It’s not quite the end of the world to have a week off the bike, in fact it’s quite nice. Instead of getting frustrated with motorists and the state of British roads, you can get frustrated with webservers, and the state of the British economy. It was just a little feeble cold, but enough reason not to do any training. I missed a race last Sunday, and am not sure whether to race tomorrow (10 mile Time trial, followed by double hill climb Sunday). The cold has more or less cleared up, but you still feel the odd sniffle, the odd tickle in the throat. Hardly a reason not to cycle, but I don’t like racing when not 100%. It feels just a little bit like a school kid with a really feeble sicknote from his mother trying to get out of P.E.
Of course, if you’re a real cyclist, you don’t let something like a broken collarbone, gastroenteritis or severe snow blizzard from stopping you race. Who can forget the year (1965) Jacques Aquetil won the Dauphine Libere, only to fly immediately after the finish, to make the start of Bordeaux – Paris that very same evening. No sleep, just 400+ miles through the French countryside fuelled by nothing other than strength, endurance, a fearless courage, and limitless supplies of dope.
Jacques Anquetil made it to Paris; in fact he not only made it, but won the epic race too. He later collapsed and was taken to hospital, but it was a feat that is unlikely to be ever repeated, at least not while dope tests remain with us.
Put like that, doing a 10 mile race after 7 days to recover from minor cold doesn’t sound so heroic.
whether running or cycling this weekend, enjoy the weather whilst it lasts.
Hi Tejvan.
I too was suffering from a cold last week. However, I was a little reluctant to take time off the bike in fear of losing form/fitness ahead of some key races.
Do you ever worry about taking time off the bike in case it has an effect on your form or causes weight gain?
Also, do you train based on feeling? I.e. if you don’t feel like doing hill repeats then will you just have an easy ride?
Your blog is a great read!
I did worry when I took 6 weeks off earlier in the year. But, it didn’t stop having best year on bike.
If you are ill or underweather it can be better to rest than keep training.
Though I kept riding 5 miles into town, but not really training.