An observation and a question
My OS thus far has had quite a bit of inconsistency. Sporadic running, substituted w/ some other sports, x - country skiing, indoor rowing, swimming, and lots of f-ing shoveling like many others. However, I have yet to miss a bike workout, depsite having to change up the days, go back to back, etc. Oh yeah, throw in being sick for 3 weeks in Jan.
Now, that I'm feeling better and my bike wkos have been more consistent, I noticed a trend and wondered if others have the same feeling and what you've learned to do with it.
I don't look forward to workouts (never have), and I hate getting all dolled up to get it done, but once I'm 5-10 minutes into it, I'm in a good space. If I'm feeling good, I enjoy drilling myself. If not, I still feel good once it's done. I find it's much easier to get in a groove if I'm working out consistently. IOW, in the OS, Tues/Wed/Th is a good groove. Off on Friday and it's tough to motivate for Sat, but Sun is easy to get going for, then Mon off and it's a beatch to motivate for Tues.
I'm writing this as I observed what happened to me last week. After a few consecutive days of workouts, I didn't workout out Wed/Th/Fri due to the need to remove snow and ice dams from my house. I got back at it on Sat, but again, it was really tough to get motivated, then after the wko I felt great and was able to roll into Sun, then swim last night, and hit the 2x20's on the bike tonight.
Finally the question, I know we're supposed to rest appropriately, but after rest days, even if they involve manual labor, I feel like I lose mojo. Does anyone else experience this or am I just a headcase? 
I know roadies typically do a weekly easy spin ride after a tough weekend of training and/or racing, but I've also read Rich say you're better off on the couch. I wonder if on the off days, I should try something like an easy spin or easy swim just to keep the rhythm. I also don't have to worry about recovering too much since I'm not running. Ok, I'm officially rambling.
I appreciate you taking the time to read and share your experiences.
Dave
Comments
That being said, I am a headcase as well...there was one week about 4 weeks ago that I took 4 days off straight after a solid couple weeks just because I couldn't motivate to start the routine again. But once it begins, it continues....just my two cents
And getting on this forum is usually a good kick in the a$$ to get out there
Dave first off you are a head case nothing to do with this thread though
I would agree with you on getting motivated after days off, so do something easy and listen to your body.
Good Luck
I have experienced the same problem. This is my strategy: If a rest day is upon me and I don't feel like resting I do a light workout (swim,hike etc) just to stay in the head space. If I feel I need the rest I do that 100% thinking all the while that it is a recharge so I am motivated to hit it hard the next workout session. Somehow this keeps my head in the game either way.
Maybe this will help. Good luck!
For me, since I've been come a roadie only, I can't motivate at all for any individual rides or workouts. When I trained for an IM, I used to consistently do 2-3 hour runs and 5 hour rides solo. Now I get 15 min into a solo workout and it takes every ounce of will power to get through it.
My roadie buddies do what you describe above....active recovery. Monday/Friday rides are easy 17-18 mph rides. Having said that, I think it's important to take a day off every once in a while. Our bodies and minds need it.
I never had much of an issue with the actual day off, but the next day is what killed me as, I struggled to get motivated and felt like my RPE was so much higher than it should be for the workout. Usually that first day back sucked, and then the next few days would go great.
The biggest issue is that on those rest days I would do an easy run, spin, or swim and about 20' in I would feel great and pick the pace up. Since my body is used to working hard all the time it was really hard to trully just do an easy workout on the rest days, and I think it caught up with me later.
What I realized when reviewing all my data over the last few years is that my no day off schedule worked fine for me in the OS and early season. I saw consistant improvements the entire time and set PRs in races up until about early June. However after that I think the fatigue started to catch up with me. I noticed that I had much more trouble consistantly hitting workout targets, races still went ok but I was not hitting my targets in them either, and the longer the season got the more flat my performance got in training and racing.
This OS I forced myself to take off 1 day a week (monday) no matter what. It has been tough and made me HATE tuesday morning, but I'm hopign that it will prevent me from peaking early in the season only to then plateau or decline for the rest of the season.
Training indoors alone is mentally hard and can really suck all the fun out of the air. I could do it in seasons past when I had a specific time goals (or specific person I wanted to crush) at a specific race. I don't exactly have those kinds of goals this year so I've tried to do as many workouts outside as possible which includes snowshoeing, skate skiing, and winter mtb. The OS bike trainer rides are still there, but they seem less heinous if I know I'm going outside afterward---even for a 30" run on icy trails in screw shoes.
Also, a day off from training that's spent shovelling for hours is not a day off at all. I think of shovelling as weight lifting and core work---in the very least, it's burning calories which helps the kg part of watts/kg. As my arms are skinny noodles with no muscle mass, I don't swim after shovelling but may go for an easy snowshoe or skate ski without my poles.
As for rest days vs. active recovery, if I have 3-4 consecutive days of trainer rides with intervals + long snowshoe run with hammering the hills + a weekend of skate ski flailing because the snow was just so awesome, then I'll take a day off from training and manual labor. Otherwise, I think 35-45 minutes easy snowshoe or skate ski drills or easy swim helps keep the rusty parts moving.
Hope that helps.
My Tuesdays suck b/c Monday was off and I am mentally soft.
My Thursdays suck b/c I am ready to go but then my legs remind me of how tired they are from Tuesday.
My workout life is good b/c fitness is up and I am dominating (as you surely will be soon!)
David: the only thing i can add is the seasonal depression factor. not that you are depressed, but all that cold could affect your motivation to train. if this rarely happens to you once there is no snow, etc., then consider this as the cause for your lack of motivation.
GH
P,
Would it kill ya to be less technical and put this in layman's terms????
And dominating who? The fam? Are you like Kramer in the karate dojo?
All,
I appreciate the input. I'm not suffering from lack of motivation, more just wondering the best way to keep the mojo flowing. Having others confirm the same kind of experiences with rest days helps.
Brenda, there's no doubt I NEED my outside exercise and I notice if I don't get it, my mood will suffer and I notice this more in late Nov and early Dec when I go from 100% outside to inside.
Gilberto, the only SAD symptoms I have are from my roof leaking into my newly remodeled kitchen.
However, I do appreciate the input.
Bob, I hear ya, even on my days off, I want/need to do something. When I was in college and my life consisted of rowing, school, and working, I longed for the days of being lazy. I did that for a couple of years after college. Fat and lazy is what I got.
Kitboo, insightful and funny as always. Thanks.
Matt, I was thinking of you when I wrote this. Although were in different stratospheres, I can totally appreciate your view on the off days. Thank you. Very helpful.
Larry, nice to see you still in da haus. Thanks for chiming in. Still no running, huh? Going back to Leadville?
Martin, Jen, Beth, thanks. It's a constant learning process.
Steve, I'm going to inflict some pain on you next time I see you on the road.
Bill and Mike, thanks, sound advice.
Lauren, that's one of my fears, take a day or two because I need it, or am I being lazy. Such a delicate balance.
As for your questioning weather you're lazy; let me put it this way: I've never met a lazy person that self-described themselves as lazy. Pardon the double negative; I can't find any other way to put it.
Perhaps the dumbest suggestion yet, but maybe get a Happy Light?
(They have them at Costco--I got it for $50.) You and I had this discussion about how we NEED to be outside. A day off with time outside makes the next day SO much better and keeps the mojo flowing. A nice snowshoe with the sun above can work wonders. Failing that, sitting in front of a broad spectrum light, can really help. First thing in the morning fire that up even if you're just sitting on the computer can start things firing in a good way. The time here in NE that we can get outside in that sunshine with the cold snap on our faces is limited right now.
I just got one two weeks ago, and it certainly adds some pleasant wake-up feelings in the morning. I don't have SAD, but it's about staying in the flow in the winter. I like it.
http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/fullSpectrum/abstract.asp
The second page summed up the reason why I didn't buy one. However, anything that makes waking up feel more pleasant has to be a good thing!