D.C.O.R

As most cyclists know, rest and recovery is very important. And the more you do on the bike, the more R&R you will probably need........which can make things difficult! It can be a fine line between becoming faster, stronger and fitter, and doing yourself more harm than good. The characteristics of over-training are probably known to many of you, but for those who are not aware, you should look out for the following:

* Slow recovery
* Unexplained loss of performance
* Heavy, stiff or sore muscles
* Mood swings or irritability
* Loss of energy, drive & appetite
* Disturbed sleep
* Chronic injury or infection

It's difficult though - some of the above can result from the everyday 9 'till 5 drag, and what you actually need is to get out on your bike! But, it's wise to bear in mind that over-training is easily done and to keep a check on how you feel in general. For those cyclists who don't compete, it really is better to take a few days, or even a week or so, off every now and then to ensure your cycling doesn't bring you down, as opposed to up! Remember, you are cycling for enjoyment and to keep fit. For racing cyclists, most know very well the importance of R&R.

Where the line becomes less fine is when obvious injury/pain strikes - here, you should definitely employ D.C.O.R (explanation to follow). For cyclists, pain/injury is likely to be muscle or tendon damage, and knees are often a problem. Unlike runners, fractures and other "impact related" injuries are, barring a fall from the bike, very unliklely. Serious endurance runners, particularly fell runners, are a very hardy type. An excellent read on the world of fell running is Richard Askwith's, "Feet in the Clouds - a Story of Fell Running and Obsession". It's a very entertaining book; amusing, well-written and full of stories of very tough runners, running incredibly hard routes in mind-boggling times! Well worth getting hold of a copy if you're into endurance sports. The notion of C.O.R is examined in the book. Essentially, this is the mindset of some fell runners when it comes to pain/injury - Carry On Regardless. How many actually adhere to it when an injury occurs one cannot say, but some certainly do, or have done. And in some ways they have to - the challenges they undertake sometimes require it if they wish to succeed. But, in general, and for my fellow cyclists, I would advise against it. Obvious pain is your body telling you that something is wrong and you should stop doing whatever you are doing, rest and seek medical attention if required. That said, "pain" should not be confused with, for example, the feeling that your heart is going to burst through your chest on a particularly nasty, long climb on the bike (excluding the possibility that you are actually having a heart attack! Let's hope not!), or your lactic acid filled legs screaming at you for mercy. This is just part and parcel of becoming a fit cyclist. Should real pain/injury ever strike, you will know the difference and it if does, D.C.O.R - Don't Carry On Regardless!

Wishing you an injury free lifetime of cycling.

Yours

TPR