Prolonged recovery
11
Member
151 days
randaln posted 18 weeks ago.
I run into this every so often and attribute it to over training. The body is an amazing thing and is very resilient. When it doesn't respond the way it normally does, I try to take it easy.
Try cutting back for a week. I cut down as much as 40% and limit intensity. I've been using a 3-on-1-cut back routine. It looks like this: Week 1 Intermediate (normal base mileage and a little intensity). Week 2 Hard (normal base mileage with intensity). Week 3 Intermediate (normal base + some intensity). Week 4, easy (40% base mileage. Mileage done slightly quicker (more intense)).
It sounds like your body has had enough for a bit.
Good luck!
15
Member
135 days
JR posted 18 weeks ago.
What you didn't mention how long you have been racing. I just start racing a few years ago. My fitness has obviously improved, but my ability to recover after a race or workout has improved significantly more. It has grown at a disproportionate rate when compared to my speed. If you are still early in your racing "career", I would say your body just isn't used to it yet. If you have been doing this for a while, then I got nothing.
75
Member
914 days
SundayND posted 18 weeks ago.
My "resume" for A and B races is as follows:
Jan 05 - 1/2 marathon (A)
May 05 - olympic (B)
July 05 - 1/2 IM (A)
Jan 06 - 1/2 marathon (B)
Feb 06 - full marathon (A)
July 06 - 1/2 IM (A)
Oct 06 - 1/2 marathon (B)
Nov 06 - full marathon (A)
Jan 07 - 1/2 marathon (B)
April 07 - full IM (A)
June 07 - olympic (B)
Dec 07 - full marathon (A)
[June 08 - full IM]
My recoveries have been consistent except for recently and I did have an additional week or two of recovery from the first full IM, but that was to be expected. Felt fine after that.
I pity da fool!
754
Member
687 days
cayman posted 18 weeks ago.
You might try building in some leg strenghtening workouts since endurance doesn't seem to be an issue--build slowly to avoid injury going into increased mileage. Slowly add in some speed week as well if you can. Based on your leg fatique statement it seems like you just need to get more power to the road.
Good to see you back.
john
I don't need to get faster, I just need to get older!
I've looked through most of the threads on recovery and didn't see any that really answered my question...
I've had a hard time completely recovering since my last race, a marathon this past December. I had a full 3 weeks off afterwards and VERY light activity for the 4th week. The next month I kept it light, building back to about 8-10 hours a week in preparation to go into IM training. I'm now through month 1 of 5 of IM training and still can't put any more effort into my workouts without my legs fatiguing. I'm only up to 10-12 hours, still behind schedule and although I'm getting in the long rides and runs, they are at a much lower output than I would normally be able to produce at this point in the past. There is some progress, but not much when taking in the last 2 months. (This is only affecting my legs, not my upper body and is not a general sense of fatigue. The problem seems to be targeted only to my legs. I have more or less followed a pattern of tri-training about half a year, then marathon training the second half for 3 years.)
So after talking to coaches and professionals and looking at all the obvious factors (nutrition, overtraining, sleep, massage, strengthening, etc.) and ruling them all out, I'm left with few conclusions. 1. I've been training for 3 years and my body has now dictated a recovery year. 2. There are some other muscle issues going on - maybe I've sustained more damage than usual or something like that relative to my body. 3. ????
If anyone has encountered this or has any info, please share! I feel like I need to make a decision soon to either keep training or take an extended period off. This would mean dropping out of the IM and several other events, so not a decision I want to take lightly.
I pity da fool!