Coming back after illness

[Gowest]

Any of you racers taken time off the bike and been frustrated regaining your form? I was racing and having some success when I became ill and took over a year off the bike. I am returning to form slowly and it is frustrating because some things are just not coming back at the same rate. I have always been a strong time trialist and do well on rolling and flat terrain - that is good - but I am having trouble regaining my climbing skills. It is not my cardio that is limiting me but my leg strength - which was never an issue climbing before - it was always the cardio that got me. When I am climbing something steep I feel as if I am just torquing the heck out of my cranks and am not "on top of my gear" at times.

I am not sure I will return to racing - but I would like to be able feel that "zip" again. Any suggestions?? Hill repeats? Change my gearing? (using a compact and a 26 now)

[SheFly]

Not sure I have any suggestions for you, but I do empathize. I was off the bike late last fall with an injury, and have been mentally off the bike for awhile (although not physically, but it is still sort of the same, actually). My racing this year has suffered, and I feel like I am going completely backwards. Any hills, and I am done. Even my TT is suffering.

Keep at it - that's what I'm trying to do! Can you find someone with whom you can train? That may help...

Keep me posted. Love to hear how you are progressing.

SheFly

[limewave]

I completely understand! I took over a year off when I had DS. I tried riding last summer and I was so slow and fatigued. I couldn't keep up with people I used to leave in my dust.

I did a lot of conditioning over the winter: Intervals, plyometrics, core strength training (mostly plank, side-plank), and a ton of lunges and isometric squats. It's made an unbelievable difference. I'm a stronger cyclist than I've ever been.

Hang in there, mix-it-up. It will come back. It just takes time.

[ehirsch83]

This year has not been my year! I crashed the very last weekend in September and fractured my hip and elbow, with a wrong diagnosis on the hip.. It took me 3 months to be healed so I could do more then spin on the trainer with no arm contact and no resistance to the hip. So when everyone else was starting intervals, I was in base season.

Then I went up to SC to race in April and I got caught in a crash and ended up with a horrible concussion that took me off the bike for 2 weeks, just as I was starting to be on top of my game.

Then I got myself back and training a ton, I went to Maryland for a month for work and all I did was work and train. Sometimes I was on the bike twice a day.

I should of been in awesome shape coming back home to race, but every race I did for the past 3 weeks was horrible- some were DNFs(lungs would seize up, all of a sudden not be able to breathe...)

Turns out I got Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease from a tick bite in Maryland.
So I just took another 2 weeks off and get to start back easy tomorrow.
THis was supposed to be my year to go from a 3-2 and ride strong and race well! Instead I am fighting to keep what fitness I have

Its hard to get it back, especially when everyone else has been training year round! I am hoping to be in shape enough to race well in our fall series.

I have also been frustrated like you because things have not come back easily- climbing(the little climbs we have at races in central fl) is hard for me. I used to just go right up, but now that hasn't been the case. I think it is a mix of the hip injury and that one of the last races with hills I also had undiagnosed lymes and RMSF, so my breathing shut down and my muscles were super sore.
but I do know how you feel and feel free to PM any time if you want someone to vent to about things!

Lime-glad to hear you came back stronger with all of that work- you have motivated me to do extra work to have the same results!

[OakLeaf]

Oh man Emily, I guess I missed some of all that. I'm so sorry the year has been so rough for you!

No advice, but hugs to you all. Hang in there, keep your eye on the goal, try not to do too much too soon, you'll get there.

[Crankin]

I am not a racer, but I had similar issues, stemming from 3 years ago, when I was "supposedly" diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I say supposedly, because that's what my doc decided when he couldn't figure out anything else. I've always been susceptible to over training, so I am used to watching my energy level, etc. Otherwise, it's a series of endless little illnesses that will knock me out for a long time. Or, it turns into pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.
After not really riding at all from September to December 2007, I started the 2008 season with high hopes. But, I found my average was at least 2-3 mph slower than it had been and things that weren't hard for me before, were really hard. It wasn't every time I rode, but sometimes, even a 15 mile ride would cause a "reaction" and I wouldn't be able to ride for a few days. That all started making me feel psychologically worse, like OK, I am just getting old. I still rode faster than my "slow" friends, but it didn't make me feel better.
In 2009, I pretty much stopped looking at my computer, for average. I concerned myself with miles. I rode my hybrid a lot, doing farm stand errands. I still rode over 2500 miles last year, but mentally I had a better attitude. I also spent all of last summer doing yoga/meditation and when winter came, I did a lot of x country skiing, challenging myself with that.
I have found that this year, I seem to have my "mojo" back. My average is close to where it was in 2007, but I still ride slowly, on purpose, at least 1-2 days a week. The other days, I do intervals, or try to keep up with DH. I know that a lot of this is in my head, so that's an aspect you have to consider. Be kind to yourself!