Two Wheel Blogs

I wasn't really sure I should have gotten on my bike today, but it's been a week. There was something about keeping it to a week or less. I had to give it a try.

Coming back from illness is always hard. Even if it's just a cold. I'm sure I didn't lose much fitness but it sure did feel like I did. Some people say they train through things like this. I suppose that helps them avoid that untrained feeling when they're through it. But when I'm as ill as I've been the last week it's not a matter of debate. I don't know how anyone could train through what I just went through.

Maybe I'm just a wimp. Fine. I think it's better to take the time off and use all available energies to fight it.

The price paid for time off the bike and a speedy recovery is the ride I did today - the first ride back on the bike. It's a tough one. After a week of no exercise my system had already re-calibrated comfort. A lot of what was easy two weeks ago is now painful.

I've found the key to recalibrating my system without overdoing it when I return to activity is to put that first workout on autopilot. I just ride. I push it a little once or twice, but I don't make myself suffer. I've learned the hard way that pushing it too hard risks prolonging the illness. Plus I always hurt a lot more than I think you should for the watts I made.

In all I rode for about an hour. It felt good to sweat again. It's going to feel good to sleep well again tonight. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be ready to hang fire again on the bike.