My goal for 2024 (at the ripe old age of 53 and a life long cyclist) was to exceed 20mph for 100 miles, on a standard road bike, I’ve managed to do this twice, first one on 22nd June.
Felt hard but doable, was tired for a couple of days and then back at it, 2nd attempt was 21st July,
I have not felt right since this ride, no motivation, no power, higher than normal HR for similar efforts, I possibly know this is just a trip into over training/over reaching but I’m happy for any critique or comments, I keep a consistent TSS 300+ on 8 ish hours a week, eat/sleep well, I feel ok otherwise, no sore throat or other niggles, appreciate any feedback.
PS I just noticed both rides are within 10 seconds of each other, nice!
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I think that’s a great goal to have had – nice work achieving it not once, but twice!!
When athletes go through a full training cycle and “peak” for a goal, we recommend taking some time off afterward. Training is hard – mentally and physically – and most athletes encounter burnout/loss of motivation if they keep pushing for too long.
With the symptoms you’re describing, I’d recommend taking some time off the bike. 1-2 weeks off as a “mid-season break” might help you refresh and get some mojo back.
Additionally, if you don’t do so already, an “end-of-season break” is also recommended during the fall/winter before jumping back into base training. Regularly scheduling time off upon completing training cycles is key for long-term progress so you don’t overload your body and mind.
So, I’d say take some time off and relax – I’d keep other forms of exercise to a minimum as well. The main goal of these 1-2 weeks off is to rest and recover – ideally, the itch to get back in the saddle and train again will come back!
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Great result, well done.
Part of it will be psychological (you hit the goal and the brain sort of closes the chapter), part of it will be physiological (5 hour hard rides x2 is a significant effort).
Don’t feel obliged to keep training / riding continuously.
Come back to it just as soon as you are ready. A complete break from it for a short while, or just a few social rides for a bit and I expect you will be ready to think about the next target and the training to get there.
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Appreciate the replies, noted on the need for a time out, luckily my other passion is mountain walking/photography and I always schedule some time each August to do this, looks like it’s needed.
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