Biking to work, overtraining?

[Syringer]

My car's currently been in the shop for a few weeks, so I've been bringing the bike to commute to work.

The ride is about 9 miles each way, and it takes me 40-45 minutes each way. I've gone on 40 mile rides before so the distance isn't that much of an issue, but wearing a backpack, doing it with the temps rising, and riding in the morning and post-work when I'm probably most tired, certainly takes its strain on me.

In essence then I'm doing two 45 minute sessions of moderate-intense cardio daily, and while the first two weeks or so were fine, I'm kind of feeling out of it the past 2 days.

I have a pretty intense runny nose, my eyes feel pretty dry and my body is aching.

What I can't tell is if it's allergies, or overtraining symptoms. Are there any specific signs/indications of each?

 

[iluvdeal]

The nose and eye issues definitely sound allergy related, the symptoms came on strong for me this week as well due to the pollen levels. Take a claritin or zyrtec to see if that improves things.

 

[bobsmith1492]

18 miles a day, 5 days a week should not be a problem. Ease off on the speed if you need to but 12MPH doesn't sound like you're pushing it too much. Are you on a road bike or mountain bike?

 

[Syringer]

It's a road bike, with a few moderate climbs but I'm usually in a mid gear or higher. The nose/eyes are a sign of allergies, but there's body aches/fatigue associated with it too. Hopefully the weekend will rest me up.

 

[BlackTigers]

Just eat some carbs or something before you go.

overtraining issues solve.d

 

[MiniDoom]

not a problem, i did 25 miles round trip for one year and raced the weekends. sounds like nutrition and maybe allergy too. you need to eat a lot, and better food helps.

 

[Syringer]

Any recs for what to eat in the morning? I usually just rush out the door and eat some milk/cereal once I get to work.

 

[MiniDoom]

granola bars, fruit. I love apples cause you don't need to peel them and eat while you bike then just chuck the core.

 

[jaedaliu]

granola bars, fruit. I love apples cause you don't need to peel them and eat while you bike then just chuck the core.

You mean place the core in a wastebasket when you're next to a bus stop.

Good for you, biking to work. Wish it wasn't so dangerous to bike on the streets in southern Cali.

 

[MiniDoom]

You mean place the core in a wastebasket when you're next to a bus stop.

Good for you, biking to work. Wish it wasn't so dangerous to bike on the streets in southern Cali.

are you being serious? an apple core's not trash. do you go around picking the ones that fell from trees and put them in a trash can? out of respect, i don't throw them on peoples yards.

 

[Syringer]

You mean place the core in a wastebasket when you're next to a bus stop.

Good for you, biking to work. Wish it wasn't so dangerous to bike on the streets in southern Cali.

Where in Socal are you from? I'm in SD and it's great.

 

[GoSharks]

are you being serious? an apple core's not trash. do you go around picking the ones that fell from trees and put them in a trash can? out of respect, i don't throw them on peoples yards.

An apple core sitting in the gutter is absolutely trash.

 

[crt1530]

I have a pretty intense runny nose, my eyes feel pretty dry and my body is aching.

Sounds like you were bitten by a spider. You should seek medical attention.

 

[MiniDoom]

An apple core sitting in the gutter is absolutely trash.

i don't know, my commute takes though some very rural areas and I don't see how throwing an apple core which is organic material and decomposes very rapidly is "littering". I also throw them in a field or brush and not a gutter. I think the resources you waste transporting the apple core to the dump via trash truck is more harmful to the environment than putting them where nature intended.

 

[WolverineGator]

The signs for physical overtraining can be subtle. On a day you don't ride and you walk up a flight of stairs, do your legs feel fatigued? What about the following day? "Body is aching" is too vague to evaluate. How is it aching? Blisters? Tendon pain? Muscle pain? Muscle fatigue?