Improving performance…

[ChrisP100]

I'd echo the comments on recovery.

I do a fairly similar distance to and from work Monday to Friday I have a fairly sustained but not too steep hill on the way in and a short but horribly steep grind on the way back. Mondays are always breeze both ways, but by Wednesday evening I start to feel the effects of cumulative fatigue. Friday mornings are always a struggle to get going, and by the time I get home on Friday I've had enough. This is worse if I've had some time off like this week (last 2 weeks off). My legs currently feel like lead, and I've got one more effort to do on the way home

On comparing my times over numerous journeys they are normally within a minute or two, although sometimes I get caught in traffic. One factor that people often miss is weather conditions. I can sometimes be one or two gears slower if I'm riding into a direct headwind.

[Benz3ne]

I'd echo the comments on recovery.

I do a fairly similar distance to and from work Monday to Friday I have a fairly sustained but not too steep hill on the way in and a short but horribly steep grind on the way back. Mondays are always breeze both ways, but by Wednesday evening I start to feel the effects of cumulative fatigue. Friday mornings are always a struggle to get going, and by the time I get home on Friday I've had enough. This is worse if I've had some time off like this week (last 2 weeks off). My legs currently feel like lead, and I've got one more effort to do on the way home

On comparing my times over numerous journeys they are normally within a minute or two, although sometimes I get caught in traffic. One factor that people often miss is weather conditions. I can sometimes be one or two gears slower if I'm riding into a direct headwind.

That's ringing true for me. I'm feeling it on the odd day off towards the end of the week. Today's day off was initiated by yesterday's mad headwind, straight on, unrelenting. I described my cycle home to SWMBO as:
"As if I was cycling uphill until I reached the park, and then it was actually uphill".
Mine is usually pretty consistent but I do, every now and again, have a spurt which sees a cycle a couple of minutes faster than the usual range. I'm trying to stick to it as 'total time elapsed', so for both legs of the journey. This is around 52-53 minutes usually, but my best total is presently 47.5 minutes. Funnily, however, that was the day after my previous best total of 49 minutes...

I've almost a week off now for a camping trip away where I doubt I'll be doing any cycling... part of me is wondering whether I should get on the bike tonight or tomorrow morning (or both) for one last spurt before at least 4 days off my velo.

Cheers for the comments, Chris. Let's hope we can find ways to aid our recoveries

[borisface]

The basic fundamental rule to improve performance is ride more, weigh less.

[ChrisP100]

The basic fundamental rule to improve performance is ride more, weigh less.

As long as by riding more you are increasing muscle mass (which weighs heavier than fat), power and improving your cardiovascular fitness.

And my legs are still sore from yesterday...

[Benz3ne]

The basic fundamental rule to improve performance is ride more, weigh less.

I’d rather not weigh less than 66kg at around 179cm…
Muscle gain sounds like a good option to me.

I was a little “out of sorts” after 6 days off the bike, it took longer to warm up but I felt like I had some in the tank. Slow cycles both ways for my commute (after 5hr 30 of driving yesterday…) but coming up my finishing straight (up a reasonably steep hill) I had plenty to merge into traffic and stick with it for the uphill slog. Even a month ago I would’ve struggled with that level regardless of how easy I took the rest of the cycle!

[Mick F]

I've been "a little out of sorts" too.
Today, I feel almost human!

Weather forecasts for next week look good, so I'm going to attempt to go far a ride tomorrow or Tuesday. No promises on distances or speeds, but just getting out and pedalling will be wonderful.

I wouldn't wish what I've had on my worst enemy.

[Mick F]

14.5miles done today!
First time on a bike since 28th July = 26 days ago.

I could have done 20, but probably not 30.
My 14 odd miles today meant 1,399ft of ascent so I did (as normal for round here) 96ft per mile.

[Benz3ne]

14.5miles done today!
First time on a bike since 28th July = 26 days ago.

I could have done 20, but probably not 30.
My 14 odd miles today meant 1,399ft of ascent so I did (as normal for round here) 96ft per mile.

Hats off to you, that's longer than my longest ride to date so I'd be very happy with that considering you're still recovering!

[Vorpal]

Something nobody seems so far to commented on is that 6.5 miles is a relatively short distance over which to notice improvements.

IMO, if you want to continue to see improvements, even in your commute, you need to do more than just the same thing all the time.

1 or two days per week, take a longer ride. Take it easy, but go for much longer, and gradually increase the maximum distance.

at least once per week, do some interval training or similar, whether that means repeats on a hill, or something more designed is up to you.

Also, as others have pointed out, don't forget to rest. What I would do is take one day a week completely off, and one day at a relaxed pace (meaning don't break a sweat).

[Mick F]

14.5miles done today!
First time on a bike since 28th July = 26 days ago.

I could have done 20, but probably not 30.
My 14 odd miles today meant 1,399ft of ascent so I did (as normal for round here) 96ft per mile.

Hats off to you, that's longer than my longest ride to date so I'd be very happy with that considering you're still recovering!

Thank you.


Sitting down with a beer (or two) now.
I've earned it.

[Benz3ne]

14.5miles done today!
First time on a bike since 28th July = 26 days ago.

I could have done 20, but probably not 30.
My 14 odd miles today meant 1,399ft of ascent so I did (as normal for round here) 96ft per mile.

Hats off to you, that's longer than my longest ride to date so I'd be very happy with that considering you're still recovering!

Thank you.


Sitting down with a beer (or two) now.
I've earned it.

100% agree!

[ChrisP100]

Something nobody seems so far to commented on is that 6.5 miles is a relatively short distance over which to notice improvements.

IMO, if you want to continue to see improvements, even in your commute, you need to do more than just the same thing all the time.

1 or two days per week, take a longer ride. Take it easy, but go for much longer, and gradually increase the maximum distance.

at least once per week, do some interval training or similar, whether that means repeats on a hill, or something more designed is up to you.

Also, as others have pointed out, don't forget to rest. What I would do is take one day a week completely off, and one day at a relaxed pace (meaning don't break a sweat).

I commute, which for me means around 15 miles a day with a couple of short,steep hills, 5 days a week. I can (and sometimes do) vary my route, but not very often. For me the variation comes in weather conditions. I have no choice what weather I ride in (well, I could take the car, but that would be cheating ), so one day it could be flat calm and moderately warm like it was this morning, and other times in can be gusting 25mph headwind and barely above freezing. I get my rest on the weekends/holidays.

I have improved why times too and from work from when I started, but pretty much reached a plateau. I do sometimes throw in the odd interval session on my ride home where traffic permits, and I also occasionally take a completely different route home on a Friday (50% more distance), and just ride at a more sedate pace. I could probably increase that, but it's finding the time to do it.

[kylecycler]

I probably get fitter at this time of the year because the cycle path into town is bordered by a hawthorn hedge, a tractor cuts it with a circular saw and the path gets strewn with hawthorn cuttings. It's then unusable, effectively, for weeks - this has been going on for years and nothing is ever done about it.

There are alternative routes - the road the path borders is a busy 60 mph single carriageway and isn't safe, especially since drivers get aggressive because they think you should be using the cycle path, but the alternative country roads - inevitably a longer route - are also bordered by hawthorns so it depends when they get cut and how long it takes (usually not long, thankfully) for vehicles' tyres to pick up the cuttings and effectively clear them.

So the route into town and back can get longer and more convoluted (including having to turn back and find another way when I hit a section that's been freshly cut!) by the week. I could fit Marathon Plus tyres and hope for the best but I'd rather not - it would ruin the ride and spoil the fun. Heading out, provided I allow enough time, is like a big adventure (as you might gather, I lead a very dull life...).

I know that's a ridiculously positive way of looking at things and tbh I can never sustain it for long, but the alternative is to get depressed.

Bloody thorns!

[ChrisP100]

I probably get fitter at this time of the year because the cycle path into town is bordered by a hawthorn hedge, a tractor cuts it with a circular saw and the path gets strewn with hawthorn cuttings. It's then unusable, effectively, for weeks - this has been going on for years and nothing is ever done about it.

There are alternative routes - the road the path borders is a busy 60 mph single carriageway and isn't safe, especially since drivers get aggressive because they think you should be using the cycle path, but the alternative country roads - inevitably a longer route - are also bordered by hawthorns so it depends when they get cut and how long it takes (usually not long, thankfully) for vehicles' tyres to pick up the cuttings and effectively clear them.

So the route into town and back can get longer and more convoluted (including having to turn back and find another way when I hit a section that's been freshly cut!) by the week. I could fit Marathon Plus tyres and hope for the best but I'd rather not - it would ruin the ride and spoil the fun. Heading out, provided I allow enough time, is like a big adventure (as you might gather, I lead a very dull life...).

I know that's a ridiculously positive way of looking at things and tbh I can never sustain it for long, but the alternative is to get depressed.

Bloody thorns!

There is a similar issue with a cycle path on my way to and from work. The path is too narrow and far too close to the road. I've had more close passes riding on the path than I have on the 60mph single carriage way. Like your route this path suffers from hawthorn clippings at this time of year, but it generally doesn't bother me as I ride on the road. The only real downside to that is the cycle path is lovely and smooth, and the road is most definitely not.