Fatigue or Plateau
I am at the end of a long OS. I am definitley feeling some fatigue and look forward to some transition time before starting my HIM training. I am starting to struggle a bit with holding the longer FTP intervals and was wondering if this is the beginning of digging a hole or if this is a normal phase after making some progress.
I have read what I could find in the forum archives and most of the advice is to stand-down a bit to ensure that one doesn't push over that edge. I am definitely backing down a bit but wanted to know if there is a point in training where most hit a plateau for a while before breaking through again, if it is simply an overtraining issue, or if it is simply an individual thing.
0
Comments
Training is often a series of plateaus. As I understand the science of exercise physiology, the body will adapt to a specific type of exercise over a 3-4 month period, and then not be able to improve again unless the types of stresses are changed. The inability to improve after a period of time may be due as much to muscles and other organ systems becoming accustomed to the stress as it is to actual fatigue.
In each new training cycle, the measures of perfromance will be different. In the OS, we are training for higher intensity performance, and so FTP/TP and VO2/IP are the measures we use to see if we are improving. Moving into an IM training phase will require both different stresses (longer, steady work with longish bursts of somewhat more intense work), and different ways to measure success. So your FTP and you running VDOT may not increase during IM training, as you are working on different things. But you will get just as "fatigued" towards the end!
David,
I had lots of fatigue for the last 3-4 weeks in last years OS (I'm not at week 16 yet this year). I did not see an improvment on my week 20 test but after a two week transition and a couple weeks on the IM plan saw another bump (some due to moving out doors). Backing down is good and remember that the bike workouts ask for 95-100%. if your not feeling it go for the 95% then break up the FTP to smaller chunks 4X10 etc. Similarly on the run will ease off and just get in the main set, take out a repeat or just leave out a brick run if really tired.
Gordon
@Gordon - Thanks for the advice and experience. Luckily I am at the end of the OS and can take a few weeks off. Hopefully I can see another bump like you saw.