I’m returning to indoor training after a long time away from it, and away from any sort of structure. Wow, I had forgotten how how differently it hits, and how hard it can be.
After starting the year really well, I got really ill so had to stop riding for a while. Then I moved house, and it’s taken six months to get to things sorted enough to have a bike set up indoors. I also changed jobs which disrupted my commuting routine, making my riding much less consistent.
So happy to be back with a set-up that means I can get some consistent structured training, but wow, the reintroduction to intervals and the different demands of indoor riding has been a shock to the system. I know that my body will, hopefully pretty soon, get back into the swing of things and start adapting. I think I am going to struggle a bit to reign in my ego at times, but I know that if I am going to get back anywhere close to where I was previously I will just need to surrender myself to the process and really pay attention to recovery and not overstretching.
For anyone else that is coming back to training after a lay off, or starting structured training for the first time, all I can say is trust the process. Start off easy, let things build, and don’t over do it.
One thing I wish was better was the train now suggestions. Things work fine if I use a training plan (in terms of workout selection and progression), but the train now suggestions feel wildly out at the moment. I’m getting recommended sessions with workout levels of 4-5, which seems crazy when all my progression levels are at rock bottom.