So I've been contemplating in my head about how hard is too hard or if there is even such a thing as going too hard during the hard workout in a training plan. Every so often, my legs will feel great on the bike during a day that has planned tempo sections. On these days, I can really kill it and I have done this each time. Doing this trashes my legs and makes the next hard workout during the week "slower". I mean effort is still hard but the pace just isn't that fast because the legs are still fatigued. So I keep wondering if I went too hard during the previous workout? Am I helping my adaption or hurting it?
I usually chalked up the "fatigue I suck" feeling to just a bad day and "I'm superman" to a good day but maybe there's something more to it. I have had these days in running, biking and even in my limited swimming experience. It seems I have more of the "I suck" type of workouts than the "Superman" ones. In most cases, the "I suck" workouts times are really close to the just a run of the mill hard workout. The Superman times are ungodly and I dream of having those legs or arms during a race.
Like during the Ironman(see I can still mention it every so often just to remind everyone that yes I am an Ironman), I had one of those Superman swims. I mean I felt great during the swim especially the 2nd half. The first 6 miles of the run I was feeling pretty good. Actually the first 11 miles were good just the headwind slowed my times down. The bike was just normal no real superman feeling there.
I'll see how my hard ride today goes since I had a "Superman" ride on Monday. Let's hope for the best.
Oh yeah, who out there like me has to work til 80 now that their 401k has gone belly up? Yeah, for overpaying loser CEOs at these financial institutions for their great performance and lending money to anyone. How is this our fault? Why are we paying for private industry screwups? So sad...but I guess if the investors(same group of folks as these) aren't happy the companies that they would invest in can't get stuff done.
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uh...80? dude, c'mon. the market is cyclical. at some point people will start overpaying for stufff again, then we will be fine. if anything, now is the time to pump MORE into stocks because we can get them cheap and they will artificially inflate before we retire. Just sayin'
ReplyDeleteThere IS a too hard. From what I've discovered, is that your hard work outs should be damned hard, but you should feel like you could go just a little bit further... only in a race situation do you lay it all out on the table.
ReplyDeleteAfter that, go EXTREMELY easy for a few days. It's not a matter of "I suck", it's a matter of recovery. Going crazy hard then crazy easy. But if you don't go easy, you won't be rested up for your next big effort, and there is NO REASON to go hard on tired legs. All it does it slow down the recovery process. It's hard, but you have to be flexible with your schedule (easier for a single sport athlete, I know).
Comment #1: Anyone with more than 10 years till retirement is gonna be fine and the money you're putting into 401K the last several weeks will pay off big time.
ReplyDeleteComment #2: Muscle fatigue and soreness is a combination of lactic acid buildup and microscopic tears in muscle tissue, both of which need recovery time to dissapate/heal. It is in the resting phase that muscle is actually strengthened, so give them time to build! (think of the dozers in fraggle rock... wait till they are done building the structure before you eat it!) :o)
So, yes, I agree with Kristin that you CAN go too hard, and her advice is spot on. Save it for the big ones!
-Jen
(at least the stock stuff is what I keep telling myself... either that or Maddie's going to Lane Community College). ;o)
ReplyDelete-Jen