Ok, probably should have done this a while ago but a technical issue with my bike is going to more or less force me to take a week or so off. The last time I had a week completely ride free was late 2018, since then I’ve ridden 4-5 days a week, for the weeks I was “tired” I’d just ride easy. I’ve still made fitness gains but feel tired lately to boot.
Firstly, is a week enough or should I take more? Secondly, what can I realistically expect coming back into my plan: will resume at TB2 MV, and then TB3 MV, followed by Short Build MV
Am I going to lose 10% FTP? Will I even remember how to pedal? Will I feel like poo the first ride back? Will I come back stronger than before? What can I realistically expect
Do it, and you won’t regret it. I just was forced to take a full week off the bike (hernia repair) then most of the next week easy pedaling inside. Like you, I had not had a full week of time off the bike in over a year. I ride about 6 days a week consistently and this summer was putting up 1000TSS weeks on the regular. I don’t think I had any idea of how tired/burned out I was and how it was affecting my entire life. Coming back I felt amazing. I didn’t re-test (I HATE the ramp test and suck at it) but noticed no drop in fitness jumping right back into hard SS efforts.
TL;DR, you may be more fatigued than you think and a week might feel like you took magic beans.
Do it…don’t cheat and just do it.
I used to be like that where i never took a week off but recently started working with a coach and now try to take at least 2 1-week breaks a year.
You’ll come back your first few rides feeling a bit flat and maybe even your first week but after that its a good opportunity to start a build cycle or new plan. You may not feel great after this but test a before an after FTP test and see.
Week is coming to a close, I dunno about cardio but my legs feel way better. I genuinely have not done a thing, no easy spins, nothing, just had extra time for thanksgiving and to relax. Back into it on Tuesday with Gros Morne, fingers crossed
I’ve worked with a coach for the last 2.5 years. I take 2 weeks fully off the bike after my last race and typically 1 week off sometime mid/late summer. I don’t notice a difference after the week off. After the 2 week break, it’s mainly muscle tension intervals, tempo, and Z2, as I’m picking up winter base training. I keep my zones the same starting back up and feel fine.
If you don’t take some time off, I think you increase the chances of carrying too much fatigued and not getting as much in gains.
Thanks for the words of encouragement, just mentally sucks as I’m sure you’ve all been there. Today did my first SS in a while, could usually do these a high tempo or low threshold, today was mostly in Z4 HR and even got into Z5 for a bit and I wasn’t doing much work over FTP at all. I hit 190bpm on one of the sprints in Gros Morne which didn’t hurt as bad as going to 190 before, so maybe my HR before was just lower because I was so fatigued from not taking any breaks for 2 years…is it possible that my HR was just lower as a result and this is where I’ll be for a while going forward? Overthinking I know, but help me keep my sanity here
You are overthinking it here. When cycling you are also training your heart to be stronger, and when it hasnt been pushed for 9 days - it will need to be stimulated again before going back into normal. So its very normal having a higher HR for some time.
Ive been undergoing surgery for the last couple of years - and at the start my HR is high af - where i usually have a very low heart rate. Give it a couple of weeks and it should be getting back into more normal conditions.
This thread is a useful read. I myself hadn’t had a proper break in a long time (aside from the odd week off for illness).
My training volume is certainly not excessive but still, alongside strength training and then work/life stress, I have found myself fatigued and lacking motivation of late. By which I mean still getting on the bike and completing workouts but finding them physically, mentally and emotionally draining. I’ve subsequently decided to take (at least) a full week off from the bike and the gym, and see if this helps spark the training bug back into action.
Normally the idea of not training would make me anxious, but I’m actually excited for a week off which, knowing myself, says it all!
