Burned Out? Time to Reset.

It's been 3 weeks since Ouachita Challenge. I've had a few post that where up-beat since OC, but I've had something lingering issues. The week after OC I did 2 days of Zone 2 riding followed by back to back 3 hr days down at the Nox. A low volume, low intensity week for me. But I never got to feeling "normal." The next week I started off by hitting it hard and long. On Tuesday and Thursday I did a long hard rides (zone 4 or low zone 5) followed by group rides (3 hr total). On Wednesday I did WNW.

Saturday I did 2 hr of just riding. At this point I should of steeped back and took some time off. I was tired, bad tired. On "just riding" days I usually ride at zone 3, on this day it was Zone 1 peaking Zone 2 on hills. Then on Sunday came my Mini Burn Out. Waking-up at 5 am I was tired, very tired. My legs, my brain, everything. I pushed through my tiredness and got on my way to the trail. Less than 20 min into my drive to the trails my car started to have an issue of 5th gear poop-out. This was the last straw, I quickly turned around, drove home and slept till I awoke naturally.

After this Mini Burn Out I made a deal with myself to not touch a bike until WNW. Rain started on Monday and did not let up till Friday morning. No WNW, no early start to my Peaking Block.

Friday I went on a nice group ride with David and Kevin! We met at 6:30am and rode out to the Noxubee Refuge to do hill repeats on Bevil Hill, the biggest hill around Starkville. 100ft of climbing in 1 mile. The ride to Bevil Hill, 5 repeats, then the ride back totaled 3 hr. I finished out my ride by doing an additional 1 hr solo. A good 4 hr ride with a several hard race pace efforts.

Bevil Hill

Seen this guy more than a few times out at the Refuge

 I'm feeling good again. My Peaking Block started good and will continue up until 7 days before Syllamo 125k. The plan is to do a 4-5 hr ride every-other day (with the exception of graduation day and the day I move). What caused the Mini Burn Out? I would like to think it was the stress of graduation, moving, and searching for a job. I hope that I will be able to avoid Burn Outs once this school thing is done and I get a chance to settle down.

Tomorrow will be fun, 5hr out at Lake Lurleen!