Overtraining

How Can I Regain My Enthusiasm?

This is my first year of serious riding. I started on the trainer February and have been going strong since, riding hard four to five times a week. I’ve raced several times and want to do more until fall. The problem is that my rides feel like a chore rather than fun. My legs burn when I ride. How can I get my enthusiasm back?

Why Am I So Tired After Weekend Rides

I'm 52 and in excellent health based on my last physical. I work out at the gym three times a week (treadmill, stationary bike, weight training). On weekends I ride 20-30 miles. Recently I find myself dragging around, feeling very sleepy and fatigued. Is this connected to the "weekend warrior" aspect of my cycling?

Randy Wilbur: Overtraining & Overreaching

We've highlighted Randy Wilbur's information about altitude training. He is also an expert on the phenomenon of overtraining, an insidious destroyer of dedicated cyclists.  In this, Wilbur shares the academic aspects of overtraining as well as interesting anecdotes from his work with elite riders.

Companion eBooks & eArticles

By Coach Arnie Baker, M.D.
$12.95

By David Rowe
$19.95

By Alan Bragman, D.C.
$4.99

Available to Our Premium Members

Why Is It Hard to Sleep After a Workout

I attend a very intense spinning class. We meet from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. On those nights I have a hard time falling asleep. Is this a common reaction?

How Can I Revive My Legs for a Big Race

I'm 32 years old and began racing four months ago. During the last four weeks, I've competed seven times in criteriums and road races. Now my legs are dead and I have a big race in three weeks. How can I "freshen up" for this event?

Does Commuting Count as an Easy Day

Ever since a bad bout with overtraining, I alternate hard and easy days. I also commute to work, 30 miles per day. Does my commute count as an easy day?  Also, would it be okay to do a variety of training (endurance, sprints, power) each week, or should I separate my training into "blocks" and work on only one skill at a time? 

How Can I Regain My Enthusiasm for Riding

I have a motivation problem. I love riding but procrastinate shamelessly. Sometimes it takes me hours to get on the bike. Any excuse will do -- I once hung a gutter while dressed in bike clothes! What can I do to get my butt in gear?

How Should I Take Active Rest

You always stress the importance of taking several weeks off the bike each year for rest and recuperation. I enjoy cycling, hiking/backpacking and weightlifting. Is it okay to rotate rest periods among the sports, or should I avoid cycling and hiking at the same time since they're both lower body? My cycling goal is simply to be a strong recreational rider.

At Age 57, How Can I Combat Poor Recovery

I'm 57 and each year find it more difficult to recover. I used to do three or four hard workouts in a row, but now it takes me at least 48 hours to feel lively again. Stage races or week-long tours are tough. It's not just my legs -- my whole body seems to be affected because I lack energy for daily tasks for a frighteningly long time after I ride hard.  I know I can't turn back the clock, but are there any remedies for this depressing state of affairs?

Do Supplements Really Aid Recovery

I've come across different commercial supplements that appear to be like those generically suggested in Ed Burke's book, Optimal Muscle Performance and Recovery. I'm curious as to whether such recovery aids really work. 

How Do I Revive Dead Legs

I live in New Zealand where it's the summer racing season. I've had good results, but now my legs have gone "dead." My quads burn constantly, like when walking upstairs. Blood tests were negative. Are there any remedies? 

How Can I Avoid Arizona Winter Burnout

I have a strange question for someone like you who lives in a cold climate. I'm in Phoenix and the winter weather begs me to come out and enjoy it. I just finished a great cycling year that included numerous double centuries, brevets and Paris-Brest-Paris. I want to ride long distances and have fun doing it this year, too.  Even though it's January, I still want to ride every day. But I also feel like I should be taking it easy right now in advance of the coming season. Should I back off?  Not to gloat, but I hope you're not snowed in as you read this!

How Should I Train Close to an Event

I have an important duathlon coming up in three weeks. I'm very fit and my recent races have been personal bests or close to them. But I'm worried about what to do between now and the big event so I don't overtrain but still stay sharp. The cycling portion will be 25 miles.

How Fast Is Fitness Lost

I rode about 6,000 miles last year. But because of work, I won't be riding for five weeks. What will this layoff do to my riding and fitness? How long will I have to train before I get back to my usual fitness level?

Can Heart and Lungs Suffer Overtraining

Running and cycling seem complementary because they don't work the same leg muscles. But can the heart and lungs suffer overtraining even though leg muscles seem to be OK? 

Does High Morning Heart Rate Indicate Overtraining

I've been feeling tired recently after a month of hard training for a century, and I read that elevated morning heart rate is a signal of overtraining. But my morning pulse is almost 10 beats lower. What's going on? 

Can Morning Heart Rate Foretell Overtraining

All articles I've read about overtraining list elevated morning heart rate as the first warning sign. Mine is never elevated even when I'm really tired. What's going on? 

Does Heart Rate Signal Recovery

I'm trying to avoid overtraining by tracking heart rate. It's my understanding that morning resting pulse is both an indicator of fitness level and a measure of recovery from the previous workout.  I've also heard that how rapidly your heart rate drops in the immediate 1-2 minutes post-workout is a good indicator of fitness level. Are these markers valid? 

Why Do My Legs Feel Empty

I've been feeling great all season on our hard Sunday morning club ride, but last Sunday I felt terrible. My legs were empty. I wanted to quit 10 minutes after the start. I thought I was well prepared. In fact, I had stepped up my interval training and my mileage the month before, hoping to do especially well. Any ideas? 

How Can I Force Myself to Slow Down

I'm an average cyclist who rides about four times a week for a total of under 100 miles. The problem is that I always go all-out. No matter what I try, I can't seem to make myself slow down. If I diligently monitor my speed, it creeps up and soon I'm in time trial mode at over 90% of my maximum heart rate. How can I manage my rides better?

Why Do I Feel Tired After a Rest Week

I race competitively on the road, totaling 300-400 miles per week. I make one week in every four a recovery week when I just roll around for 200 miles without any hard efforts.  The problem is that after a week of taking it easy, I don't feel refreshed. In fact, I feel more sluggish and pathetic than when I'm pounding out the miles. It takes me another week of hard training to get my systems going again.  I don't think that I lose fitness during the recovery week, but I seem to lose my rhythm.  Is there a way to beat this recovery week torpor? 

How Can I Learn to Go Slower?

This sounds silly, but how can I learn to go slower? When I tour on our wonderful English lanes, I find it difficult to slow down. I finish the day exhausted.

Is Overtraining More Likely in Cycling than in Running

I'm a long-time runner who recently switched to cycling due to knee problems. My injuries limited me to about 30 running miles per week, but now I can ride as much as I want and often do 300 miles per week.  I always felt fresh and ready to run races, but now I often lack motivation for centuries or even for training rides. Is there something about cycling that dampens enthusiasm?