I'm getting worse at Cycling, not better!

S_D

Looking for some ideas on this - I've been actively cycling 2/3 days every week for the past year and a half. I would do a focused intense Turbo once a week (Sessions range from cadence, power to HR etc) typically 90 mins. I would always do another 90/120 min cycle, some efforts, (35-40k) and at the weekend a long 80-100k cycle with a group. I dont expect to be a superstar cyclist but I feel im actually getting slower (Thanks to strava for highlighting that) Its getting very frustrating being dropped by my group week in week out

Canis Lupus

S_D wrote: »

Looking for some ideas on this - I've been actively cycling 2/3 days every week for the past year and a half. I would do a focused intense Turbo once a week (Sessions range from cadence, power to HR etc) typically 90 mins. I would always do another 90/120 min cycle, some efforts, (35-40k) and at the weekend a long 80-100k cycle with a group. I dont expect to be a superstar cyclist but I feel im actually getting slower (Thanks to strava for highlighting that) Its getting very frustrating being dropped by my group week in week out

You're getting older

The prevailing wind has changed to a headwind.

You're not training enough.

You're not eating and drinking right.

Mostly though I'd say you're not training enough. 4 or 5 days a week is more realistic to see real change imo and if you're actively wanting to train for an event you'd be looking at 6 days a week (but using an actual plan)

Lumen

edit: ignore this, turns out the OP is a closet triathlete

Switch to 2 x 1hr turbo sessions, 1 sweetspot and 1 super-threshold intervals, and consider periodisation.

Adapt your solo cycle around the demands of your other rides, i.e. if you need to go easy so you can hit the intervals, or make up for a slow group ride.

Or get a coach. Or start racing. Or all of these.

What I discovered by racing was that I could suffer far harder that I thought I could, and then after a while the suffering was tolerable.

magicbastarder

What sort of speeds are you/your group maintaining?

Yourmama

What age are you? What's your diet? Has your weight changed recently? I feel big difference in performance when I change my eating habits. I personally feel like I'm running on proteins. Forget all the carbs, proteins all the way for me.

fat bloke

This is where "feel" fails and a power meter cuts through bullsh1t and variables. Might he worth considering.

Also its barely March. Its hard to have form this early in the year/season. I felt like that last year, thought I'd put in a really strong winter and felt I was going poorly last spring. Hang in there, keep up the training, try and enjoy it and let it come to you. Well done on your commitment and training this far

S_D

magicbastarder wrote: »

What sort of speeds are you/your group maintaining?

25-28 kph

Yourmama wrote: »

What age are you? What's your diet? Has your weight changed recently? I feel big difference in performance when I change my eating habits. I personally feel like I'm running on proteins. Forget all the carbs, proteins all the way for me.

33, no noting has changed really, maybe im a bit fatigued if anything but its getting noticeable how much im being dropped! I'm not progressing like 99% of the same group would be.

fat bloke wrote: »

This is where "feel" fails and a power meter cuts through bullsh1t and variables. Might he worth considering.

Also its barely March. Its hard to have form this early in the year/season. I felt like that last year, thought I'd put in a really strong winter and felt I was going poorly last spring. Hang in there, keep up the training, try and enjoy it and let it come to you. Well done on your commitment and training this far

I understand, but power numbers are down, I am consistantly struggling week in week out to keep up, I feel more tired after spins etc! Its making it much less enjoyable!

I am afraid to do another FTP.. I done one in November, I wouldnt be able to hold similar power numbers, no way. But I should be!

iwillhtfu

Do you do any interval sessions I find them a complete game changer? 2-3 min efforts can be an absolute ball buster if done right.

A group speed of 25-28 km/h wouldn't be considered blistering if I'm honest. It may just be a case of putting in a harder effort when training. Are they dropping you on the flat or on hills? If the flat try getting out on your own a bit more as you'll work harder than you will in a group.

Ask the lads in the groups how often they train. Do you do an gym work? A quick and easy strength routine might help.

ED E

Carb load the night before your Sat/Sun spin. Makes ALLLLL the difference for me.

dahat

I'd look at getting a full check from your gp and go from there. There might be some underlying issue causing you to lose form etc.

Assuming all is ok I would look at your training and try something different. I took up an offer form a coaching company for €100 approx , 12-16 week plan and it has transformed me over the winter.

That may help and give you new ideas for training.

fat bloke

Or try a week off? Rest is a surefire cure for tiredness!

terrydel

Canis Lupus wrote: »

You're getting older

The prevailing wind has changed to a headwind.

You're not training enough.

You're not eating and drinking right.

Mostly though I'd say you're not training enough. 4 or 5 days a week is more realistic to see real change imo and if you're actively wanting to train for an event you'd be looking at 6 days a week (but using an actual plan)

Nonsense, I've almost never trained more than 3 days a week, albeit I do push myself hard in those, and I've improved a huge amount over the last couple of years. I don't do anything scientific, I basically just go out on my bike.
2-3 days is plenty if you train hard enough.

terrydel

S_D wrote: »

25-28 kph





33, no noting has changed really, maybe im a bit fatigued if anything but its getting noticeable how much im being dropped! I'm not progressing like 99% of the same group would be.





I understand, but power numbers are down, I am consistantly struggling week in week out to keep up, I feel more tired after spins etc! Its making it much less enjoyable!

I am afraid to do another FTP.. I done one in November, I wouldnt be able to hold similar power numbers, no way. But I should be!

You sound burnt out, I'm really struggling at the moment and miles behind where I was last year, I put it down to general fatigue and a bit of burn out caused by various things.

S_D

terrydel wrote: »

You sound burnt out, I'm really struggling at the moment and miles behind where I was last year, I put it down to general fatigue and a bit of burn out caused by various things.

I think your right. I do around 11 hours per week (running and swimming too)

I think I might need to just take a break. It can’t hurt

crosstownk

dahat wrote: »

I'd look at getting a full check from your gp and go from there. There might be some underlying issue causing you to lose form etc.

This is a really good place to start.

Seriously.

magicbastarder

S_D wrote: »

25-28 kph

as another poster pointed out, that's not particularly high for a group spin; i'm getting about 140km/week in at the moment, and my solo spins on sundays (usually up to about 70km) are done usually at around 27km/h+, and i pay little heed to diet or other training. so i can understand why you'd be frustrated.

main thing i would ask about though is what you want to do; do you want to go out and enjoy your cycle, or are you looking for speed? if it's just general health you're looking for, no harm in heading out a few times on your own, dialling back your effort a little and just go cycling for the pleasure of it.

obviously, how hilly your group spins are would make a difference to how fast you can manage too.

S_D

magicbastarder wrote: »

as another poster pointed out, that's not particularly high for a group spin; i'm getting about 140km/week in at the moment, and my solo spins on sundays (usually up to about 70km) are done usually at around 27km/h+, and i pay little heed to diet or other training. so i can understand why you'd be frustrated.

main thing i would ask about though is what you want to do; do you want to go out and enjoy your cycle, or are you looking for speed? if it's just general health you're looking for, no harm in heading out a few times on your own, dialling back your effort a little and just go cycling for the pleasure of it.

obviously, how hilly your group spins are would make a difference to how fast you can manage too.

I’m at the same mileage as that myself. It’s speed I’m looking for. On flats I’m generally ok but long drags and hills it’s curtains. I know weight plays a massive part but I’m going up the same climbs much slower , I’m just shattered after 60k and lose all power ! Nutrition is ok too

Large bottle small glass

S_D wrote: »

I think your right. I do around 11 hours per week (running and swimming too)

I think I might need to just take a break. It can’t hurt

Your a triathlete.

18 months isn't that long especially if trying to master three sports.

You could try enjoying the bike for a few weeks? No strava/clock etc just go and ride the bike and have some adventure.

Nothing personal but I've met a few triathlete Sunday spins over the years; what I've seen isn't something I've been impressed with.

DirkVoodoo

S_D wrote: »

I am afraid to do another FTP.. I done one in November, I wouldnt be able to hold similar power numbers, no way. But I should be!

Part of the problem right here. And I can totally relate.

People hold ftp tests as some kind of badge of honour, something to stand around the water cooler bragging about to see who has the biggest engine.

It's a snapshot of a point in time. Your numbers will go up. They will go down. Just because it does go down doesn't mean it can't go up again, far from it!

The point is you measure so you can set your zones accordingly. If you don't have an up to date number, then you can't target your training to improve.

So you'll be locked in a cycle of being too afraid to test, so probably training in the wrong zones, meaning you won't improve as you'll be too fatigued out not eliciting the correct training stress... Resulting in you being too afraid to test.

You have to bite the bullet and put ego to one side. Do the same protocol, leave it all out there on the road (or turbo) and accept the number.

CramCycle

Don't spend money on a trainer, go to a Doctor or Health Centre and get one full work up done, probably nothing wrong, but just in case. Then take a week off the bike. Then go back and enjoy it, everything else is secondary.

Macy0161

Notwithstanding the primary advice to go to the doctor for a full check up, next I'd look at rest/ sleep, and are you taking recovery/ easier weeks? Also, and this is only recently for me, properly fueling workouts/ spins and recovery. I've definitely noticed a difference since I've tried to properly fuel especially the long rides.

Also regarding FTP, I hung on to too high an FTP for too long - I only started to progress when I sucked up the ego bursting reduction. I was back at the same level for real after the next block training to zones of a more accurate FTP.

There were a number of reasons I gave up triathlon (mainly that cycling is just better than running and swimming ) but I was definitely training too much. Not necessarily "overtrained" as that's a very specific thing, but double days with early starts for swimming definitely took their toll on me health wise. Also, I found that club sessions didn't really marry up - the coached run sessions and swim sessions never married up in terms of recovery weeks, so I could never really fit the bike schedule properly. Basically trying to stick to different sports plans individually didn't really work for me.

mamax

Large bottle small glass wrote: »

Nothing personal but I've met a few triathlete Sunday spins over the years; what I've seen isn't something I've been impressed with.

Same here, a lot of the tri lads I've cycled with want to go balls out for the whole spin which ruins it for the rest, to be fair they have different goals though !

terrydel

Macy0161 wrote: »

There were a number of reasons I gave up triathlon (mainly that cycling is just better than running and swimming ) but I was definitely training too much. Not necessarily "overtrained" as that's a very specific thing, but double days with early starts for swimming definitely took their toll on me health wise. Also, I found that club sessions didn't really marry up - the coached run sessions and swim sessions never married up in terms of recovery weeks, so I could never really fit the bike schedule properly. Basically trying to stick to different sports plans individually didn't really work for me.

Obsessiveness is an epidemic amongst triathletes more than any other recreational sport imho. I'm guilty of overdoing cycling myself, so not saying Im necessarily one to talk. But my experience of triathletes is they take it to an entirely different level. Its just not healthy, maybe over a year perhaps two, but long term pushing yourself that hard while also managing the stresses and strains of daily life, isnt good for you. Just my personal opinion. Of course some people can manage it, but they are the exception not the rule. I know I couldnt.
Its a serious issue amongst a certain demographic.

C3PO

How heavy are you?

outfox

There's nothing there that a new bike wouldn't fix.

The Noble Nudge

The group you are training with at the weekends are they "cyclists" or "triathletes" as someone said above speed can be different between the two....
Another thing I dont think anyone mentioned is gearing...
I was out with a few "triathletes" recently and they were pushing 25 teeth cassettes and wondering why they were struggling uphill..