Question: 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…
Question: 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 thanfun. My legs burn…
By Coach Fred Matheny Overtraining and Overreaching are Different Overreaching is caused by several days of training beyond your power to recover by the next day’s ride. This is easily reversible with a few days rest. Carefully planned overreaching is necessary for top riders to reach the elite level. Overtraining, on the other hand, develops after…
Question: 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…
Question: 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”…
