was off cycling/mountain walking for 2 weeks with real head cold that really got me down and low and shitty. Felt really crap and weak. Didn’t want to do anything at all. and felt that I’d have to build up my strength/fitness all over again over weeks to get to where I want to be to do a 5 day cycle tour in a week or so.

but one long day on the bike and a good solid storming day up the mountains and I feel super strong again!! where did that come from! I thought I knew how my body works, but it can be quite deceptive, or is it a mind thing?…

Only when I’m on PCP…

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00-3t5kE_QM[/video]

maybe I was just buzzin on being outdoors in the sunshine and having free will!
Thanks for putting me in my place Kayak23..

All part of the STW service.

Bringing people down to earth since 1999*

*Apart from TJ, who gets fired off in the other direction.

A couple or three pints does it for me.

I dunno what it is. but if you feel good, got to go with it right?!

It’s the rest. I always feel really fit and power up the hills ahead of the group after I’ve had a forced week off (normally after a crash 🙄 )

This morning I’m feeling strong because I’ve had a message saying I’m banned… but I’m here!

It’s a myth that you lose fitness in a few weeks, believed by many.

In fact a rest can help you recover and make you fresher.

Do I ever feel freakily powerful and strong?
Frequently but I am rapid cycling bipolar (and no, that doesn’t mean we both get there very quickly by bike although it is is bit funny, even after all this time).

EVERYDAY……….MORTAL

I always feel freakily powerful until I hit uphills. They’re like my kryptonite.

In fact a rest can help you recover and make you fresher

There is truth here.

I always feel freakily powerful until I hit uphills. They’re like my kryptonite

You too eh?

It works both ways IME. Sometimes I surprise myself with unexpected energy/strength, and sometimes I’m bitterly disappointed by my lack of performance. Often it’s in complete contradiction to what I expected. According to my GP it’s all very normal and common, and there is often absolutely no logical explanation. Although in your case, as suggested, I suspect that rest played an important part.

Having said that, I can’t remember what programme I saw on the telly last week, but they did a experiment where a doctor had one of his arms put in a plaster cast for a week (there was nothing wrong with his arm) After a week the cast was removed and he had apparently lost an inch in the circumference of his arm because of muscle loss due to immobility. Although I did find some aspects of the experiment rather unscientific.

In fact a rest can help you recover and make you fresher

which is why in the last few weeks of a training program you do less and less, to enable to the body to rest and reap the benefits of the last few months hard work.

I actually feel fitter, stronger and healthier now I’ve started doing yoga three times a week and off road riding once a week at the w/ends. I’ve just come back from a 24mile cross country ride, completed in 2hr10min. It’s the first time I’ve ridden over 20miles since last October and I’m sat here just having had lunch feeling perfectly fine. I could quite easily do another ten miles, but I’ll save that for another day! 😉

but they did a experiment where a doctor had one of his arms put in a plaster cast for a week

i had this done for my leg to stop me moving my knee to rest them for 3 weeks
It took about 2 months to get full knee mobility back even after such a short time and you could still see the muscle size difference about a year later
It did not cure my sore knee either.

After a week the cast was removed and he had apparently lost an inch in the circumference of his arm because of muscle loss due to immobility. Although I did find some aspects of the experiment rather unscientific.

Like the fact that they measured at different points, one was tighter than the other and the “test” was not performed before the cast so no cross comparison was possible with an un-affected arm (everyone has one arm weaker than the other anyway!). Pseudo-scientific crap.

Think it was Jonny Dawes (climber) who once said he peaked for about 4 hours every year and when he did it was spretty pecial. It’s just knowing when its coming. Think I can remember about 3 occasions when I either climbed or ran completely out of my skin. Awesome feeling. I’m convinced it’s a mindset rather them a physical conditioning thing, but my mind is my weakness and we’re all different.

the “test” was not performed before the cast so no cross comparison was possible with an un-affected arm (everyone has one arm weaker than the other anyway!)

Yeah that. Now I’m no scientist but I was surprised that a pair of doctors would ignore that glaring omission.

Which is a shame because I’m sure there is a case to be made that there is a degree of muscle loss after a relatively short period of inactivity. Although I was under the impression that it was about 3 weeks before it became noticeable/significant.

it’s called a tailwind.

my ‘pre-ride/run-prep’ varies.

but the corner stones remain: a jam sandwich – with extra jam, and a large espresso, and letting it settle for about 90mins.

roughly 20mins into my run/ride, i feel epic!

this lasts for about 10mins.

Yeh a few bevvies does it for me, Two can Van Damme ! 😳

One days 100% health is very many days indeed.