Changes in fitness / stamina

Last weekend during the day I went out for a ride, planning to do about
20-25 miles. It didn't take long before I decided that wasn't going to
happen, I felt knackered, every press of the pedal just felt heavy. At
the end of the ride I told myself I was probably getting too old for the
long rides I used to do and probably managed about 5 miles.

Today I went out planning to do about 5 miles but the more I rode, the
more energy I seemed to have. So I just kept going. Eventually I seemed
to be able to cycle fast uphill and not even feel tired doing it. I
eventually had a feeling like I was running out of energy (but not
feeling tired, if that makes sense) but felt I could just keep going if I
wanted to. At that point I did return home and I did just over 26 miles.

I don't get it. Sometimes I can really push myself hard and my body
doesn't even complain about it, other times I can barely get off the
street before I feel knackered. I'm not sure if it makes any difference
but the time I seem to do well is late at night, say between 8 and 10pm.

Any ideas?

 

On 08/09/2011 22:38, Deux wrote:

I'd go for how much food you've had and how long it is since you've
eaten. High blood sugar makes me lethargic, low is the dreaded bonk. I'm
dreadful just after breakfast, and best in the evening.

Tired-ness, as in sleep, is a good one too.

 

What you have experienced is very common. You have bad days when you
seem to be pedalling through treacle and days when you feel you could
ride up and down hills all day. I've never quite figured out why, but
it seems to be a complex formula based on sleep, rest, miles in your
legs, food, tiredness from work, circadian rhythm etc.

All I do is to simply *keep going*, forget about the age thing (I'm 52
and can do 25 miles a day commuting easy enough) and treasure the
rides when I feel like superman and forget the rides when I feel tired
and old. Even top pro riders have bad days when they crack on the
hills and days when they are invincible.

 

For me, it is *getting started* that is the problem on some mornings
(particularly yesterday).

As an aside, hope you have picked up some useful "cycling into the wind"
tips, ready for Monday:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT2+shtml/091436.shtml

(third paragraph down) .

 

It's funny the number of times it turns out that the wind is a factor
though!

 

Stop pressing the pedals, you're not making wine. Instead, just lift
your feet as they pass through the rear of crank's cycle and guide
them around. If you just allow the weight of your legs to do the
work, you are always using less efort than walking.

The bad days are likely to be when your immune system is required to
work hard, best take (in my personal experience) a warm bath, a
megadose of vitamin B & C, a bottle of brown ale and go to bed.

 

I live on the north bank of the Humber, most of the action will be in
the extreme north west of the UK, so I should be OK tomorrow.