Cycling and climbing: fitness plateau, fatigue, loss of joy in cycling... what now?

Training
1

I’m now in a recovery week that is part of the build phase of a low-volume plan, with typical training weeks of ±300 TSS. At the moment I’m at 4.2 W/kg, and I’ve been quite consistently hoovering between 4.2 and 4.4 W/kg for the past 2+ years on low- or polarized mid-volume plans.

I currently combine my (3 days of) cycling with with 2 days of sport climbing, and one day of strength training. And I think all this is a bit too much for me to recover from: my sleep is suffering (especially after hard cycling days), I’m struggling to complete workouts, notice the joy in cycling fade, have less and less motivation to do hard workouts, am performing less at work, and feel fatigued in general.

In previous years I had a similar training routine, and felt perfectly fine. Maybe it’s my age catching up with me, at 36 :thinking:? Anyway: something has to change. I’m not enjoying the cycling as I used to, so I am considering switching the priority to sport climbing that I stil really enjoy doing. But I’m also afraid of losing the (cycling) fitness that I have built :no_mouth:.

I know I cannot have the cake and eat it too, so I’ll have to accept the loss of cycling strength if I drop the volume significantly. And then: would it make sense to do 1 (or occasionally 2) workouts per week with the hope of preserving some fitness? Or is that just wishful thinking and is it better to fully focus on climbing, and perhaps come back to cycling at another point in life.

I guess I’m looking for experiences of people that have been in a similar situation, or from people that took a prolonged break from (structured) training. Looking forward to your insights!

2

Are you doing your six activities on six separate days?

If so, you can immediately grab yourself some extra recovery by doing two-a-days. If you can, say, move your climbing days to the same days as you’re riding, you’ll only have four hard days instead of six and you’ll have 3× as many easy days per week.

3

It sounds like you’re at a crossroads, balancing multiple passions while managing recovery and life demands. First, you’re not alone—many athletes face this challenge, especially when juggling multiple sports and life stressors. At 36, recovery can take longer, but it’s not just age—it’s the cumulative load from cycling, climbing, strength training, and life.

Here’s a plan to consider:

  1. Prioritize Recovery: Your symptoms (poor sleep, fatigue, low motivation) suggest overtraining or under-recovery. A recovery week is a great start, but you may need more rest or reduced intensity across all activities.
  2. Shift Focus to Climbing: If climbing brings you joy, prioritize it! You can maintain cycling fitness with 1-2 quality rides per week. Focus on sweet spot or threshold intervals to maximize efficiency. This approach can preserve fitness while reducing volume.
  3. Listen to Your Body: If even 1-2 rides feel like too much, it’s okay to step back from structured cycling. Fitness is never “lost”—it’s dormant and can be rebuilt when you’re ready.
  4. Long-Term Perspective: Many athletes take breaks from structured training and return stronger, mentally and physically. A climbing-focused phase could reignite your passion for cycling later.
4

I ride every day and have done so for many decades. However, I change things at different times of the year (especially winter) and emphasize other activities at those times (rowing/concept2, skiing, running, etc.). Cycling always happens every day (Zwift/Kickr during the winter) but the duration goes down when another activity is emphasized. Cycling fitness is maintained at a high level even with reduced saddle-time.