathise - I don't think I've ever gone mtb-ing and not come home with some injury.

Harrybelafonte

cantalach wrote: »

Ouch! I can sympathise - I don't think I've ever gone mtb-ing and not come home with some injury.

Ah well, so my advice wasn't exactly that useful to you, but I guess I'm hinting at the "have fun" element. I found nodding along on the MTB and just enjoying the ride helped, mind not thinking about why my avg speed was so low, or how much further etc. This'll be a great week for it too.