HOW TO FEND OFF FATIGUE
Along with general fitness, careful forethought and planning will let you ride for longer than ever, says Dr Shaun Phillips
Last month we looked at just how complex fatigue is, and how it’s brought on by a host of interrelated factors including the individual rider, the environment, and the specific demands of the activity. Those factors change from ride to ride, but we can still use them to develop a roadmap to stave off fatigue for as long as possible.
Before we look at this roadmap though, it’s useful to look at the research into the physical determinants of successful mountain biking performance. However, please remember that fatigue should be considered an individual thing, so ensure you apply research findings to yourself with caution.
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Research into mountain biking has increased rapidly in the last 10 years or so, perhaps in line with the increased popularity of our sport. Some of this research has focused on understanding the physical factors that contribute the most to mountain biking performance. Most of this work has been done on XC riders, but other disciplines are starting to receive more attention. For elite level XC riders, the power output and oxygen consumption (VO2) attainable at the respiratory compensation point (RCP; also termed anaerobic threshold, although they’re not quite the same thing) was the biggest performance determinant (1). In a slightly lower standard of competitive peak power output (PPO) relative to body mass
(e.g. watts per kilo) was the biggest determinant (2). Recent research in Olympic XC riders found that maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) relative to body mass, fatigue profile during a 30-second sprint, and average and PPO during a repeated sprint test together explained 98 per cent of the difference in performance between riders.
Confused? In a nutshell, this research suggests that if you want to become
a better (XC) rider, you should aim to improve at least the above variables. The findings also reinforce the range of demands that mountain biking places on us, from high strength and power through to high aerobic capacity. Along with the roadmap, consider these variables as likely factors driving your experiences of fatigue.
ROADMAP OF FATIGUE
The next step is to figure out just how to apply that knowledge in real life situations. You can do that in two main ways: 1) To help you identify the factors most likely to limit your performance in a single ride (short roadmap), and 2) To help guide your training in order to improve performance over the long term (long roadmap). Please note that the roadmap examples only focus on the specifics of the example situations; other general “good practice” factors such as good nutrition, appropriate sleep etc are assumed.
SHORT ROADMAP EXAMPLE
SITUATION In two days you are doing a training ride on a challenging route you know well, comprised mainly of singletrack with steep undulations but minimal obstacles. Over the last month you have missed a lot of riding due to work commitments and a cold. It will also be raining over the route in the days prior to your ride, but warm and dry on the day.
IDENTIFICATION OF FATIGUE FACTORS ■ Individual factors (IF): some loss of fitness due to less riding and illness (A). Climbs may feel harder, but so may the descents due to the need to control the bike and stabilise the body (B).
■ Environment factors (EF): route will be wet, slippery, and muddy, requiring greater physical demand to control the bike (A). Combined with high ambient temperature, overall a greater physical challenge is expected (B).
■ Activity factors (AF): Higher cadence with less force, therefore faster and more frequent muscle contractions, likely required due to under-wheel conditions (A). More energy will be required to generate the same forward movement (riding will be less efficient) due to continual loss of traction in the wet and mud (B).
RESPONSE Begin the ride at a lower intensity to gauge how it feels and increase the chance of successful completion (IFA; EFA and B). Reduce effort on the climbs to improve traction and efficiency, and make some of this time up on the descents if possible (IFB; EFA; AFA and B).
LONG ROADMAP EXAMPLE
SITUATION You made some strong gains in your overall cross-country performance during a six month period of endurance training, but now you notice your performance has plateaued.
IDENTIFICATION OF FATIGUE FACTORS ■ Individual factors (IF): You’ve been healthy throughout the training period, with only a minor hamstring issue that prevented very hard climbs (A).
■ Environment factors (EF): Weather and terrain have been ideal. Routes have included only mild undulations (A).
■ Activity factors (AF): The previous six months of training has focused on endurance work, meaning low to medium-force, slow muscle contractions (A) and long, continuous, riding requiring moderate cardiovascular demands (B).
RESPONSE Your previous training block has improved base endurance at the expense of anaerobic conditioning and muscle strength/power, leaving you only able to maintain a low intensity of climbing. Your cardiovascular and muscular systems are vulnerable to fatigue here; if you try to push climbs you’ll blow up quickly (IFA, EFA, AFA, B, and C). Use your aerobic base as a springboard into more intensive training.
A little knowledge of fatigue and the physical requirements of mountain biking can help you make real-world decisions to reduce the effects of fatigue. This could be better distribution of effort in higher and lower “fatigue risk” portions of a ride, facilitating better overall performance, or identifying specific training requirements. The examples are hopefully easy to follow, but in real life this process could range from very simple to extremely complicated, depending on your situation. You may already use this type of roadmap approach naturally in your life as a mountain biker, but if not this article gives insight into how you can be more mindful about your experience of fatigue, and apply it to improve your riding.