Liz Randall's Cycling Blog - a life behind bars

"With ordinary talents and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable"



Wednesday 20 June 2007

Rest and Recuperation

Given that after the 5km fun run I've been creaking and groaning, its just as well that this week is a designated "rest". The run was okay..my fitness allowed me to cruise through the 5km with minimal discomfort...but my muscles are still protesting 3 days later., and it wasn't so much of the DOMS (delayed onset muscle stiffness)..more of the SOMS (sudden.....)! and fatigue...I embarrassingly fell asleep at the cinema later that evening! Anyhow the superglue that has been binding my muscle fibres together over the last few days is weakening, the groans are lessening and finally I can stand up straight again.

I've been checking out this website recently, its got a really good interview with Hunter Allen amongst others plus blogs of Aussie pros such as Cadel Evans and Brad McGee. Its worth a look.

I've given the velodrome the flick as its just too cold to venture outdoors at such an early hour...spinning in front of the TV is now on the menu.....

Next week I'll be thrashing through "threshold speed". My coach is closely monitoring my progress..recuperation is so much slower for us older athletes and consequently the need not to overtrain becomes more critical as the months pass and I get closer to my race dates.

On another topic...the Victorian racing peak body (CycleSport Victoria) is holding a Women's forum later this month in order to find ways of encouraging more women to try racing on both road and track. Currently there are so few of us that novice racers end up in the same group as the elites, which of course is extremely discouraging for the novices. I'm proud to say that along with Pip Read and Lawrence Maskill, I was instrumental in getting this going, although I'm sure it would have happened eventually, the need is so great. Hopefully some meaningful actions will be the result and I'll be able to stay proud.

3 comments:

Lawrence said...

I am really keen to investigate further training based on recovery ie how well the athlete is recovering. But.. how best to measure recovery?? resting HR isn't reliable (mine goes DOWN when unwell, not recovered, subjective assessments are useful but, well subjective. There is a methodology based on differences between HRs (resting and standing) and between beats, or something like that. Apparently Katie Mactier uses a method along these lines. The HR montoring equipment for such measurements isn't cheap, but then, neither is quality power measuring gear.... and if it works...

cryanathus said...

If you want to make your indoor cycling sessions a little more bearable, try a virtual ride dvd like the ones from Global Ride. (www.globalride.net)

They take you to a more interesting place than your living room, and make the workout go by without feeling like it was 5 days long. Check it out.

Sweet blog, btw - clearly I mean it, as I'm bothering to read ancient posts...

Liz said...

thanks mate..since this post I've bought a TACX iMagic trainer and yup, this sort of training makes my indoor sessions much easier since the boredom factor is eliminated. glad you like the blog!