7.11.2012

The Cost of the Royal 162

Fear.  I realize, now that it has finally gone, that the actual manifestation of the 'recovery' needed after the Royal was 'the fear'.  Six plus weeks worth of 'it'.  To be fair it certainly didn't help falling on the road, when my post slipped or when the temperature soared...  but I certainly wasn't free from "it" until the last few days.  I sometimes rode well, even had some great results and enjoyable rides but never like before.  Always I played the reacting/waiting game, never the aggressor in the way I had.  I wondered if everyone else was catching up a bit as they had more time to train.  I worried that I was over doing it.  There were moments where I lost the feeling of gathering momentum that has been building since early 2011.

I don't know for sure what I gained in the Royal or if it was worth it.

It feels good mentally to be on the attack again.  I wonder how much of this recovery has been mental.  I think it's mostly physical because mentally I'm as disappointed as the moment I realized I was to be walking.

How long does it take you to recover from ultra events?  Where is the line between normal recovery and ultra?  What makes the difference?  I know for me it lies somewhere around the 8-10 hr mark without stops for real food or in warm temperatures.  Thoughts?


3 comments:

  1. Fear a short wick and permanent burn out...

    and don't lose my rok.

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  2. Recovery is overrated. Just kickass and get the sleep you need. That's when you recover. I hear beer is good for recovery too.

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  3. I'm not concerned that by riding the last 6 weeks that I've done anything but have fun and make myself stronger... I just realize that my form is likely to be elusive after anything exceeding 10 hours or so 'on the rivet' and for quite a while. I don't have a clue how some guys do 12 hr and 100 mile mountain bike races as often as they do! Well, I guess I do. Some of them are strong enough/ride enough that they are no more on the edge of this sort of tiredness than I was on my 200 mile ride between the Ragnarok and the Royal, the others just seem to be constantly riding about like I felt the last 6 weeks. Either way- crazy tough.

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