Rest days

[tez001]

In the past few months, Ive been commuting into work 4-5 days per week, plus get out on the weekend on some longer rides.
From a recovery perspective, would it be wise to have a day or two off during the week?

My daily commutes are about 13km in each direction and sometimes i take a slightly longer route home, however its more for commuting, meaning that the ride to and from work is mostly just at a leisurely pace (except for some CCR )

[simonn]

In short, yes.

[lobstermash]

You should get a HRM and see what intensity your 'leisurely pace' is. If you're asking the question as to whether you're doing too much, chances are you're going harder than you think. There's no reason you can't ride 7 days a week if you get your intensity mix right.

[RonK]

A 13 km ride is barely a warmup. I can't see any need to have rest days.

[KGB]

I agree, especially since you say its mostly leisurely pace. No need for rest days until youre doing 250-300+km per week in my opinion.

[CKinnard]

depends on your age, sleep quality, personal and work stress, work type (physical or office), medical history, general vitality.
if you've been feeling flattish for more than 2-3 days, it means something.

[simonn]

if you've been feeling flattish for more than 2-3 days, it means something.

+1

26km a day is 130km/week, +100km at the weekend. 230km without much of a break

For 4-5 years I used to commute a hilly ~250km/week and ride at the weekend. I can no longer commute and the odd thing is that I ride less, ~150km with the occasional ~300km/week and do more gym and running etc, but the riding I do now is more intense. I am now measurably fitter and faster. I incorporate rest days (and weeks every 8-10 or so - go for a walk instead of a run, stretch instead of lift etc) and don't have that flat feeling I constantly had before.

It's not so much the distance, it is the lack of rest which is when muscle is repaired and built.

Then again I'd be C grade at best, so take this for what it is - a bloke on t'net.

[tez001]

I dont feel flattish after a few days and there are no other warning signs so I'll continue. Recently, I've been riding about 250-300 per week.

[rusty842]

i use to ride 20kms each way for work. found out pretty quick that friday i didnt ride to work. Made me feel a lot better. I would suggest give up one day monday wed or friday for a month and see how you feel

[Storm Boy]

I commute daily around 140 km/week plus a hills ride on Saturday morning of 30-70km. Sundays I'll normally have off, my (40 Y/O) body is definitely happier with a day off a week.

Regards,

SB

[diventare]

I commute daily around 140 km/week plus a hills ride on Saturday morning of 30-70km. Sundays I'll normally have off, my (40 Y/O) body is definitely happier with a day off a week.

Regards,


SB

Pretty much the same routine for me and I'm 58. Sunday off is pretty helpful to me.

[gabrielle260]

I dont feel flattish after a few days and there are no other warning signs so I'll continue. Recently, I've been riding about 250-300 per week.

I'd also review your eating and drinking pattern. Your tiredness could relate to diet - not just pushing the distance/intensity equation.
Andrew

[tez001]

Thanks for the tips. I daresay the times I do feel flat, its from lack of sleep, staying up and alcohol the previous night

[tomee]

i found having a rest day and a good long nights sleep made a difference

[Rex]

I commute every day plus the occasional smashfest bunch ride before work and cover 300-400 a week. I don't ride on the weekends and even still I wouldnt be able to make it to friday if I didn't have the odd very slow recovery ride home.
I've also modified my diet this year - far less snacky junk and more protein & salads - feel so much better than I did when all I ate last year was carb, carbs carbs and actually rode less.

[kenwstr]

I was doing some reading on exercise routines and recovery. It was written from an endurance perspective. It made the point that recovery is not simply rest but necessitates stimulating circulation through activity since circulation supplies the necessary nutrients for recovery (tissue repair). So workout days and recovery days both require activity. The difference is the intensity of the activity. Recovery requires that the the intensity be relatively lite below lactate threshold. Definitely avoid anaerobic activity levels on recovery days, no sprinting. It explains that optimum anaerobic capacity is a factor of the event duration you are training for. High anaerobic capacity is detrimental to long endurance performance though some is needed to provide fuel for aerobic endurance (it is possible to be below this). The shorter the event duration, the higher anaerobic capacity is required to fuel higher rates of energy output. Anaerobic capacity is increased by exceeding lactate threshold for short periods within a longer activity just below lactate threshold. If you require more than 1-2 day recovery intervals between training days, your over training so 3 training days per week is about max and optimum.

Regards
Ken