Rest Days?

[Catrin]

I would like to know how other women approach rest days, especially older women. If I had my way about it I would ride almost every day it wasn't raining, but I've reluctantly come to accept that is just too much unless I want to go from one over-use injury to the next. I do have some events I want to ride in this year, as well as increasing my mtb skills. I do, however, have to be more intentional about the combination of riding and rest days.

Last week I rode 105 miles, more than I did the entire rainy month of April (the week before last I rode an entire 22 miles because I'd tweaked my hamstring and IT band or Sartorius). Not the best way to build my base but it felt pretty good most of the week. I took a day off the bike between the rides...until Friday that is Weekends don't count Monday my legs were pure toast so I took it off, last night I hit the gym to give my legs something different today, and tomorrow I've a tandem ride planned (as stoker) so took tonight off so I will have fresh legs tomorrow. I will likely ride Thursday through Saturday anyway so riding tonight wasn't a great idea.

I am not trying to over-think this, at least I hope not, but I do need to develop a stronger routine regarding rest and riding days or I will revert to old habits. It would be helpful to know how other women approach this. It is a fine line between proper rest and training to improve and a little bird told me we need a bit more recovery time at 50+...

[maillotpois]

I'm under 50, and ride a lot longer distances than you do, but I have found rest days - and even rest months, where I'm riding less, but still riding - to be absolutely critical to both performance and sanity. It is logical: you break down muscle tissue while training, and recovery is the time when it heals itself and the muscle gets stronger.

Unlike when I was running, the only sort of overuse injury I have had cycling I will simply refer to as "a@@ thetans" wherein my sit bones develop an almost funny bone like response to pressure. Those developed twice, both after lots of sustained training and long rides. I backed off a bit, and they left of their own accord.

[ny biker]

Well I have never wanted to ride my bike every day. But my general approach to exercise is to do something 4-5 days per week, depending on my schedule, the weather, etc., and alternate difficult workouts with easier ones.

In general, my schedule is:

Monday: weight training
Tuesday: walk for an hour or day off
Wednesday: hilly bike ride, 60-90 minutes
Thursday: weight training
Friday: walk for an hour or day off
Saturday or Sunday: long bike ride
Other weekend day: run errands, get stuff done, etc, maybe go for a walk.

Years ago I used to go to the gym 5-6 days per week, but even then I would alternate difficult days with easy ones and always have at least one day off.

So I would say that if you want to ride your bike that much, plan ahead to make some of the rides easy.

I generally know at the beginning of each week what my activities will be on each day, with allowances for switching things up if the weather is bad on certain days (and for days like today, when I cancelled my hilly ride due to a combination of sleep deprivation, a stressful day at work leaving my brain mushy and a huge rainstorm that left the roads full of big puddles). Since you've already had a problem because you worked out for 12 days in a row without realizing it until the pain kicked in, I'd say it would be helpful for you to plan out each week in advance so you don't overdo it.

[Catrin]

Good advice, both of you, and NY Biker, that is what I am trying to do, think ahead and make plans for riding/exercise/rest days. I never set out to over-do things but the week passes so quickly... I am under a lot of stress right now which does make me more prone to working out too much as exercise is my primary form of stress relief.

I really don't want to ride "every day", it just feels like that right now because the warm weather is finally settling in. I think my body would be more forgiving if I hadn't spent 49.5 of my 52 years on the couch...but things are improving. I cannot complain when I look at the things I can do now - which I once would have never thought possible.

I do try to alternate hard rides with easy rides when I ride consecutive days, but sometimes that is easier said than done. I need to be more strict with myself on this. I probably would have taken an easy spin tonight if my quads weren't sore from the gym last night, so am kind of proud of myself that I took it off Speaking of which, time to stretch now.

[SadieKate]

I'm currently still in winter running mode (yeah, I know I said I was retiring from running 2 years ago but I'm supporting a friend who couldn't run with me for my bucket list half last year). Whatever, long story, I won't switch to riding mode for another couple weeks.

Monday - run about an hour, try to find some hills, keep it mixed up with both terrain and intensity.
Tuesday - strength
Wednesday - run with the LRS group because they'll push me out of my comfort zone
Thursday - spin in the morning and strength train with the same coach in the afternoon
Friday - OFF, completely, seriously OFF!
Saturday - long run
Sunday - strength train and then go fishing (which for us could mean a lot of hiking)

I can't think of anything I want to do every day that wouldn't cause mental and physical burnout. Oh, and I'm 52 . . . chronologically.

[malkin]

Tossing in a play ride every now and then works for me.

Casual, ride around the neighborhood. Stop at garage sales, chat up the neighbors, stop for a beer, check out the clearance table at the store, see if there are any local (non)events happening...stuff like that. Maybe don't even look like a real cyclist.

[Crankin]

I have to stop running during this time of the year, so I don't get an injury from doing too much. I have a 5K on June 2nd. After that, no running until the late fall. It's either that, or quit the boot camp/core classes I go to and I am not doing that, since I paid for the gym through November.
So, after the 2nd, my schedule will look like:
Monday: boot camp and walk 2 miles/ride 5-6 miles with client
Tuesday: rest or easy 10 mile ride in the early AM
Wednesday: medium ride (20-35 miles) or sometimes a short ride, lots of hills or intervals. If it rains, I run or go to spin or step class
Thursday: circuit training class
Friday: medium ride, usually at an easy pace
Weekends, usually one long ride 30-60 miles and one short ride, sometimes it's a ride to breakfast or farmer's market.
I also don't stick to this schedule strictly. I may just take a rest day on a Friday if I have a lot of errands, etc. I also sometimes go canoeing or hiking on one of the weekend days.

[solobiker]

I have a very hard time with taking a "rest" day. I know I should....I just don't..maybe once every month or so. ( I guess this is my addiction ) I just love to move/exercise so much.

On weekends I usually do something pretty long up in the mountains..long hikes/climb, mtn bike, or a long run. Weekdays it is riding my spin bike and weights or running. I have the best intention of resting but by the time I get home I change my mind and go out and do something. I have noticed that the older I have gotten the slower I recover. I am in my early 40s.

[ny biker]

The older I get, the easier it is to say, never mind, I'll workout tomorrow instead.

Everything in moderation...

[nscrbug]

I too, don't think I would want to ride my bike everyday. I have a fairly short attention span, so doing one thing for consecutive days in a row tends to bore me. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE to ride...just not every single day of my life. On that note, I DO some form of exercise nearly every single day...be it going to the gym, riding my bike, swimming (in summer months), sometimes it might be a combination of several things in one day...all depends on how I'm feeling that day. So I guess I don't really take very many "rest days". I actually refer to my rest days as more of an "active" rest day...in that I'll dial the intensity down a bit on certain days.

Linda

[Catrin]

In the past I've swung between trying to take two rest days a week - either two full or one active and one full, to taking one when my legs ask for it. Obviously the latter is a bad idea... During the recent 12 days of exercise I DID mix up both activity and intensity level - it wasn't all riding.

I think the following is reasonable as a guideline - at least as a start. Obviously weather, schedule, and fatigue will have input on this.

M: full rest day. NO exercise. Period
T: gym (weights or metabolic training)
Wed: easy ride or easy mtb
Th: gym (weights or metabolic training)
F: bike commute
S: long ride or MTB
S: medium ride/MTB or hike

I greatly appreciate the discussion and examples, it is helpful. Part of my problem is I don't typically get sore until I've tweaked an old injury or have a new one...outside of deadlifting if I've not done that in a long time.

I really like the idea of a play ride, but there isn't much of a chance for this unless I take my bike somewhere else...I would love to be able just to get out and ride to little ethnic food shops or something like that, but there isn't a real option for that unless I am willing to make it a long ride day. I live where I do because I've easy riding access to country roads, and it works well for that.

[Norse]

Similar to what the others have said. I will add that I generally walk every day for 20-60 minutes (1/2 hour is average), regardless of whether I am also biking that day. 2-4 times/week, instead of biking (road or indoor intervals) I will do some combination of: strength training, core work-out and/or yoga - even if it's only for 10 or 15 minutes. I find that my body lets me know when I have been biking too much and not giving it enough of what else it needs. For example, my lower back will get sore after a ride if I have neglected my core too long and my hip flexors cry "uncle" when the yoga is neglected.

[goldfinch]

I have not been methodical about rest days and planning my activity. Now my issue is weather. It rained yesterday. It is pouring today. Yesterday was a defacto rest day due to rain. Today is off the bike too. However, I did my morning walk with friends and relatives that I do when I am "up nort." That is a two mile, fairly brisk walk they do six days a week, and then everyone breakfasts together. Rain, snow, bitter cold, they walk. The only thing that stops a walk is a major blizzard or close lightning.

No gym nearby so after today's walk I did some exercises, including leg lifts, calf raises, and pushups.

Tomorrow should be a ride day because less chance of rain. The next two days thereafter it is supposed to rain again. I'll probably do core exercises on one of those days.

Too many rest days lately because too much rain and too much travel.

When the weather is nice I end up with too many riding days and hurt myself, like I did with my foot overuse injury.

[Irulan]

I have noticed that the older I have gotten the slower I recover. I am in my early 40s.

Don't you just hate this?
I've found that eating for recovery after any long workout or strenuous day is critical. I'm 51.5. The guidelines i follow are to have some carbohydrate and protein within 30 minutes post workout, and then to make sure I get another meal or mini-meal about two hours later, focusing on complex carbs and lean protein. For post workout, sometimes I opt for a bottle of Recoverite by Hammer, and sometimes I do it with something an orange and Mrs. Mays nut bar. This is really critical on the hard days.... we (DH and I) started really paying attention to recovery eating because we were having
"exercise hangover" issues after a hard day of all day mountain biking or powder skiing. It's helped immensely.

[Jo-n-NY]

I am processo of my 300 days of cycling for 2012 challenge. I had made a sub challange that the first 100 would be consecutive. I fulfilled the sub challenge but it was hard and I don't think I would do it againl. Since weather is not always on my side here on Long Island the first 100 days were mostly trainer miles. That 7th day broke the camels back. I did make easy days in there where I used an easy resistance.

I am sure I will fulfill the rest of the challange of 200 days until the end of the year. I can miss 7 days a month but so far 4-5 days seems to be working ok. I am glad to have that rest day.

I was not sure if I would burn my legs out by the time the "cycling" season rolled around, but I am probably stronger than I have ever been. Climbing hills 3 days of the week seems almost effortless.

I will complete my challenge this year, but I will think of something else next year, motivating but not as commiting.