Friday, August 01, 2008

Great idea? Bad idea.

Ever since my first week back on the training bus (which included a 90 mile ride, 2 fast paced, long group rides, and a couple "recovery" rides), I think my body went into full recovery mode this week. I remember reading a couple places (ok, basically every training book out there) that you're only supposed to increase your training volume by 10%-15%. Well let's run the numbers. An average week for me, pre-training: Commute every day, 6 miles, 30 minutes tops; A couple group rides, 40-ish miles, 2-3 hours. So I was averaging at most 100 miles a week with a time of 8 hours. If I was lucky. So then I decide, "Hey, how about a week of 260 miles and 15 hours.!" Now, I'm no mathemetician (apparently not an english major either), but that training week had to be at least a little more than a 10%-15% increase.

I always wondered what would happen if you jumped leaps and bounds in the volume of your training. I had always been careful when I first got into racing, but still wondered. Well now I know. Every day this week around 3pm I would get crazy sleepy. Like no motivation to do anything. The nights I went straight home, that was it. I lounged on the couch all evening. I guess that's why it's damaging to your training if you increase volume by a bunch. Your body can't take it, so it takes it out of you.

New plan: after I recover this week, I'm going to ease back into it. Unfortunately, that probably means no competitive group rides for me. My body just can't take the intensity yet. I need to treat my training as if I've just come off the October recovery period after the racing season. So that means steady paced rides, low intensity, and GRADUAL increases in volume. I'll be up for some Shabbos (+1) rides, but only if they're fun/easy group rides.

Speaking of which. Shabbos ride anyone? 6:30am at Crane? 2, maybe 3 hours of easy riding? Anyone? Anyone?

16 comments:

Flintstone R Cube said...

If by Shabbos, you mean Saturday - and if by easy, you mean easy. I'm totally up for it (pending spousal approval).

Enjoy getting back into shape, knowing that it will come quicker if you don't overdo it. It's almost worth getting out of shape so you can ease back into it.

I think the 10% thing is just a guideline, though. Increases are greater at the beginning.


Later today, I'll let you know for sure about tomorrow morning ...

bryan said...

I'm up for a Shabbos +1 type of thing, also easy and steady and such.

Flintstone R Cube said...

Ooh, gotta golf Sunday Morning. Elmwood, 7:22. We still have room for 1, maybe 2 more.

Biker Bob/Runner Bob said...

If by Shabbos+1, you mean Sunday, and Bryan will not be setting the pace, I'd be up for a couple hours of easy (sub 25mph Bryan) riding. I need to be back at my house by 9:30.

I'm commited elsewhere on Saturday this weekend, but I'll be up for future Saturday rides at that time.

munsoned said...

Tentative plans:

Saturday: Fred and I, pending spousal approval (not each other). Time and meeting place tbd.

Sunday: Bryan, Bob, and I. Fred will be busy elsewhere hacking at grass and sometimes hitting a little white ball. Just kidding, Fred. That would be my experience with golf. You do 300 yard drives every swing, right?
Time: 6(:30?)am at Crane Coffee off of 78th and Cass.

Sound good?

Flintstone R Cube said...

Time and place good. The only time I drive it 300 yards is when it's a 140 yard par 3. Otherwise, I'm just trying to get it past the Lady's tee box so's I can keep my trousers on.

munsoned said...

Here's my obligatory Crappity-crap-crap moment. Saturday I'm on call. I gotta be home, ready to answer calls and/or head into work from 7:30am to 12:30pm. So that sucks. Sorry Fred. Next weekend we can do the Shabbos thing with Bob, possibly.

Bob and Bryan, we're still on for Sunday.

Flintstone R Cube said...

You bastard! Now I'm going to have to golf on Saturday too.

Geez.

Ok, I'm better now. Hey, where's Brady?

munsoned said...

I was wondering that myself. He might be on a vacation. I seem to remember him mentioning something about that.

Either that, or I'm crazy. Both are real possibilities.

Biker Bob/Runner Bob said...

I'm on for Sunday at 6/6:30 at crane coffee. I'll be on my SS, so I'll be an effective pace enforcer.

munsoned said...

Bob, good deal. Let's say 6:30 just to let us have a little bit of time to wake up. We'll have to plan a route that'll give us max riding time, but still get you home around 9:30.

Biker Bob/Runner Bob said...

I live in Lake Cunningham Hills, so a northern route would put me close to my place if you two wanted to get additional miles in after I bail.

brady said...

I am not on vacation and if by Shabbos, you mean Saturday - then I am available for an early morning ride. Time: 6am (negotiable) at Crane. Munson: you're excused. Fred: save your clubs for Sunday and join me for a Shabbos ride (pending spousal approval).

Sunday is no good for me for riding, golfing, caddying, or blogging about Munson hacking people to bits with an Xacto knife.

brady said...

Fred?!

bryan said...

6:30 on Sunday is fine with me. No golfing or any of this: "caddying, or blogging about Munson hacking people to bits with an Xacto knife" is planned.

Flintstone R Cube said...

Yes Brady. I have to find my wife and ask her. I've been busy drinking, partying and stealing potatoes with the pro golfers all afternoon at the cox classic. I just got back. I will post soon with the yay or nay on the whole saturday mourning bike ride. I'm about 78% sure it's a go.