Post Ride-London has been a bit low-key; the two weeks immediately after was a case of easing off as training had been ongoing for 6 months as this was my main event. And then the latter end August into September was a family holiday, although I managed to get a few social rides in.
It’s been good to have the easier time, allowing for longer term recovery on a macro scale as opposed to 1 week in every 4 on the micro scale, as is the case with my structured training
I was interested to see how this would affect my HRV; I anticipated more ‘Go for it’ readings during my holidays due to the rest. As it happens I didn’t get a single one. But my average blue line stayed fairly consistent, until it took a dip on my return.
Shows the holiday period, very tired for the first week particularly, although sleep amounts were good due to there being more opportunity to sleep. However resting HR increased, culminating in a red reading around the middle of the holiday. This didn’t really manifest in anything so not sure what this was, HRV picked up after and HR dropped down again. I kept diet consistent with at home mostly. There is a dip in the metrics but this was a missed day for my reading.
Post-holiday there was a dip, 5 orange readings in a row, which I’ve never had, sandwiched by a red reading. As you can see from the metrics, disturbed sleep due to increased stress due to a return to work anxiety. I take it as a warning sign when the HRV reading meets the HR reading
But HRV picked up and HR dropped again leading up to a sportive I had on the 11th September. I had a ‘Go for it’ on the 10th the day before, but a ‘normal’ indication for the day of the sportive. I rode to and from it to make a longer 90 mile ride due to recent lack of miles. There was the usual HRV dip and higher activation the day after, but both were back to normal up to mid-week. I did my usual threshold session, on the 14th, the same night I came down with a cold, the first one I’ve had recorded for 12 months.
Profile;
I am a recreational athlete, who has around 5 to 8 hours a week to train (season dependant). I have a family with 2 young children and run a business. Therefore the ethos of my training is to use training principles that elicit the best results in minimal time.