Recovery and Fatigue Syndromes

This is a nice summary of the essentials of a successful recovery strategy. Key points:

• Don't continue to push on a day your body say "enough". To quote: "...When you are training properly, your muscles can feel sore every morning. If they don't feel better after a 10 minute warmup, take the day off..."

• You can ride everyday. Most elite athletes use an "active recovery" program and exercise everyday. To quote: "....Almost all top runners, cyclists and weight lifters do huge volumes of work, and most of it is on their less-intense recovery days....."

• Limit the time focused on interval training. To quote: "...Active recovery should be of limited intensity that does not interfere with the healing process..."

• Your diet is an integral part of a training program. "Eating a .... meal within one hour of intense workouts hastens recovery. As long as the post-intense-exercise meal contains lots of protein and carbohydrates, it doesn't matter what you eat...."

PHYSIOLOGY

The goal of training is adaptation and improved performance which includes breakdown (training) followed by the recovery (rest). Overtraining is the result of an imbalance between training and recovery. It is assumed that the relationship between training and improved performance is an inverted U. There is an optimal amount of weekly training for any athlete. Do too little or too much and performance falls off.

Overreaching (short term overtraining) is thought to be the result of insufficient recovery in the muscle cell which translates into a decline in ATP levels. Overtraining is a more complicated physiologic problem, perhaps related to failure of the hypothalamus to cope with the total amount of physical stress.

In addition to the imbalance between training hours and rest time, is the question as to whether a rider's nutrition is adequate to replace the Calories consumed by their physical training program. This imbalance results in a condition that has been called RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport).

This can be as simple as a "within-day" energy imbalance or deficiency as noted in this study which documented "..a significant correlation between the largest single-hour Calorie deficits and hormonal disturbances such as lower testosterone and higher cortisol"..which might impact performance.

Or, as suggested in this article an imbalance that develops over many days of riding as the result of under-eating relative to training demands.

Most regular cyclists have learned that it is not very hard to justify that extra serving at dinner after a day of riding, and then see the extra pounds slowing add up. The common response is keeping a close eye on the scale and the size of the servings on the plate, and tending to guess on the low side as to total caloric replacement needs. Guess wrong and the risks are not only long term physical problems such as osteoporosis or infertility, but the ore immediate issue of a pervasive lack of energy impacting daily training and riding - what may be the first step in the development of an overtraining syndrome which can often take weeks and months to resolve.

And as is pointed out, it is possible to experience RED-S without any loss of body weight. Maintaining an ideal weight is important to cycling at your best, so you don't want unbridled gluttony, but if you find you are tiring more easily than you have in the past, and are not reaching those training benchmarks, be sure to take a good look at your nutritional training program to be sure you have not underestimated your Caloric needs.

OVERTRAINING, OVERREACHING AND CHRONIC FATIGUE

The 5 types of fatigue are:

1. The bonk is the fatigue that accompanies muscle glycogen depletion and usually develops 1 to 2 hours into a ride. It is a particular problem if glucose supplements are not used on an extended ride.
2. Post ride fatigue is a normal response to several hours of vigorous exercise and is expected when we are pushing our training limits, and should lead to improved performance over time.
3. Overreaching is the fatigue felt at the end of a particularly hard week of riding and lasts from a few days to 2 weeks. It is associated with fatigue, reduction of maximum performance capacity, and a brief interval of decreased personal performance. It is a warning that we may be flirting with overtraining. Recovery is achieved with a reduction in training or a few extra days of rest.

4. Overtraining (overtraining syndrome, staleness, systemic overtraining) is the result of many weeks of exceeding the athlete's physiologic limits and can result in weeks or months of diminished performance - symptoms normally resolve in 6-12 weeks but may continue much longer or recur if athletes return to hard training too soon. It involves mood disturbances, muscle soreness/stiffness, and changes in blood chemistry values, hormone levels, and nocturnal urinary catecholamine excretion.

   Stress factors such as the monotony of a training program and an acute increase in training program intensity lasting more than a few days increase the risk of development of overtraining. On the other hand, heavy training loads appear to be tolerated for extensive periods of time if athletes take a rest day every week, and alternate hard and easy days of training.

   For those of you interested in more on the the basic physiology of overtraining, this paper goes into more detail on the syndrome itself, and this one suggests diagnostic approaches.

   The underlying pathology is thought to be related to autonomic nervous system imbalance and/or a problem with the endocrine system. Several findings support this thesis. During heavy endurance training or overreaching periods, the majority of studies indicate a reduced adrenal responsiveness to ACTH which is compensated by an increased pituitary ACTH release. In early overtraining syndrome, despite increased pituitary ACTH release, adrenal responsiveness continues and serum cortisol levels fall. In advanced stages of overtraining, pituitary ACTH release falls as well. In this stage, there is additional evidence of decreased intrinsic sympathetic activity and sensitivity of target organs to catecholamines - indicated by decreased catecholamine excretion during night rest, decreased beta-adrenoreceptor density, decreased beta-adrenoreceptor-mediated responses, and increased resting and exercise induced plasma norepinephrine levels.

   The role of a decrease in the responsiveness of the ACTH - cortisol axis is supported by studies that show a decrease in post ride salivary cortisol levels (the level normally rises with the stress of exercise) in overtrained athletes.

   There can be a psychological toll from overtraining. For the most part, the competitive athlete is a well-adjusted individual who demonstrates less depression, anxiety, and fatigue than nonathletic counterparts. The well-trained athlete, however, may also have a personality that is somewhat rigid, strongly goal oriented, and perfectionist. It is not unrealistic to expect that when confronted with diminished performance or success, such an athlete may be compelled to drive himself or herself harder to succeed. This can express itself in the form of depression and accompanying chronic fatigue.

5. Pathological fatigue is fatigue that cannot be explained by training volumes and is generally associated with medical conditions such as infection, neoplasia, disorders of the blood, cardiovascular, or endocrine systems, and psychologic/psychiatric disorders. Included in this grouping are the side effects of medications and "chronic fatigue syndrome" - an ill defined medical condition. A recent article has muddied the water even further by describing muscle changes from years of high volume exercise training that may be related to this entity. Another controversial possibility is iron deficiency without anemia - although this is much more common in endurance runners than cyclists.

• their training intensity
• their training frequency
• the weekly hours on the bike
• a decrease in recovery time, including recovery rides

Overreaching is common enough that a regular self assessment of the athlete's fatigue level should be part of all training programs. This is made more complicated when:

• inadequate sleep
• international travel
• personal life stresses

If overreaching is suspected, it is time for a break. Take a few days off the bike and if performance does not improve, it's may be time to take a longer break from riding, switching alternative aerobic activities to maintain aerobic fitness. Ignoring the signs risks slipping into overtraining territory and a month or two off the bike to recover.

It may the toughest part of your training, but adhering to a regular weekly rest schedule and heading back home if the legs are telling you it is not the day to push will minimize the risks of overreaching. Most trainers would include at least one and occasionally two days off the bike per weeks with an additional day of easy spinning.

WHO IS PRONE TO THE RISKS OF OVERTRAINING?

CLUES TO OVERTRAINING

• Personality/Disposition - While your personal demeanor is difficult to quantify, it appears to be the most sensitive and earliest indicator of overtraining. Anger, depression, and a decrease in your sense of well being and vigor have all been reported as signs of OT. You won't need a psychologist to help you with this one. Your family and significant others are usually the first to point these symptoms out to you.

• Resting heart rate - A resting pulse rate is taken on awakening in the morning before getting out of bed. An increase of 10% or 10 beats per minute for several days in a row is accepted by most coaches as a sign to slow down. Remember, it is the trend of your resting heart rate, taken over a period of days, that is important, not a single day's reading.

• Performance - A short, standardized time trial every week is another helpful monitoring tool, and the changes will usually be in minutes, not seconds. If you see a deterioration, take some time off or consider switching to another aerobic activity (being careful to keep your exercising heart rate below 70% of maximum). A drop of 10 beats per minute in your time trial maximum heart rate has also been used as an indicator of overtraining.

• General fatigue - Ongoing daily lethargy is a clue that it's time to slow down.

• General physical complaints - Sore throat, sore muscles, and chronic diarrhea all may indicate the chronic stress of overtraining. An increase in minor illnesses has been reported as well.

• Disruption of the normal sleep cycle - Falling asleep easily, awakening abruptly, and then feeling like you need a nap at 10 AM can reflect a change in your normal sleep cycle associated with overtraining.

• Biochemical parameters - And of course there are a myriad of biochemical parameters that have been used by coaches to identify early overtraining. These include resting and exercise cortisol levels, norepinephrine levels, and rate of lactic acid clearing after maximal exercise.

YOU NEED BALANCE IN YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM

This article supports the idea that maximizing training requires the appropriate distribution of training time over several intensity zones. Researchers compared riders based on time spent in three zones:

• Zone 1 - below aerobic threshold (where you can happily spin for hours)
• Zone 2 - between aerobic threshold and anaerobic threshold (or comfortably hard)
• Zone 3 - above anaerobic threshold (where the suffering really starts)

Those who spent most of their training time in Zones 1 and 3 instead of Zone 2 enjoyed greater gains in their anaerobic power. This strategy of alternating between easy and very hard effort and avoiding the middle is known as polarized training.

Here is another well written article on balancing training intensity, and for those interested a link to the abstract of the original scientific paper. Although these are studies on running, the CV training benefits should be quite similar for cycling (or swimming).

As you develop a training plan, remember

1. Focus your training time on both ends of the intensity scale, avoiding the middle. Adding additional long moderate miles won't provide a benefit equivalent to the time you are putting in.
2. Don't short change the benefits of rest and easy riding. If you don't allow adequate recovery (riding at lower training intensities) you will not only fail to benefit from the extra riding time but may actually be sacrificing your performance.

Now that you have the numbers, the challenge will be to keep those "slow and easy rides slow and easy. My guess is you will have to work to keep that HR down. Buried in the middle of this blog is a practical suggestion to apply the 80/20 approach to maximize improvement.

Although it is for running, the same approach of decreasing the emphasis on mileage with more focus on intensity can be applied to biking. To quote: "Don't calculate total miles per week in your diary (training log); that will encourage you to pile up junk miles and prevent you from learning how to run fast. .....Set up a program in which you

• run very fast on Wednesdays (sic - 1 interval day)
• long and brisk on Sundays (sic - a long brisk endurance ride)
• make all your other workouts easy recovery ones."

• If the riding/recovery balance is wrong (you are riding too much and recovering too little) you risk degrading on the bike performance and well as an increase in musculoskeletal aches, pains, and injuries.
• You benefit more from intensity training if you are fully recovered before you do those intervals.
• If your legs are still tired AFTER a 15 minute warm up, it is time for an easy day. If intervals were on the program, either switch gears to an easier ride or go home for another day of rest before trying again tomorrow.
• As we age our intensity/recovery balance needs to change. Experienced riders in their:
  • 20s and 30s usually can handle three or four hard training days a week with two or three easier days including two very easy recovery days.
  • 50s usually can handle two or three hard training days a week with three or four easier days including two very easy recovery days.
  • 60s and beyond usually can handle one or two hard training days a week with four or five easier days including two very easy recovery days."

HEART RATE VARIABILITY - a clue to early overtraining?

Normal values for HRV are an average of 100 msec in the first decade of life and decline by approximately 10 msec per decade lived. At age 30-40, the average is 70 msec; age 60-70, it's 40 msec; and at age 90-100, it's 10 msec.

This article includes an annecdotal report of a fall and then rapid rebound of HRV after COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations.

And an article in bicycling.com suggested it might be useful in a training program. "HRV can be very helpful in training because a higher HRV usually indicates good training readiness.....For example, if you notice your HRV is on the high end of your average, you might increase the intensity or duration of your upcoming workout. And on the flip side, if your number is dipping lower than usual not just one day but consistently, it could indicate that you've been pushing it too hard and need to dial things back. Although logic suggests HRV might play a useful role in identifying overtraining, closer study failed to show it supplied any helpful information. Below are 3 (of many).

• Nine experienced endurance athletes increased their usual amount of training by 100% within 4 weeks.  In the conditions of the present study, HRV during sleep does not seem to be a valid marker of overtraining in male endurance athletes.

• Resting HRV is largely unaffected by overreaching.

• Exhaustive endurance training for 6-9 weeks did not induce changes in intrinsic heart rate and cardiac autonomic modulation in female athletes,

CAN YOU EXERCISE TOO MUCH?

• Cardiovascular. If you are worried about the strain on your heart or cardiovascular system, the short answer is "NO". This study using accelerometer data rather than self reported interviews and questionnaires (which risk being biased.) The authors found no evidence of a threshold or plateau in an inverse association between both moderate and vigorous physical activity and a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease. Their findings suggest that physical activity is not only associated with lower risk for of CVD, but the greatest benefit is seen for those who are active at the highest level.

• Personal performance. Here the answer is a definite "YES". The risks too much training (over reaching and over training) are well established in the training literature. This study suggests the reason is mitochondrial (the ATP producing powerhouse of the cell) dysfunction.

  This is a graphic representation of the relationship between exercise volume, performance, and mitochondrial function.

  Interestingly, that degree of excessive training also affected the athlete's metabolic health, impairing their glucose tolerance. They went on to study glucose metabolism in world class endurance athletes and found it was also impaired compared with a matched control group. This suggests to me that impaired glucose metabolism may occur before physical performance is affected and (again my conclusion here) might be followed to limit training levels just below levels that risks overtraining.

• All cause mortality. Several studies have suggested that at a certain level intense training may be associated with health issues other than CV risk. One study of Harvard alumni found a lower death rate (mortality) among men expending as few as 200 Calories per week in exercise versus those leading sedentary lifestyles, but when they regularly pushed their limits with over 4000 exercise Calories per week the death rate began to rise again.

• Immune system. The maxim "if a little is good, a lot must be better" doesn't apply to the disease protective benefits of exercise. A new study indicates that intense exercise (we are talking marathon, a century ride levels) increases the odds of URTIs (upper respiratory tract infections). The average person on a moderate exercise program won't trigger these negative immune system changes but those who exercise to the extreme - cycling 300 miles per week for 6 months or 2 intensive sessions of running per day for 6 days should make an extra effort to get proper rest and recover time to maintain a robust immune system.

• Colon Cancer may be a special case. In a recent unpublished study, half of the 100 participants had non cancerous polyps on colonoscopy and 15% had the advanced type of polyp at high risk for becoming cancerous. Specialists in the field, not involved in the study, cautioned against making a specific association between running and colon cancer, especially since many younger colon cancer patients are not marathon runners. And also noted that the study lacked a control group of non-runners as well as details such as family histories of colon cancer among the participants.

  What might be happening here? While long distance running acutely elevates inflammatory markers, these changes are transient and typically resolve within days after an event. And chronic adaptations to regular endurance training actually lower resting levels of these markers, reflecting an overall anti-inflammatory effect. Epidemiological studies show that regular physical activity is associated with a lower risk of several cancers, including colon and breast cancer, likely due to its anti-inflammatory and immune modulating effects. And a meta-analysis found greater reductions in these inflammatory biomarkers with increasing intensity and duration of training.

  Colon cancer is thought to develop in a "two hit" process. The initial change (genetic or otherwise) leads to the development of abnormal, but not cancerous, clusters of cells that form small benign polyps. Then a second change occurs in these already rapidly growing cells, a "second hit"", and the uncontrolled growth that is cancer occurs.

  We know that prolong (hours) of high endurance exercise can lead to a decrease in blood flow to the colon leading to local areas of injury. And this is aggravated by dehydration and hyperthermia. This increase in polyp formation, which increases colon cancer risk, among marathon and ultramarathon runners may be explained by repeated episodes of transient colon lining injury and inflammation. Several variables can be controlled - dehydration being one. But for the moment, those pushing their physical limits with hours long, high aerobic activity events should consider themselves as having a risk factor for the development of colon cancer.

  So what is an endurance athlete to do? First, the study shows an association, not necessarily a direct cause-and-effect relationship and more research, especially with a control group, is needed to understand the "why". Researchers stress that this does not mean people should stop exercising, as regular exercise is crucial for overall health. But athletes should not dismiss warning signs like bloody stools, which could be attributed to "runner's trots" but may indicate a need for screening. And if they experience symptoms, especially extreme endurance runners, they need to speak with their doctor about screening for colon cancer.

  For those interested in additional references, a summary of OpenEvidence questions.

WHERE IS THE SWEET SPOT IF YOU ARE CYCLING TO KEEP HEALTHY?

And a few more of my take aways from that blog:

• Physical activity (at least regular vigorous walks) can lower our mortality risk by 30%.
• The first 15 minutes a day of moderate/vigorous activity equals a 15% mortality reduction with an additional four percent reduction for each additional 15 minutes of exercise a day, plateauing out at a maximum benefit with 90 minutes of aerobic activities a day.
• Just 30 minutes a day gets you 80 percent of that maximum benefit.
• Running magnifies the exercise benefit compared to walking with a 3 to 1 advantage. Just 15 - 20 minutes of running a day gets you the same maximum mortality reduction as 90 minutes of walking.
• Now that it seems we all have smart phones with step counting apps, how do total daily steps compare to minutes of focused walking or running? The maximum longevity dose of 90 minutes a day of vigorous walking is equivalent to approximately 13,500 steps per day. And the 30 minutes which gave you 80% of the maximum longevity benefit? 4500 steps per day.

How does this compare to cycling? I assumed that riding in Zone 3 would be equivalent to vigorous walking. So an average of 30 minutes a day should get you 80% of the maximum health benefit. And if you use the 30 minutes as a daily average, it would be equivalent a little less than 3 hours a week on the bike.

And if you are pushing yourself - riding near 100% VO2 max or doing intervals, a running equivalent - then an average of 10 minutes a day or an hour a week should do it.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MINIMIZE OVERTRAINING RISKS?

The most important step in preventing OT is realizing you are almost there. A good training diary is the single most important tool you have at your immediate disposal to alert you to the risk. In addition to the usual training facts such as mileage and times, it should include a daily notation on:

• resting heart rate before getting out of bed
• mood self assessment
• self assessment of level of fatigue throughout the prior day ("heavy legs")
• minor illnesses - i.e. GI upset, diarrhea, sore throat, and runny nose
• performance (time) on a weekly standardized ride done at your perceived maximum. More scientific would be measurement of oxygen consumption (down), heart rate (up), and blood lactate levels (down).

• J C Puffer and J M Shane in Clin Sports Med 1992 Apr. 11(2):327-38 reviewed the issue of chronic fatigue as it related to overtraining versus other medical diagnoses, and presented a diagnostic framework to assist in the assessment of the athlete who presents with such complaints.
• W Derman et al Journal of Sports Sciences 1997 15:341-351 also review the clinical approach to sorting out chronic fatigue in the athlete.
• G Kenatta and P Hassmen in Sports Med 1998 Jul 26(1):1-16 describe a methodology they call refer to as the total quality recovery (TQR) process. By using a TQR scale, structured around the scale developed for ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), they suggest that the recovery process can be monitored and matched against the breakdown (training) process (TQR versus RPE). The TQR scale emphasizes both the athlete's perception of recovery and the importance of active measures to improve the recovery process. Directing attention to psycho-physiological cues serves the same purpose as in RPE, i.e. increasing self-awareness. They suggest that using this tool
  • differentiates between the types of stress affecting an athlete's performance
  • identifies factors influencing an athlete's ability to adapt to physical training
  • structures the recovery process.
• From the laboratory or biochemical perspective, A C Snyder et al in Int J Sports Med 1993 Jan 14(1):29-32 proposed monitoring the ratio of blood lactate concentration to ratings of perceived exertion. They performed an incremental exercise test to maximal effort monitoring blood lactate concentration (HLa) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) for each workload. They found that at maximal workload all seven subjects had HLa:RPE ratios of less than 100 when over-reached and concluded that the ease and speed at which the HLa:RPE ratio can be determined may make it useful for coaches and athletes in monitoring intensive exercise training and recovery.
• P Pelayo et al in Eur J Appl Physiol 1996;74(1-2):107-13 reviewed measurements of blood lactate concentration both during and after a maximal anaerobic lactic test (MANLT). The percentage of mean blood lactate decrease (% [La-]recovery) between min. 3 and min. 12 of the passive recovery post-MANLT increased from week 2 to 10 with aerobic training and decreased from week 10 to 21. The lowest % [La-]recovery coincided with signs of OT, such as bad temper and increased sleeping heart rate. They concluded that the % [La-]recovery could be an efficient marker for avoiding OT in elite athletes.

WHAT IS AN IDEAL NUMBER OF RIDING DAYS A WEEK?

Following are my paraphrased excerpts from the article:

1. Three Days a Week - the majority of avid cyclists

   The ideal for the majority of people. It's a feasible commitment for individuals with lives and careers outside of cycling, and there's still time for rest and strength training. And with three rides, there's an opportunity to vary and tailor your training to your goals.

   • One of those days be a longer day on the bike where maybe you're putting in a little more distance or elevation, depending on your goals.
   • One can be an interval session that is also specific to your goals-maybe it's a little more high-intensity.
   • And the third day is zone 2 ... helping you build and maintain your base.

2. Four to Five Days a Week - competitive cyclists

   With four or five days a week, you're getting into the realm of competitive athletes. Four to five days per week is also a good sweet spot for athletes who are training for a longer event, especially if they don't have another form of aerobic conditioning.

   • Two days of intervals and
   • three days of long endurance rides.

3. Six to Seven Days a Week - the professional athlete

   Those riding six to seven days a week are professional athletes. The demand and the stress that it puts on your body is pretty extreme. If you have a full-time job or are running around after children, you probably don’t have the time to cycle every day and properly recover, particularly if you're going long or hard on those rides. Six days allows one full day off a week to recover completely. It's not just a physical recovery but mental recovery to just kind of get away from the bike.`

IN SUMMARY

• balancing training and rest
• monitoring mood, fatigue, symptoms and performance
• ensuring optimal nutrition, especially total energy and carbohydrate intake.

Overreaching is a normal part of the training/recovery cycle, but if your performance is not improving after a few days of recovery, it's time to switch to other aerobic activities which will keep you at 70% of your maximum heart rate (to maintain your level of fitness) or risk entering the zone of OT which may take a month or two to recover.

How long do you need to rest? If you have made a significant increase in your training schedule, and have been at it for 3 weeks or more, the chances are that you are entering that gray zone of overreaching. If so, recovery (and again this means keeping your general level of aerobic activity at 70% max. heart rate, not complete inactivity) takes at least 3 days and often up to several weeks as opposed to the normal recovery cycle of less than 3 days. The implication in that situation is that you may need more than 1 or 2 days of rest before a big event to perform at your personal best.

You can structure your training program to decrease the risk of overtraining. It should include at least one (and sometimes two) rest days per week as well as a day or two of easy spinning. This reflects the practical experience of coaches who have had to deal with the results of pushing too hard for too long. Increasing variation (decreasing monotony) both in your training routine from week to week (long rides, intervals) as well within individual rides has been proven to minimize training stress and decrease the risk of OT.

As in all aspects of personal training programs there is individual variability, so it is up to you to decide where to draw your own line. But remember that rest is a key part of any training program and may be the toughest training choice you'll have to make. And finally, don't forget to pay particular attention to post exercise carbohydrate replacement. Part of the fatigue of overtraining may be related to chronically inadequate muscle glycogen stores from poor post training ride dietary habits.

SEVERAL RIDERS' STORIES

"Question: I've been racing for four decades, averaging about 700 hours of training each year. But now I'm 59 and sometimes feel the motivation is just not there. I heard that a 67-year-old finished El Tour de Tucson (111 miles) in 4:51. He had significantly reduced his on-bike training to 4 days per week and lifts weights the other 3 days. Do you think I can cut back my training that way and still ride well? -- Bill S.

Coach Fred Replies: That's a great question, Bill. And because I'm 59 like you, I can provide an answer based on experience. Sometimes it's been bitter experience! I think that 700 hours of training a year may be excessive if two conditions are present:

• First, consistent intensity. If much of your mileage is done at around 75-85% of your max, it's not surprising that you feel burned out and tired. Much better: Make some training days very intense and the rest very easy. Riding at a medium-hard pace all the time spawns a sense of drudgery and mediocre performances.
• Second, consistent activity. You may fall into overtraining if you don't have a real off-season. That's defined as exchanging time on the bike for other enjoyable aerobic activities (running, hiking, snowshoeing, swimming and so on).

In general, our ability to recover from exercise decreases as we age. But studies show that we can retain most of our aerobic power as long as our training is intense. In some cases, older cyclists who ride extremely well are doing more high-intensity workouts than they did in their 20s.That seems like a contradiction. How can we train intensely if we can't recover as well? But the answer is simple: Make more time for recovery between hard workouts. Hence the 4-days-per-week riding regimen of the Arizona roadie you mentioned.

Weight training is important, too. Past age 55 we encounter sarcopenia, a fancy name for loss of muscle volume. Resistance training helps us retain enough muscle to propel us down the road later in life.

If I were you, I'd hang up the bike for a while here in the off-season and concentrate on weight training and different aerobic activities like those mentioned above. Then when you begin riding again, limit the bike to 4 days per week. On 2 of those days, do hard work (intervals or hilly rides).Make the other 2 rides very easy. Lift 2 days per week. Take one day off to rest.

Try this schedule for 6 weeks and see what happens. I bet you'll be faster and more enthused. Keep it up and you'll ride great in road races, 40K time trials and fast centuries."

And a question I received earlier this winter:

Q. Hi, I'm a sixteen-year old cyclist who has been avidly into the sport for the past fifteen months. My interest in the sport has led me to buying books and searching the web for the best information to help me push myself just that bit faster.

In the last two or three months, my resting heart rate has been gradually getting higher and higher. I used to wake up in the morning to the sound of my heart beating around fifty times each minute, but now it seems to be up around seventy. In the time that it took for my heart rate to increase like this, I haven't noticed a large reduction in my riding capacity until now. I feel as though I have improved my fitness compared to when my heart rate was twenty beats lower, yet while on a social ride with the other members of the club today, I was going along alright until someone broke away. While the bunch chased, I couldn't maintain the high pace the other riders were producing. Cyclists who I was once much faster than had to go around me as my speed kept going lower and lower. I felt as though I just could not handle the high speed I previously thrived in.

Can you explain to me what I'm doing wrong? After witnessing what happened today, I think I am crossing from over-reaching into overtraining. I still have a huge interest in the sport and I have always kept control over my distances and intensity, always managing to have rest days after hard days. It puzzles me to see my performance drop like this - LS

A. It sure sounds as if you are working too hard at getting better. Interesting what the body can do to tell you to slow down. Since it is winter, you might consider backing way down for a couple of weeks - a little spinning. Half the miles, and a little alternative work on the cross country skis. Then when you start up again, hold it to 5 days max on the bike and a couple of them long slow distance.