Make sure the doctors know about your training history. You’ve been hammering away on the turbo for years now and could well be chronically overtrained, especially with all the work stress you’ve endured.
Sounds exactly like me when my Epstein Barr comes back. Then invariably it brings friends with it.
If you have decent insurance and/or can afford to test; this may be worth bringing up with your primary care physician.
My experience with that, however, is that it requires a lot of pushing on your part because your vitals are probably fantastic like mine and they will say you’re OK, exercise more and eat better… i.e., they generally really do not listen or remember anything you tell them or keep up on scientific literature. This last time, it took me 3 doctors and lots of waiting to finally get the tests I wanted and they came back positive… would have loved to have known that when it was active 6 months ago.
All the best with it, take your time but push for what you want.
I was also thinking along the same Epstein-Barr/post-viral syndrome/long covid lines, based on some symptoms from family members and friends.
Lyme might be worth checking into, as well. Unfortunately, this can head into some very murky waters medically, so be very, very wary if you end up going down the Lyme path. [ETA: Looks like you’re in UK, so thankfully slim/no chance of Lyme).
Good advice, I’m UK so care is free until I have a diagnisos and referral then I can look to go private via my employee benefit insurance.
I do have other symptoms - my Garmin body battery shows variable speed of recovery - sometimes up by 12, sometimes 60 with no apparent common denominator but mainly my resting HR has been wildy swinging. During last years Covid x it was in the in the 60’s from a normal RHR of 46. Thats usual for me when I’m ill, but it took 6 months to come back down to mid 40’s. Then when it did, I had Mid-Oct to Mid-Dec with 3 x non covid respiratory illnesses, and since then my RHR was only once mid 40’s - during a successful Jan-Mar training period. Its about mid 50’s now and for the last 6 weeks or so.
Make sure the doctors know about your training history.
Thanks, the family doctor is aware. Had a chest X-RAY (interesting to see my rebuilt shoulder again!) today, and BP checked which as as usual on the bottom of the chart, it always surprises the docs how low it is. Blood test happens next Thursday.
Lyme disease is not uncommon in Scotland now, unfortunately.
Ugh, sorry to hear Scotland has joined the “Is that itch a tick?!” club.
The rest of the UK too - south of England in particular.
Well that was April, this is June.
After some weeks of a reduced training plan, I’ve been riding Wednesday night races at the back. The last two weeks I’ve be able to ride at what my brain tells me is race effort, my HR tells me is 50% Threshold and 50% VO2max, but my power - NP - is down about 25%. I’d be happy to continue with that on the basis of “staying in the XC race scene” until off season comes, then rest and re-consider.
Until yesterday, when I partook in a Regional A. Again, after 16 mins I was at the top of my HR and my biology immediately shut down. No power, no desire, nothing. I took 5 mins of soft pedalling to let my HR come down at which point it was handy that a rider came passed me as a much needed carrot - and went again, chased and overtook said rider on a climb, only for the same thing to happen again, and then for a third time. I’d started my second lap by then, so pootled around in recovery/Z2 which was as much as I could muster fighting back tears as I suffered all the riders from the next Cat to start say “thanks mate” as I rode offline to let them pass.
I think I’m deep into overreaching now - assuming blood test results due in 2 days are clear - and its time to stop cycling for a bit. I was due to enter two more events today but I think its wise to can that idea.
I feel terribly despondent because its also warm dry and sunny in the UK and I don’t want to miss the opportunity for those types of rides even socially on the Play or road bikes. And its Monday morning, work beckons…
Edit: Sorry this is more of despondent vent than an ask for advice. Its a low morning but I needed to get it out. 
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I’m curious what your coach thinks. I assume he analyzes your power files post race.
I reread the beginning of the topic again. I see that you switched to 12 hour racing to XCO. Those disciplines are physiologically very different. I’m also curious as to what the coach thinks.
Did you ever switch to Sport category?
I’m frankly finding this situation very frustrating. Steve, stop being an idiot and take a rest from all this. You’re not behaving rationally.
His coach should be done for professional misconduct in my opinion. He’s taking the money and actively causing harm to his client. He’s part of a larger coaching organisation too which should be carrying out oversight.
Sorry Kryten mate, but this is ****ing ridiculous.
My own coach did the same to me; completely burnt me out because he didn’t actually care enough to heed the blindingly obvious warning signals. However I was smart enough to pull the plug myself back in 2018. It took 2 years to even start to recover mentally and now in 2023 I’m finally feeling enthused about hard training and racing again (albiet in a different sport).
Kryton you’re as smart as me but you’re acting really dumb.
Sorry for the cold truth on a public forum but nothing seems to be getting through. You keep saying your going to stop then carry on in some vain hope it’ll be ok. It’s not.
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To be fair, all my training sessions have been backed off until this is resolved so I’m only riding about 3hrs a week, this is true:
Those disciplines are physiologically very different
…and I’ve spent a long time ill and off the bike with various respiratory issues over the last 18 months. Put those cold hard facts together and its not surprising that I’ve a less than optimal performance. As mentioned I’m happy to be involved in the races at the back because of that and this isn’t what I’m complaining about, its the sudden drop of power that no one can fathom.
I’ve recently had 2 weeks off the bike totally (on my coaches advice I’ll add), sleep is good, I’m not drinking much, I’m eating well, work is stressful as usual, I’m not ill (as far as I know until the Bloods come back at least), and I’m spending more time with the family.
I’m curious what your coach thinks. I assume he analyzes your power files post race
He can’t spot anything in the power or HR data at all, and if I do have a training session e.g. a 40/20 or 30/30 I hit the top end of the numbers and complete the whole session. he fully supports if I want to stop, he isn’t pushing me, he’s trying to help.
Personally I reckon I’m hung up mentally about poor performance in XCO and I shut down on the day.
Did you ever switch to Sport category?
I did, unfortunately they are just as fast as GV’s except there are more of them and a lot of them are Younger. 
Hate to suggest this, but…long covid a possibility? You don’t even have to have had heavy covid, and it can happen weeks after recovery from the actual illness. It took my mate over a year to feel like he had his power back.
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Its possible yes, hence I went to the docs to find out if there was anything underlying - I should find out in 2 days. My asthma has been worse and I’ve been moved from Clenil/Salbutomal to Fostair which has helped - this happened after a minor throat tickle which moved to an ear infection in March this year. In 2022 I had 3 bouts of Covid - Jan, May & July, followed by real Flu in October, leading to a chest infection which didnt stop until mid December.
You’ve been burnt out for about the last three years I reckon, but you don’t want to listen so I’ll bow out.
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Including 2021 when I was 9th 12hr MTB National comfortably training 12hrs a week? Or the 30s off the Vet podium for the 6hr at Gorrick in the same year? Ok I apologise, that was flippant.
I am listening, but I’m reluctant to leap on my coach as being the sole problem, and BTW he is referring above him for help… We’ve backed off/changed my sessions and its worked to a point, we’ve taken 2 weeks off the bike for no change, checked HR and checked power data, introduced some social rides, looked at diet, HRV, mental stress and so on. And its worth remembering/noting a couple of things:
a) I trained for XCM specifically to 6-12hrs for 4 years straight, and we (you and I at least) know XCO/power is not my forte but endurance is. Remember the 2018 Builth Marathon? Thats was the start.
b) Of the last 72 available weeks since Jan '22, I’ve been able to train “properly” for about 24 of them due to sickness and covid recovery protocol, with the XCO plan only starting in November '22 for 3 weeks until I got ill again, then again from Jan '23 to April '23. Thats not a lot, 15 weeks of XCO specific training?
Splash made a comment about long covid and with a bit of investigation I think this could be a good shout although I await the Blood results. A lot of how I feel and higher RHR since March is on the Long Covid symptoms list, especially a huge amount - and I mean days not hours - of post race fatigue that I didnt experience before.
I enjoy riding my bikes and I enjoy the race scene, I’m just going through some turbulence currently. Don’t think my coach isn’t helping me because he is, six months off the bike has been in his vocabulary but he wants to find out what’s wrong first without me keeling over before we all give up.
I also think there’s an ingrained psychology in me associated with the 12hr pace, and/or the more relaxed nature of the races with a propensity to not go into the red. I may need to work mentally on changing that as it could be the issue as my HR soars and the amygdala takes over.
I met another rider on Sunday with that mental issue. He says he trained specifically to beat an individual, but that individual came back even stronger than he was and every time he says his adversary pull away he brains screams “just stop and don’t bother”. He DNF’d Sunday too. Brains can be powerful, especially the Chimp.
I could just stop, but then I’ll never know want was wrong.
I’m sitting in the garden with a glass of red.
Come to triathlon, it’s warm and friendly over here. Search your feelings. I sense you have hatred inside of you. Use your hatred of MTB, yes, yes, feel the power course through you. Only through swim bike and run can you achieve your full potential!
Swim with the kids. Cycle to work. Run when everyone else is busy. 
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I can’t swim and am banned from running due to weak/damaged knee and bad ankles, but thanks for the suggestion 
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This has deterred very few triathletes.
Science says running is good for bad knees, but I will allow you to find your own path to the dark side
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