I’ve done two century rides is the last two months (and IMWI was before that in Sept), and while I use them for training only and ride at a training pace, I find myself pretty tired for a couple of days afterwards.
For example, I haven’t done anything the last three days since the ride on Sunday, mainly because I opted to sleep in instead of training and thus missed my opportunity to train (no time to train in the afternoon/evening). I also averaged like 10h of sleep each night for the last three nights and still feel kind of tired. Is that normal?
Am I just out of shape?
I wouldn’t say that you’re out of shape but there is room for improvment.
After my first IM I felt like I hadn’t done enough cycling in the months prior to the race, 150 p/w avg. In preparing for the next IM I put in several 250 mile weeks and few 300’s and the difference was huge. I got to a point where I could do a century and not notice it the next day at all.
Well, I think feeling more tired or sore than usual is probably normal. At least that’s from my own experience, unless I’m going too hard on my training rides too. But that said, I’m usually back into the training the next day…not like a long run or anything, but i’m back training the next day (just not cycling). But again, still more tired and sore than if I didn’t go out so far.
Maybe you are sick or got some heat exhaustion or bonked? Just throwing things out there.
no elevation changes but very windy. Including stops it took like 6h20min (i’m a slow girl). I rode parts of it by myself, parts with a group.
I am also not riding/training very much at the moment, 4-6h a week avg, I simply don’t have the time. I guess external stress (work/school) might be a big factor too.
You also need to relate the century to your training before the event. If the longest distance you rode prior to race day was only 30 miles, then yeah, you’re going to be pooped. If you are doing your base training and you’ve averaged 99 miles per week for the last 2 weeks, then you should really feel sore but great after a 100 mile ride.
no elevation changes but very windy. Including stops it took like 6h20min (i’m a slow girl). I rode parts of it by myself, parts with a group.
I am also not riding/training very much at the moment, 4-6h a week avg, I simply don’t have the time. I guess external stress (work/school) might be a big factor too.
I hope this doesn’t sound rude but, it sounds like your problem is with your planning, not the amount of time and effort you put into training. I see no benefit to doing killer rides if you haven’t worked up to it. You need to build endurance slowly.
I would suggest planning backward from your 2007 “A” races and make sure you take into account the limited amount of time you have for training. If anything, time constraints should make your training more focused (that is, with a purpose) which should be a good thing. If your just training because you think that is what you need to do, you are waisting your time; IMO anyway.
Hmmm … for a flat century with stops? Tired for the rest of the day, but that is about it. Good the next day - in fact, I like a long run the next day when in IM training mode. And I consider myself about average for recovery.
This year my training partner and I did a hilly 108-mile route followed by a three-mile jog seven weeks in a row from late August through mid-October. We did these rides on Wednesdays. I scheduled a rest day for myself - to stretch and, if I felt like it, an easy swim - on the following mornings. I was tired, especially at the beginning, but felt strong enough to put in my long runs every other Saturday. Next year I’m going to spead them out more. I was happy with my fitness, but the regimen became mentally oppressive after a while.
no, I understand, but at this point, I rather do the ride than do nothing at all. I assume there is some benefit to it, if nothing else, I like doing those rides.
I have no 2007 A races, I am supposed to finish my PHD that year so I will try and focus on that. IMWI 2006 was my last tri venture for a while and I shouldn’t have done that one either.
I’ll may do some short races (up to oly) along the way next year but no focus on training. Maybe the sleeping in has to do with my ongoing PHD depression ;/
and yes, of course I am in no shape to do a century right now, but I figured I’ll do it anyway, for the fun of it.
I would think that after three IMs in three years and IMWI this Sept I’d should have enough base endurance to tackle a slow century, no?
As for the training, no I am not training because I think I have to, for the first time in a while I am doing it because I feel I want to. Especially the bike which is really becoming my favorite. No focus, yes, but I enjoy that.
Then it sounds like you have no worries. Just enjoy your training and bike rides; however long they may be. And take as long as your body needs to recover. Training is probably an excellent break to the school thing.
1 - Did you allow yourself to recover properly from IMWI?
2 - Nutrition. How much and what are you eating and drinking in the 45 minutes after these rides (and during)? Make sure you start replenishing those glycogen stores quickly after a ride either with a recovery drink or as we have recently learned perhaps chocolate milk!
Boy, I always forget that when people on here talk about a century, they’re usually talking Imperial system… I’m thinking 100 km and you guys are thinking 160 km… It’s been 15 years since my one and only METRIC century, I’m not a big fan of sitting on the bike for that many hours… Anyway, I guess in my case we’ll say recovery takes 15 years… and counting…
yep, that’s the one. The route is why I wanted to do it, I never rode that stretch before and didn’t know how much traffic there would be on A1A. Turns out not much traffic at all…
It was gorgeous! But very windy…
Well, I am definitely having more fun riding my bike than doing that Phd! (I know, I know, don’t even go there…)
I LOVE the ride on A1A - usually do that more in the summer than the winter due to traffic. If you go from the 17th street bridge in Ft. Lauderdale to the end of A1A in Palm Beach it is about 50 miles - so 100 round trip.
I love the houses in Manalapaan and on the island of Palm Beach facing the ocean - there is one there owned by the Kennedy’s and another by Jimmy Buffet - his is the one with the parrots on the fence posts.
