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Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking
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So, long story short, I just got back from my bachelor party, which involved 3 nights of heavy drinking, eating like garbage, and no exercise.

Before the trip, I had just come off of a massive 3.5 week block of training and was feeling stronger than I ever had been before. My workouts leading up to the day I left for my trip were super strong with Pw:HR decoupling rates below 6%, even when my legs felt like crap from loads of volume.

Now having taken two full days off of sport-specific exercise during the trip, I find myself 6 weeks out from my A race and trying to get back after my training. This morning I tried to do a ride this morning that I've done countless times before (SST Short on Zwift) which involves 40 minutes as 8x5min alternating between 96% and 88%. It's pretty tough but it's short enough that I have always gotten through pretty easily.

The day before I left for my trip I did the workout and my HR averaged 165bpm during the 40 minutes of intervals. (TP File)
Today I tried to get after it and backed off after 17 minutes because my HR was at 179 bpm already. (TP File)

Did I completely destroy my aerobic fitness in those three days? Or is my body just still wrecked from the 3-day drink-a-thon? I've been eating well, hydrating, and sleeping as much as possible since. Should I just keep my workouts easy until I feel like I've got the mojo back?
Last edited by: TriowaCPA: Jun 14, 17 9:36
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [TriowaCPA] [ In reply to ]
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In short, you're fine. Don't give it a second thought and just proceed as normal.

https://markmcdermott.substack.com
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [TriowaCPA] [ In reply to ]
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Was your RPE similar when you did the session @ HR=179? If so, it might just be that you are rested. Generally, in such cases a high HR should be welcomed.
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [TriowaCPA] [ In reply to ]
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TriowaCPA wrote:
Did I completely destroy my aerobic fitness in those three days?

No.

TriowaCPA wrote:
Or is my body just still wrecked from the 3-day drink-a-thon? I've been eating well, hydrating, and sleeping as much as possible since.

Yes.

TriowaCPA wrote:
Should I just keep my workouts easy until I feel like I've got the mojo back?

As Mark said: Proceed as normal---expect another day or two of "offness", but do it anyway to "get back on the horse". Follow your regular schedule, your form will return in a couple days.
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [TriowaCPA] [ In reply to ]
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Your body is still dealing with the effects of alcohol, hence your high HR.

After a bachelor weekend (hell even one hard night going out will do) with lots of drinking, it usually takes several days for my rest HR at wake up to go back to normal.

Fitness is not gone but has certainly not improved either. Don't force anything and you will go back to where you were within the week.
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [TriowaCPA] [ In reply to ]
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Hookers & blow will do that to you

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [Kreiger] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the responses, people. I just got the Garmin 935 before going on the trip so I was able to track my HR 24/7 for the trip and my resting went like this starting when I got it through yesterday:

Friday: 42 bpm (beginning of peak training weekend)
Saturday: 45 bpm
Sunday: 46 bpm
Monday: 47 bpm
Tuesday: 47 bpm
Wednesday: 47 bpm
Thursday: 49 bpm (day 1 of drink-a-thon)
Friday: 52 bpm (day 2)
Saturday: 55 bpm (day 3)
Sunday: 56 bpm (traveled home beaten and broken)
Monday: 56 bpm
Tuesday: 57 bpm

I guess that lays it out much more clearly than I imagined. Should start paying better attention to the data I have at hand.
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [RandMart] [ In reply to ]
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RandMart wrote:
Hookers & blow will do that to you


The only thing better is a dead hooker and blow.

And when it comes to lap dances somehow it is actually better when the girls are crying
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [Fishbum] [ In reply to ]
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Bloodhound Gang fan?
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [stoobie] [ In reply to ]
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stoobie wrote:
Bloodhound Gang fan?

Can't say I know who they are. I had to look them up. Do they have a song about crying strippers
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [Fishbum] [ In reply to ]
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Fishbum wrote:
The only thing better is a dead hooker and blow. [..] And when it comes to lap dances somehow it is actually better when the girls are crying

dude wtf. delete this garbage.
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [Fishbum] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, they do.
Track #16 on their "career defining" album Hooray For Boobies.

Sadly I have roommates in college that subjected me to them and their antics...
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [buzz] [ In reply to ]
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buzz wrote:
Fishbum wrote:
The only thing better is a dead hooker and blow. [..] And when it comes to lap dances somehow it is actually better when the girls are crying

dude wtf. delete this garbage.

That made me smile...
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [TriowaCPA] [ In reply to ]
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TriowaCPA wrote:
So, long story short, I just got back from my bachelor party, which involved 3 nights of heavy drinking, eating like garbage, and no exercise.

Before the trip, I had just come off of a massive 3.5 week block of training and was feeling stronger than I ever had been before. My workouts leading up to the day I left for my trip were super strong with Pw:HR decoupling rates below 6%, even when my legs felt like crap from loads of volume.

Now having taken two full days off of sport-specific exercise during the trip, I find myself 6 weeks out from my A race and trying to get back after my training. This morning I tried to do a ride this morning that I've done countless times before (SST Short on Zwift) which involves 40 minutes as 8x5min alternating between 96% and 88%. It's pretty tough but it's short enough that I have always gotten through pretty easily.

The day before I left for my trip I did the workout and my HR averaged 165bpm during the 40 minutes of intervals. (TP File)
Today I tried to get after it and backed off after 17 minutes because my HR was at 179 bpm already. (TP File)

Did I completely destroy my aerobic fitness in those three days? Or is my body just still wrecked from the 3-day drink-a-thon? I've been eating well, hydrating, and sleeping as much as possible since. Should I just keep my workouts easy until I feel like I've got the mojo back?

Ha ha I could have written that, I'm so paranoid about drinking leading up to a big race. I had a big night out around 6 weeks out from my A race for that season and the next day I was out of breath walking up a flight of stairs! That had me freaking out.
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [zedzded] [ In reply to ]
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Easy workouts till heart rate is normalized.
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [TriowaCPA] [ In reply to ]
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OP,
Been there! Keep at it, you'll be back strong as ever in a week or so. I speak from years of practice. (although I don't drink at all anymore, because THAT sucks!)
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Re: Aerobic Decoupling After Big Weekend of Drinking [TriowaCPA] [ In reply to ]
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Alcohol can affect your cardiovascular system fairly strongly.
I have often noticed that my HR while training will be 5-10bpm higher than normal if I had several drinks the night before. It's a normal response (probably means we're drinking too much but as long as it's occasional it's unlikely to be a showstopper).
Your body was under stress over the weekend processing all the toxins on top of different eating patterns and excitement, late nights and whatever else. It'll need a little recovery time before you're back to normal. The good news is it gets worse as you get older!
Heavy binge drinking like you did on the stagg can cause stress hormones that constrict blood vessels and raise blood pressure. It can cause arrythmias as well. I'm sure you'll be fine once you've recovered but I'd take it easy for a couple of days if I were you. Stick to recovery/endurance efforts. Maybe a little tempo at most. If it was me I'd skip threshold or higher efforts until I was feeling normal. You'll be okay but I think it's unwise forcing it while your body is not in normal working order.
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