After the fifth cold/virus in the last four months, I'm struggling to shake off a feeling of low energy from the last one. I've got the Mawddach Challenge at CyB next weekend, and I've hardly done any training for it. Usually I'm buzzing about an upcoming event, but can't get my mojo working. Anyone else feeling the same? And yes, I do intend to MTFU (by forcing myself to do a 2 hour singlespeed ride tonight).

(by forcing myself to do a 2 hour singlespeed ride tonight).

ride a proper bike 🙂

Lol, the singlespeed is a winter training bike. Don't worry, I'll be on my full sus for next weekend's race: Mawddach Goldrush Challenge

Lots of sleep, VitC and iron. Ride enough to keep your eye in and go out and have fun while racing! No point otherwise.

Maybe you should ease up on the challenges – doesnt sound like too good an idea to do it if you are still trying to get over a virus. Some of us do just ride for a bit of fun you know, that's what biking is about for me. Chill out, get yourself better, just do some light riding but enjoy it! You can always do another challenge next year.

Riding while you are ill is generally considered not to be a good idea, bar the internet-hard-men MTFU brigade.

I've been the same this year, had about three or four separate bugs – all of which seemed to hang around for a week and wrecked my riding plans, leaving me completely unprepared for the last Brass Monkeys race.

But I turned up and did it anyway, and felt stronger and rode faster than in either of the previous two rounds.

Don't MTFU too much though. I've ill again this week and I'm sure it's because I overdid it a bit in the Lakes last weekend.

quit work and sleep all day so your'll recover quicker

I got hit with 3 viral colds at the begining of last year. Like the 'hard' man I thought I was I kept riding through them…….until I finished up with post viral fatigue syndrome. Weak as a kitten and off the bike for 12 (that's twelve) weeks. GP did his nut with me for being stupid. Post viral colds -nowt(exercise) for a full week AFTER symptoms go then gradually get back up to usual intensity over the following 2 – 4 weeks.
MTFU? Hah!

There's also "sudden adult death syndrome" to worry about.

There's also "sudden adult death syndrome" to worry about.

surely that is a total release from worry ? If it happens, it happens 🙂 Several former collegues or those of friends, younger than me have just died this way, and it seems better than hanging around into gibbering senescence

hello

I wouldnt race if it were me – I got hit with PVFS / CFS after a bad viral flu- I lost 4/5 mths worth of life /energy – I am still slowly regaining my fitness even now – post viral fatigue is absolutely horrid – you lose your energy / get depressed / get sick all the time and you cannot exercise and you keep making yourself worse…

take care of yourself and dont MTFU. Seriously.

paul

I wouldnt race if it were me – I got hit with PVFS / CFS after a bad viral flu- I lost 4/5 mths worth of life /energy – I am still slowly regaining my fitness even now – post viral fatigue is absolutely horrid – you lose your energy / get depressed / get sick all the time and you cannot exercise and you keep making yourself worse…

Yup.

I did the Megavalanche when I wasn't feeling hugely well to start with – got what felt like a bad cold a few weeks later and have never recovered since. 🙁

I feel it mostly up but sometimes have down time regarding MTB – it'll prob come back after a break and if/when some nice weather comes 🙂 I just go out on my road bike if its really crap and soggy of I don't have teh enthusiam 🙂

Take time out from it – for many reasons I took most of last year out and only touched the bike for family rides.

I'm now getting back out on the bike again, and just enjoying riding – no challenges, no goals – just riding!

Forcing yourself to do ride when you're de-motivated isn't going to help matters.

jim – i'd recommend you taking a rest

i have a mtb'ing mate at work who is complaining of similar thing, he had the flu at xmas and since then three bad colds and currently has a chest infection, but he won't give it a break for a few weeks and keeps getting ill

If you have a virus that keeps coming back – and maybe this is what you have – going out for 2hrs in the wind and rain is only going to make it worse.
The Goldrush is just the old RedBull three times and some of it backwards (well, it was in its inaugrial year), so can mostly be ridden any old day of the week so don't beat yourself up over it.
Get your body over the worse as it sounds like you're run down and your immune system is weak. Doing the ride and the race is not going to help in any meaningful way.

VitC, liquid Echineacia (?) and high doses of Zinc do seem to make a difference.

I have been ill since the New Year and have recently had 3 cold/flu types viruses in the last 3-4 weeks. No sooner do I seem to be getting over the effects of one then I am hit a couple of days later with another. Just got back from the health food shop with loads of VitC and Zinc.

Don't think I have ever felt so weak and fatigued from doing nothing and finding the energy to get to work for a full week is proving very difficult. Starting to think I may have PVFS/CFS.

I haven't ridden since Christmas and can't see me riding until we are well into Spring.

going out for 2hrs in the wind and rain is only going to make it worse.

is that even true ? On those rare occasions I have a blocked nose, going out in the chilly air makes it run much more freely and I can breathe more easily/ I think indoor dust exacerbates the blockage.