Include Sufficient Rest
Scheduling recovery time can be difficult for motivated cyclists. The reality is, your body needs time off in order for it to adapt to the training demands placed upon it. Continually stressing your body day after day without scheduled recovery won't make you a faster rider.
To see the most benefits from your training, hard blocks of training should always be followed by a period of rest. Include at least one complete rest day every 7 to 10 days, and make sure that your recovery rides are at recovery intensity.
Listen to Your Body
As you increase your training load, it's normal to have some soreness and fatigue. If you have significant soreness the day after a ride, and you're lacking the energy for a high quality workout, this is an indication that you're not adapting well to the training. Take a rest day, decrease your training load, and be more conservative in your weekly increases.
More: How to Tell When You're Overtraining
Take Care of Yourself
There are many variables that factor into training success. A healthy, balanced diet that is filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein will give your body the vital nutrients it needs.
Additionally, adequate sleep is necessary to give your body the time it needs to repair the muscle damage that occurs during training. As your training load increases, the hours you sleep will need to be increased as well.
The weather this time of year is great for cycling. The start of the race season has everyone motivated and excited. Don't set yourself back by overtraining before the season begins. The negative long-term effects of injury or illness aren't worth the risk. Get out and ride, but train smart. Your race results will reflect it.
More: 22 Nutrition Tips to Help Cyclists Recover From Overtraining
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