# Overtraining Syndrome easier to reach as we age?



## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

Is the threshold for overtraining syndrome easier to hit as we age? I've hit something that feels a lot like overtraining: heavy legs, sore/tired legs not commensurate with the previous ride, elevated resting heart rate compared to previous, general fatigue, decreased performance, easily winded on minimal effort. When I was a competitive athlete much earlier in my life these were my classic symptoms that I need to back off.

I'm not really pushing that hard. We had a mild winter so I was able to get a fair bit of riding in and not have a long layup when the snow was flying. When Spring really set in I felt like an animal on the bike and could feel my riding getting stronger by the week. Then I (metaphorically) fell of a cliff. I took it easy for a week and thought I was just in a funk. Next ride was really good, then the funk was back. I keep thinking, "push through it and stay on the bike" - that doesn't work like it used to when I was younger though. :madman:

I'm not hitting it that hard: I was riding 1x-2x per week on technical hills up to ~12 miles at a time. This spring I stepped it up to 2x-3x with the target to go to 3x-5x per week with at least one of those rides being an easy, level spin for distance rather than effort. 

My fueling, hydration, sleep are all the same as before. Again, this feels exactly like I did in my 20's and 30's when I was overdoing it (a LOT more than what I listed above) but I'm 55 now. Is it just easier to hit that gate at this age than it was before?


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

I'm 56 and agree that you can hit that threshold easier now than when we were younger, but you might want to talk to your doc just in case. The elevated resting heart rate would concern me.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

chuckha62 said:


> The elevated resting heart rate would concern me.


Thanks, we're not talking about a lot there. My resting hr a few weeks ago was in the mid/upper 50s, now it's running low 60s. Still pretty good for a Buick my age. Not huge, but notable.


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## CUP-TON (Dec 7, 2016)

I'm 54 and have noticed how much easier it is to overtrain in the last few years. Up until last year I was getting easily 50-60 miles a week of technical riding. Last season towards the end of the season I was lucky if I got 30 miles in a week. And I was beat all the time.
I love riding but it can be an issue as sometimes I ride too much.
So this year I am making a conscious effort to do longer rides with more time off in between. Whereas last season ( and previous seasons) I would ride everyday if the weather permitted.
Although it's early in the season it appears to be working. I am back up to about 60 miles per week and can manage that with usually 4 ride. 
I do keep track of my resting heart rate and only ride that day if it is within the parameters I feel comfortable with.
I have also been doing small hikes after I ride to help loosen muscles and bring my heart rate down before I get back in the car to drive home. This seems to be helping also.
It's hell getting old, but there is only one alternative..Gotta keep moving..


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

"It's hell getting old"

It's SO unfair.


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## windsurfdog (Apr 5, 2018)

Ahhh...youth is so wasted on the young...


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

I think that it's more of a need for active recovery at our age than pure over-training. 

I do think it's harder to balance the need for worthwhile workouts (ex. high intensity) with allowing for recovery.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

Crankout said:


> I think that it's more of a need for active recovery at our age than pure over-training.
> 
> I do think it's harder to balance the need for worthwhile workouts (ex. high intensity) with allowing for recovery.


Great timing on that, since I was just reading an article saying the same thing. I also tend to ride the same way all the time too in terms of terrain and intensity only varying in duration. I should mix it up some.

Thanks


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## someoldfart (Mar 14, 2013)

Absolutely. I’m 60 now and have found that one long and hard day a week is all I can do without getting over tired. I still ride nearly every day but I need more easy days and days off.


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## dymen (May 10, 2018)

Totally agree that it' true. I'm 40 something and have been training for 20 years not professionally, just for myself to keep fit, but for a couple of years I noticed some weakness after riding long distances on my bike and terrible fast heart beating. Doctors told I have high cortisol level and that leads to overtraining syndrome. I'm afraid to think what will happen in 10 years. Suppose my state can also be the result of diseases I had, but who knows. I won't give up physical activities anyway!


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

TheBaldBlur said:


> Great timing on that, since I was just reading an article saying the same thing. I also tend to ride the same way all the time too in terms of terrain and intensity only varying in duration. I should mix it up some.
> 
> Thanks


I hear you. I tell myself I'm going to moderate today's ride, etc, but typically end up going hard again.

I find it takes a conscious effort to throttle back.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

dymen said:


> Totally agree that it' true. I'm 40 something and have been training for 20 years not professionally, just for myself to keep fit, but for a couple of years I noticed some weakness after riding long distances on my bike and terrible fast heart beating. Doctors told I have high cortisol level and that leads to overtraining syndrome. I'm afraid to think what will happen in 10 years. Suppose my state can also be the result of diseases I had, but who knows. I won't give up physical activities anyway!


Cortisol is a stress hormone; why is it so high? I know that cortisol increases in response to high anxiety or extended exposure to stress.


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## Cerberus75 (Oct 20, 2015)

Statins, cialas, and lower testosterone will raise cortisol


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## Fairbanks007 (Sep 5, 2009)

dymen said:


> Totally agree that it' true. I'm 40 something and have been training for 20 years not professionally, just for myself to keep fit, but for a couple of years I noticed some weakness after riding long distances on my bike and terrible fast heart beating. Doctors told I have high cortisol level and that leads to overtraining syndrome. I'm afraid to think what will happen in 10 years. Suppose my state can also be the result of diseases I had, but who knows. I won't give up physical activities anyway!


Overtraining is a form of stress. High cortisol levels are a symptom not a cause.

One of the first symptoms of aging I noticed was that I needed more time to recover than I used to after hard efforts. This can partially be offset with better nutrition, but if you're already eating pretty well there might not be much room for improvement there.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

I hit 65 and my strength and endurance took a huge nose dive. It's ludicrous, really. I'm walking up hills I used to ride up three times in quick succession just for fun. I'm gonna keep working at it and hope it improves.


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## burbskate (May 23, 2012)

Crankout said:


> I hear you. I tell myself I'm going to moderate today's ride, etc, but typically end up going hard again.
> 
> I find it takes a conscious effort to throttle back.


Or ride/coach kids. It's a great way to still get out and ride at a slower pace. Plus it's fun and gives back to the community.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## scycllerist (Jul 31, 2017)

I took a few days off of work which is where I go to the gym. So I'm a full week without lifting. Riding and rowing every other day each feel really good without the soreness.

In a day or two I'll hit heavy dead lifts, squats and leg presses and be sore for a week.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I ride year round, the only seasonal change I make is longer rides as the days get longer. 

I don’t really notice an overtraining threshold because I’m always training.

If you’re only in “training” now , then what happens the rest of the year?


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## FKipper (Apr 2, 2010)

Hi all, I'm kinda new as far as contributing but figured I'd chime in here. I'm 63 and have always pushed hard when it comes to training and endurance. About a year and half ago it became really hard to run. It got to where I would be really winded after ashort time but I figured I just needed to work more. I went to the doc for something unrelated and ended up having a stent put in to open an artery a few days later. Bicyclists are some mentally strong and/or stubborn people. Be careful out there. After that I dropped a decent amount of cash on a great bike and got pretty consistent. I can ride medium pace a few days in a row but if I really ride hard I need 2 to 4 days off, sometimes more and I always come back feeling strong unless it's been a couple weeks. I also wear a heart monitor and my peak heat rate will vary from day to day. I don't quite understand it.


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## theycallmeE (Aug 21, 2007)

TheBaldBlur said:


> My fueling, hydration, sleep are all the same as before. Again, this feels exactly like I did in my 20's and 30's when I was overdoing it (a LOT more than what I listed above) but I'm 55 now. Is it just easier to hit that gate at this age than it was before?


As others have said, your rest, recovery, diet, shoot basically everything, has to be BETTER now. My crew used to ride hard 5-7 hours at 10K feet of altitude, party most of the night, get up the next day and do it again, and again...

Not anymore. I've found I've really got to plan my recovery (active!), efforts (balanced between intense and non), sleep, etc. to feel really strong. If I mess up, I feel it on the bike. Maybe it's good - natures way of telling us to take better care of ourselves 

I'd suggest adding in some active recovery days - walking, yoga, swimming if you like that sort of thing. Even slow spins if you can keep it slow. One big thing that has changed for me with hitting 50+ is when I don't really feel like riding, I don't. That way, when the chase is on, I'm excited about it!

Good luck and keep at it,

E


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

FKipper said:


> ...About a year and half ago it became really hard to run. It got to where I would be really winded after a short time but I figured I just needed to work more. I went to the doc for something unrelated and ended up having a stent put in to open an artery a few days later...


Sounds like me, though I haven't seen a doc yet. How did they determine you needed a stent?

A few years ago a good riding buddy keeled over and expired during a ride. He was a few years younger than me.


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## Spec44 (Aug 17, 2013)

For me, they ran a nuclear stress test (treadmill) and that showed them a couple places they wanted to look at, so a couple days later brought me in for a catheterization (camera in the arteries) and did the stent during the cath when they found the blockage.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

It's certainly easier to stress or strain something and not always fast recovery so I guess yes. 

Here the obsession is not training as much as just keep doing something I really like to do.


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## JLDickmon (Jun 4, 2018)

ddoh said:


> "It's hell getting old"
> 
> It's SO unfair.


It ain't for sissies, that's for sure..

My problem was, I forgot the adage "It's not how much trianing you can _STAND_, but how much training do you _NEED_."

Once I learned how to apply that to my rides, I learned that I don't have to go balls out ALL THE TIME.

I actually enjoy getting on my bike, hitting it at 130% for short bursts, and when I feel tired, just enjoying the day outside.

Since I applied that, I've discovered that the 800' climb to get out of the river valley and onto the plateau I live on, isn't such a big deal anymore.


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## JLDickmon (Jun 4, 2018)

Lone Rager said:


> Sounds like me, though I haven't seen a doc yet. How did they determine you needed a stent?
> 
> A few years ago a good riding buddy keeled over and expired during a ride. He was a few years younger than me.


I learned about a free study (CT angiogram) I qualified for. Risk factors, family history, undiagnosed as having coronary artery disease were the qualifiers. Study took 30 minutes. My phone rang as I got home from work that night, "Hi, this is Dr. Blah-blah, Head of Radiology at (hospital name here). You have an 85% blockage of your left anterior descending coronary artery. Do you know what a 'widowmaker' is? What cardiologist would you like me to send this scan to?"

Two weeks later, on my 50th birthday, I got my second chance. My cardiologist still can't believe I never had any chest pains. He told me a couple years later (that was in 2012), that I was six to eight months from a pine box.


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## Earthpig (Jan 23, 2004)

TheBaldBlur said:


> Is the threshold for overtraining syndrome easier to hit as we age? I've hit something that feels a lot like overtraining: heavy legs, sore/tired legs not commensurate with the previous ride, elevated resting heart rate compared to previous, general fatigue, decreased performance, easily winded on minimal effort. When I was a competitive athlete much earlier in my life these were my classic symptoms that I need to back off.
> 
> I'm not really pushing that hard. We had a mild winter so I was able to get a fair bit of riding in and not have a long layup when the snow was flying. When Spring really set in I felt like an animal on the bike and could feel my riding getting stronger by the week. Then I (metaphorically) fell of a cliff. I took it easy for a week and thought I was just in a funk. Next ride was really good, then the funk was back. I keep thinking, "push through it and stay on the bike" - that doesn't work like it used to when I was younger though. :madman:
> 
> ...


A-fib. Get tested for a-fib. ECG and a holter monitor. What you are experiencing is EXACTLY how I felt before I was diagnosed. You may have paroximal a-fib that is happening more often due to your increased riding regimen.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

Earthpig said:


> A-fib. Get tested for a-fib. ECG and a holter monitor. What you are experiencing is EXACTLY how I felt before I was diagnosed. You may have paroximal a-fib that is happening more often due to your increased riding regimen.


Thanks I was actually tested for a-fib and arterial blockage recently. No a-fib and the test technician and doctor both asked me to confirm my age before saying my arteries were remarkably clear - I said you mean for my age?, and she said no, remarkably clear PERIOD. She asked if I was a vegetarian? No; family history of heart disease? Yes. "well whatever you're doing keep at it because I don't recall seeing mid-50s arteries that look this good in a long while."

To close the loop on my own thread, I remember posting this last year and afterward I took a more attentive approach to active recovery after riding. That, or building my base miles or both, made all the difference and I've been riding more, more frequently, longer, and harder this summer than last. Still have days where I feel every hour of my age, but not as much as when I started this thread.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

The only thing i can suggest is stretch daily.
I do not push myself so i never overtrain but the achievers are notorious for their lack of stretching. All animals seems to do it.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

33red said:


> ...All animals seems to do it.


Only for a moment when they wake up, I do the same.

Recent research suggests that stretching may not be all that important or beneficial and may actually decrease physical performance. Seems it's best to stretch after exercising, but not before.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

You really have to push yourself to an extreme to hit that overtraining threshold. 

That being said, it seems reasonable to hit it as we age if we don't build in adequate R&R time.


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## Earthpig (Jan 23, 2004)

I find that it takes me longer to warm up, longer to recover, and that I require more rest days than I used to need. The years of riding 4-5 days a week, 50-60 miles per week, for 8-9 months out of the year long gone!


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## Radium (Jan 11, 2019)

I was a very strong weight lifting guy for many decades, and right now I find that initially I need to take longer to warm up before I do strength training, but so far I'd say it's a wash as to whether I can handle the same amount of sets and reps as before. Some days I feel like its so, some days, not....
I tend to err on the side of caution, though. I do not heal from injuries as fast at 66 as when I was 28. No doubt about that.

Sometimes I actually yearn for the muscle soreness, what I thought of as the "good" soreness, as opposed to injury pain. By taking it easy, I never get that soreness anymore.


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## A/C in Az (Jan 14, 2019)

It sounds like you are more out of shape than you realized and that is why you feel like you are over training. I have found that if I take a couple months off riding or working out, the comeback is longer and more difficult that when I was in my early 50's. I have come to realize that it is not an age issue, but more of an accumulative loss of muscle mass over the years. Then each year, in the spring when we try to "get back in shape" we are more out of shape than the previous springs and we suddenly notice a huge deficit in our overall physical condition and strength.


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## AvroraUsa (Aug 21, 2016)

The really bad time, I probably wasn't fully "right" again for a good 2 years after I graduated out of collegiate crew. I kept digger deeper and deeper in college because I couldn't let my team down. 

Since then it really depends. I'm now really, really good at recognizing when I'm overreaching, and can back down quick. Just a few weeks to get back. 

I try to never stop the rhythm of working out . If it's a 10-minute walk instead of a 10-mile run, or a soft-pedal on a beach cruiser instead of a 3-hour group ride, I keep doing it. For _me_, that's mostly psychological, though. I just have to. But it doesn't seem to hurt.


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