# Help me figure out whats wrong!!



## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

I came off my best year ever last year and I lost my job in Oct. So I spent 3 months unemployed and riding every day. I was putting 150 miles a week in till the end of Jan. Then I got a job and I had to start getting up at 3:30 in the morning. I was second shift at my last job and I use to ride in the morning. So I took 2 weeks off the bike for the new job and tried to adapt to getting up in the morning. Now I am putting in 10 hour days and working 6 days a week. So here is the problem I have not been able to be constant at all with the riding between the weather and me just not wanting to ride after working 10 hours. Last week was the first time I could get 3 days in a row on the bike and it went really bad. On Thursday I boonked really bad with an hour and 1100 ft of climbing to get home. By the time I got home I almost fell over when I got off the bike. I took Friday off and then tried to ride Saturday and I felt just off no power. Did a short mountain bike ride Sunday and still nothing. I have felt like I have nothing for weeks now. I am not recovering at all between rides and I haven't really ramped up the intensity yet. I have my first race of the season on the 20th a 30 mile mountain bike race. I am afrade this season is going to be a disaster if I can't figure out how to get use to being up so early.


----------



## Carverbiker (Mar 6, 2013)

I hear your frustration, you are not alone. If you look into the training racing nutrition tri section there is a thread about greatest training limiter and most responses are time. Family and work commitments are real and unless you make your living doing this ( you don't) something will have to give. Sounds like you are over trained. Since you are new at the job I am sure plenty of extra demands as you are geting acclimated all adds stress to the nervous system just the same as training and such so you are going to have to lower your expectations short term. Rest is the only cure.

Going forward, try the HIIT approach to maintain the solid fitness you built up during your sabatical or Time Crunched Cyclist as it is geared towards max fit - min time. The idea is less volume more intensity until you can get enough time to train.


----------



## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

Thanx I will check them out. Its so frustrating right now. It feels like my season is shot before it ever started. The plan was to go Cat1 this year and race nationals. But that's over and now I just want to save myself for the big series up in Winter Park Co. and my local mountain and crit series. I was really hopping to get my feet wet in the cat1 races this year before I turn masters next year.


----------



## woodys737 (Dec 31, 2005)

I can empathize. But 6 10's is brutal. I say get a new job. Or nap at work. Ear plugs and sleep masks will help. Screw the man.


----------



## CoachTJCormier (Sep 16, 2011)

That type of work schedule is very hard on your body. When I was in construction I often worked 12 hour days or had long drives to job sites. Adding trying to train to the mix makes it worse at some point somethings got to give and it's going to be you.
I think the first thing to look at is are you getting enough sleep? If not you won't recover. Nutrition is another thing to check you can't run a high performance engine on cheep gas. Look at your training maybe your trying to do too much. Start small and work up. Too many athletes in your shoes don't have a plan when they go out to train,and by the time they figure what they should do they've used up their time resources. I've seen it lots of times . The Hiit approach may work but it is only a short term fix, you'll gain some fitness but it's not long lasting and won't leave you on solid ground for other events down the road.
Take a step back and maybe rethink your goals,hire a coach even if it's just for a consultation. You can train on this type of schedule but you have to be very organized and careful as you can dig a big hole fast. Which you may have already done,I suspect that it's more mental burn out then over training.
Good luck


----------



## tlg (May 11, 2011)

pulser955 said:


> Help me figure out whats wrong!!


That's simple. It's your work schedule.
How to fix what's wrong? New work schedule.

Is riding to work an option? It's a good way to get extra time on the bike without impacting your schedule too much. For me, it's a 1/2hr car ride to work. On the bike it's 1hr. So riding to work get's me 2hrs on the bike but only adds 1hr to my day.


----------



## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Carverbiker said:


> Sounds like you are over trained.


A better term for him (and most other people) is "under-rested" - whether it be from training, stress & worry of not training or work; it's all the same. The candle can't be burned at both ends and something has to go and Pulser has to decide which one it is.

If it was me I'd forget about being in race condition and just ride for the pleasure of riding whenever possible. It would bring a whole new perspective. As I tell my daughter, and I'm almost always right - "things happen for a reason and usually it's a good reason".


----------



## Carverbiker (Mar 6, 2013)

Mike T. said:


> A better term for him (and most other people) is "under-rested" - whether it be from training, stress & worry of not training or work; it's all the same. The candle can't be burned at both ends and something has to go and Pulser has to decide which one it is.
> 
> If it was me I'd forget about being in race condition and just ride for the pleasure of riding whenever possible. It would bring a whole new perspective. As I tell my daughter, and I'm almost always right - "things happen for a reason and usually it's a good reason".


I agree with your semantics! And may offer up my own, over-stressed!


----------



## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Carverbiker said:


> I agree with your semantics! And may offer up my own, over-stressed!


I hear ya. I think "over-training" is a bad term as people like the Original Poster could say "Huh I'm hardly riding at all so how can I be over-trained?" Over-stressed is a good one as that really takes in all the stresses of life which do add to any training load. My fave though is "under-rested" as, IMO, bike riders can link the idea to their own lifestyle of riding, working, family life.


----------



## Carverbiker (Mar 6, 2013)

Mike T. said:


> I hear ya. I think "over-training" is a bad term as people like the Original Poster could say "Huh I'm hardly riding at all so how can I be over-trained?" Over-stressed is a good one as that really takes in all the stresses of life which do add to any training load. My fave though is "under-rested" as, IMO, bike riders can link the idea to their own lifestyle of riding, working, family life.


I think you convinced me, I am going to add "under-rested" to my vocabulary.  Takes away the doubt. Hopefully we helped out the OP.


----------



## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

Under-rested is probably the best way describe my situation I am always tired. I went to second shift at my last job becasue I could never get use to getting up so early. Right now I can't do that so I am forced to work this crazy schedule. I am looking for a new job and I have been thinking about moving to find more opportunity.


----------



## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

CoachTJCormier said:


> That type of work schedule is very hard on your body. When I was in construction I often worked 12 hour days or had long drives to job sites. Adding trying to train to the mix makes it worse at some point somethings got to give and it's going to be you.
> I think the first thing to look at is are you getting enough sleep? If not you won't recover. Nutrition is another thing to check you can't run a high performance engine on cheep gas. Look at your training maybe your trying to do too much. Start small and work up. Too many athletes in your shoes don't have a plan when they go out to train,and by the time they figure what they should do they've used up their time resources. I've seen it lots of times . The Hiit approach may work but it is only a short term fix, you'll gain some fitness but it's not long lasting and won't leave you on solid ground for other events down the road.
> Take a step back and maybe rethink your goals,hire a coach even if it's just for a consultation. You can train on this type of schedule but you have to be very organized and careful as you can dig a big hole fast. Which you may have already done,I suspect that it's more mental burn out then over training.
> Good luck


Thanx I would love to get a coach but its out of the question at the moment. My pay is so bad I have to work all the crazy hours just to pay the bills. If they came to me tomorrow and told me I could just work 5-8s I would have to find a second job.


----------



## homebrewevolver (Jul 21, 2012)

why would anyone work that much for any amount of money. not worth throwing your life away for


----------



## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

homebrewevolver said:


> why would anyone work that much for any amount of money. not worth throwing your life away for


Because I got laid off and this was the only job I could find and I took a $5 hour pay cut.


----------



## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

homebrewevolver said:


> why would anyone work that much for any amount of money. not worth throwing your life away for


So your option to earn a wage, pay bills, and stand on your own is to do what?


----------



## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

pulser955 said:


> Because I got laid off and this was the only job I could find and I took a $5 hour pay cut.


Keep working, I applaud your efforts, it's seemingly rare to see anyone with a work ethic these days.


----------



## multirider (Nov 5, 2007)

Not being able to get used to a new (earlier) work schedule is typically due to not getting to bed early enough. I've been through that a few times - work day shifted earlier, I kept staying up till "normal" bed time of 11pm, after a week or two I was exhausted all the time. 6x10 is a tough schedule, but like others, I applaud you and simply encourage you to get to bed earlier. Sleep is critical for all aspects of life - intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual. Not possible to function on less than 7-ish hours of sleep for most people. I really need 8 at a minimum, 8.5 is optimal.

Riding to work would be a great option if you can swing it.


----------



## Cbookman (Jul 2, 2009)

I feel your pain, as I am in a similar situation. Get to sleep earlier, you should see an improvement in a week or two.


----------



## Schneiderguy (Jan 9, 2005)

Mike T. said:


> I hear ya. I think "over-training" is a bad term as people like the Original Poster could say "Huh I'm hardly riding at all so how can I be over-trained?" Over-stressed is a good one as that really takes in all the stresses of life which do add to any training load. My fave though is "under-rested" as, IMO, bike riders can link the idea to their own lifestyle of riding, working, family life.


I agree with Mike T-over-stressed, under-rested. Forget the fitness for racing and ride as you have time without stressing yourself out about "training". Life will change; it always does and at some point you will have the opportunity to "train" without being oover-stressed or under-rested. Have fun, enjoy what riding you can do. Get a trainer and do some intervals if you feel like it.


----------

