Did about 3-4 days very easy (right at the bottom of z2), then about 2.5 weeks z2, then some easy sweetspot work for about 1.5 weeks. Another light week, then pretty much go, albeit sticking very much to the z2/sweetspot diet.
I of course got Norovirus, 10 days after the fever finally subsided. Off the bike a bunch more, completely wiped out. After this, started easy endurance and my heart rate was even HIGHER than after the adenovirus/flu.
Itās been 10 days since I had norovirus (kids gave me another cold, but whatever) and heart rate is still high - Iād say 10 beats on average when you look at NP compared to average HR (Efficiency Factor). The hard part is I basically rode half of what I usually do for 5 weeks and and no intensity at all - so I donāt know how much is loss fitness and/or elevated HR. Iāve done one sweet spot workout based solely on RPE and my power is down about 10% from before the original illness. Disheartening to say the least. Iām gonna continue with easy endurance and easy sweet spot for the time being.
I really hope it starts to normalize soon - anxiety definitely a part of it. I can see it go up even when warming up out of anticipation. I had it completely covered for a few weeks, but now am back to looking at it.
Frustrating to say the least.
TLDR: Norovirus after this flu (With complete stomach emptying/dehydration and fever) set me back even further. HR still elevated.
@jreinfeld That really stinks. If it helps, Iāve dealt with something similar. Following the holidays, one family member caught a cold, then another came back from school with a stomach bug/norovirus, then it spread to my wife, then back to the kid, and finally it hit me. January was pretty much spent trading off who got sick and nobody getting any sleep.
The last two weeks of training werenāt great either while I just felt āoffā. Recovery was slow, resting heart rate was taking longer to go down, muscles felt like they werenāt fully healing, and so on. Finally, I went to the store and bought some Culturelle after a few bathroom runs during a threshold workout. I should have taken this step sooner instead of letting the body balance out on its own. Everything improved after four days and my last VO2 workout was the best Iāve felt in some time when pushing hard.
It could be a fallacy of association, but sometimes the body needs help normalizing after repeated bouts of colds/flus/stomach viruses/etc. Hopefully, youāre back to full strength. If not, you could always give something like Culturelle a try as well to see if that helps with the process.
Best of luck!
-Michael
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Just a follow up for those going through illness who are interested.
Quick recap - had some 10 day virus needing antiobiotics for sinusitis and then norovirus a week later.
It took 10 weeks from the start of the illness, or about 6-7 weeks from when I recovered from norovirus for my heart rate to normalize back to where it was pre-illness. I stuck with endurance for a week or two - and then started base phase again doing all endurance with SST two days pre weeek. I have been able to progress time in saddle without issue over this time - and Iām sure returning to higher volume has helped as well.
So about 2 months from when I got norovirus things came back to previous levels. Just an FYI for those going through some illnesses right now. (I will say it has been over a year but this is similar to the return post COVID when I had Omicron in February 2022).
I know this is an older post but I landed here from doing some research on my own illness and wanted to ask the group whether or not any of you had an elevated heart rate just from standing up from a sitting position at all during your recovery phases?
I had bad sinus infection that lasted two weeks. Probably C19 as I lost taste for a few days.
Currently through all the acute stuff but now in the third week, besides my resting and active heart rates being elevated, I noticed my heart rate jumps up sometimes 30+ points just from standing. Seems like Iāve developed POTS out of the blue.
Iām asking here because this group actually exercises and experience is probably more in tune to my own. Asking in some other groups gets responses from folks that seem to lead sedentary lives and have become accustomed to this being an ongoing chronic occurrence, so not exactly the same situation.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated. You guys might not even have noticed either.
I only happened to notice by glancing at my watch while I was out grounding and saw my HR was at 97 bpm just standing on the lawn.
After getting COVID, my wife has had a high resting heart rate. A friendās wife experienced the same issue and itās never corrected. Both take medication to lower their HR, otherwise itās 100+.
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I have been off the last five weeks and just did my first easy ride of 30 minutes yesterday. First thing I noticed is my heart rate was roughly 20bpm higher. I had planned on a week of easy endurance but I currently think I should do more before I get back to a plan.
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Yeah that seems to be what Iām hearing. Sorry to hear that about your wife. How long has she been dealing with that? Any improvements?
Two of my four children, both c/c mountain bikers with NICA and very competitive track runners both have it as well -heart rate spikes when they stand.
No improvements when she tries to go off the Propranolol. Itās been about 3 years. Seems itās here to stay.
Right there with ya.
Ahh, man. Sorry to hear that. Thanks for sharing.