So I would say I was generally as fit as your average office working mountain biker, when going is good and commitments allow. I would be night riding every week, gym once a week for weights and the weekend riding 1-2 times a month. I do find I build much more fitness in the summer months as many of us do, I arn't naturally fit and sporty I have to work at it, and equally I have to exercise to maintain my weight.

So last year Sept / Oct time I had done some good riding, mainly on a night and got faster than previous years, and also backed by a solid year in the gym. So I decided to try and up my game during the winter, this is mainly in the form of lunchtime runs at work, anything from 3-6 miles currently and usually 3-4 times a week. However just as I start to progress I end up getting ill, since January I have had 3 colds and sinusitus. The general advice seems to be I am trying to do to much, I haven't lost much weight, I am eating more in order to maintain energy. So what can I do, I am getting really frustrated with it all now. Especially all these lazy folk around me who arn't ill all the time.

Any suggestions or tips welcomed.

Either you've just been unlucky or you're overtraining which supresses your immune system.

I get exactly the same thing and I explain it as follows…..

Sometimes I can put it down to overtraining, maybe that 4th day in a row is pushing it too far. Also this winter was by far the coldest in a while so on days where it was really cold I would go slower than usual so i wasn't freezing my lungs in the cold air.

In theory someone who is training actually has a better immune system but if you aren't listening to your body and running it down then you are depressing it and will pick up the bugs (also there have been a lot more bugs around this year it seems).
Through the winter you need to be careful. Are you taking rest weeks? Its easy to get culmative fatigue.
Sleep and rest is as important as the exercise you do.

Another thing is eating. Make sure you get 250-400 calories in your system almost immediately after a run/bike. You are giving your body what it needs, when it needs it.

I have picked up a few more 'bugs' than normal as I am training hard /12-16hrs a week)and its a balance between getting fitter and staying healthy/not overtraining. Staying healthy is the MOST important part though.

Oh and supplements. Only thing I have noticed is Fish Oil (Omega 3's). Amazing how much sharper I feel (and I really mean that).

Good luck

+1 to all of the above. My will to train is much greater than my ability to recover from training. Which sucks. Lots.

All I've done to get round it is ride every other day, take two days off if I get tired and crucially think of my rest day as training – active recovery is a good mindset to get into, as is training hard and resting harder. I use my resting heart rate as a good indicator of being tired too, along with disturbed sleeping patterns. If I get run down or fatigued I know that as I get a slightly sore throat – time to ease down for me then.

Vitamins and supplements help – Cherry Active helps loads for recovery as will protein shakes. I hate to say it but cutting down on the merlot helps lots too. That's the hardest bit for me 🙂

Merlot is better than Beer though 😉

I had no colds in 2009, then 3 in quick succession at the start of the year. Mleh, it's just the weather, you could drive yourself mad trying to rationalize it.

I haven't lost much weight, I am eating more in order to maintain energy.

Are you trying to loose weight? If yes, then you know the answer I'm sure. If not then don't worry about it.

I am eating more in order to maintain energy.

Thats the excuse I use too 😉

No illness all last year and then flu and colds etc through Jan – all exercise of any description ground to a halt. What they said ^^^^ focus on rest and health first and foremost. If being inactive is too much switch to yoga or something else that helps you build strength and flexibility etc, and build back up gradually. E.g if you can't run at lunchtime – walk instead for a mile or so – lots of other benefits from that. If you try and train when you'll ill or under par it just kills your enthusiasm – or it does for me at least. Look at your diet, make sure you are getting enough vits/mins and eating well to help your body recover and to account for doing less aerobic activity. Get well, stay well. 😀

This last winter I honestly thought sod it and more or less gave up exercise other than walking and climbing. Still alive, just with skinny legs. Will be back on the bike when it's warmer.

or you're overtraining which supresses your immune system

Yay! Vindication for just dicking about having fun on my bike :o)

[edit] 3 times a week all year round, obviously 🙂

Flaperon – Member

This last winter I honestly thought sod it and more or less gave up exercise other than walking and climbing. Still alive, just with skinny legs. Will be back on the bike when it's warmer.
Did just the opposite. Trained hard but made sure I got some rest days in. Had a couple of minor colds so took it easy for a couple of days. Have never felt fitter,stronger or healthier

Its a delicate balance really. As you increase your training effort you will becom efatigued and post training your immune system is supressed for a while (hours). Advice above all relevant. I always work on the principle i'd rather be lsightly underdone and 100% well than overcooked and broken. I've done the latter and gave myself a nice 9 month layoff with glandular fever which was annoying. I also always say that the training benefit comes from the rest, not the training itself 🙂

If i were you i would try and eat more vitamin C as well, its the one that helps the immune system IIRC? might be Vitamin D… or B…. screw it, eat more vitamins.

@NZCol "efatigued" isnt that when you spend to much time on the "internet" 8)

running 6 miles at lunchtime, 4 days a week (out of 5 presumably?) in the coldest winter for years, and you get a few colds. I'm surprised you lasted this long frankly.

As soon as you get an early warning (sore throat, mouth ulcer, cold sore, totally tired in morning) then back off. For several days if need be.

And you probably need to eat more vegtables.

Last year I trained hard (too hard) over winter and got successions of colds and stopped for days on end to recover. Thi year did more hours but really cut the intensity back and found I recovered fine for next session. I have had no colds at all this year either. I am also much fitter…got within 20s of my all time best cwm carn lap time Sunday despite never training hard.

Based on my experience just cut back the effort and you may find you recover better and resist illness more and get fitter.

But generally you should feel super human* whilst training and not knackered.

*mostly