Returning to Cycling Post COVID

[Mr Purple]

Hi All. I've been contemplating this because in my line of work I'm almost certain to get it at some time.

So when you do catch COVID, it might be worthwhile considering how to get back to things. The biggest risk is myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation) which has the potential to kill you (sudden cardiac death) if you're extremely unlucky. I've seen a few of the local fast guys on Strava get back at it pretty hard, including one with an average HR of 173bpm over a pretty gentle loop so that'd be my worry too!

The myocarditis incidence in athletes following COVID is pretty high at 2.3%.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaca ... b_5gIKoSTs

So you do probably want to take it easier. The suggested graded return to activity is this:



So you're looking at about 10 days off completely, followed by a graded return.

This is an extremely conservative recommendation, but I'd have a good long think about following it. It also gives us 10,000km+ 2022 people an idea of how many kilometres ahead to get before getting COVID!

[foo on patrol]

Yep, take note of your heart rate, because it will tell you very quickly if you're over it. I noticed one of the people that I follow and his went ballistic on an easy ride, he turned around and went home.

Foo

[ft_critical]

There is an article in the Economist about professional European soccer players that uses all the super detailed data - passes, time on ball, coverage etc - that shows the impact of COVID recovery. It is a reasonable sample size and performance remains impacted for a quite a significant period. Impact for pros being 5%+ performance decrease.

[squareznboxez]

Thank you that is a good guide for returning to activity.

[vbplease]

So you do probably want to take it easier. The suggested graded return to activity is this:



So you're looking at about 10 days off completely, followed by a graded return.

This is an extremely conservative recommendation, but I'd have a good long think about following it. It also gives us 10,000km+ 2022 people an idea of how many kilometres ahead to get before getting COVID!

I can’t see the photo…
I’m on the mend from my first bout of Covid and contemplating whether a z1 ride tmrw is a bad idea? I spent 5 days on the couch and today being the sixth day was a huge improvement which allowed me to walk the kids around the bay for a few hours symptom free..
A full 10days off the bike will difficult.. it’s amazing how much my body craves riding physically and mentally.

[Mr Purple]

Sorry, probably now redundant advice anyway.

I'd definitely give a Z1 ride a go, and if your heart rate goes crazy back off a bit.

If there was a major risk of sudden cardiac death following COVID and exercise, I'm sure we would have seen a few more than some isolated case studies by now.

[g-boaf]

I know from one high level rider who had covid, he returned to it and went too much too soon, then ended up very sick (hospital) so take the advice above, go very easy first.

[trailgumby]

Z1 should be OK. But note that I'm not a qualified medical practitioner and I'm using that "s" word.

If you have a smart trainer, I'd use that for the first session so that if anything funky happens with heart rate or other symptoms it's simply a matter of stepping off the bike to end the session and you don't have to ride back to the start.

[vbplease]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I ended up waiting an extra couple days and did my first indoor ride last night. Went ok so I did a light outdoor ride this morning. I managed to keep the HR very stable in z1for 90mins and feel great for getting some more fresh air and vit D. Will keep in z1-2 for another week

[trailgumby]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I ended up waiting an extra couple days and did my first indoor ride last night. Went ok so I did a light outdoor ride this morning. I managed to keep the HR very stable in z1for 90mins and feel great for getting some more fresh air and vit D. Will keep in z1-2 for another week

Sounds like a good plan.

And BTW, Zone 2 FTW.

[vbplease]

I've had a setback with the recovery.. I did a few z1-z2 rides and felt great. Yesterday I did a festive 500 group ride on zwift and didn't have the discipline to wind back when my HR got up.. some covid symptoms have returned including; body aches, fatigue, high temp/sweats. Will stay off the bike for a few more days now..

Boy, zwift is frustrating.. it seems like 90% of the riders like to go down a grade and then go hell for leather.. it makes the suggested pacing a total waste of time, if they're not enforced.

[trailgumby]

I've had a setback with the recovery.. I did a few z1-z2 rides and felt great. Yesterday I did a festive 500 group ride on zwift and didn't have the discipline to wind back when my HR got up.. some covid symptoms have returned including; body aches, fatigue, high temp/sweats. Will stay off the bike for a few more days now..

Bugger!

[foo on patrol]

I've had a setback with the recovery.. I did a few z1-z2 rides and felt great. Yesterday I did a festive 500 group ride on zwift and didn't have the discipline to wind back when my HR got up.. some covid symptoms have returned including; body aches, fatigue, high temp/sweats. Will stay off the bike for a few more days now..

Boy, zwift is frustrating.. it seems like 90% of the riders like to go down a grade and then go hell for leather.. it makes the suggested pacing a total waste of time, if they're not enforced.

I have made comment about watching your BPM before in this thread but people ignore it and then set themselves back further on the road to recovery.

Foo

[vbplease]

After another week down I've managed to do 2 x Z1 rides with minimal side effects.. but a days rest was required today as energy levels seemed low again. I can't believe how long this thing will keep dragging out for.. Looks like I'm staying in Z1 for a few more weeks

[foo on patrol]

After another week down I've managed to do 2 x Z1 rides with minimal side effects.. but a days rest was required today as energy levels seemed low again. I can't believe how long this thing will keep dragging out for.. Looks like I'm staying in Z1 for a few more weeks

Don't bloody rush it because the long term effects of not doing things correctly at the start will grate on you more than the inconvenience of now.

Foo

[you cannot be sirrus]

Interesting thread. I'm just returning from Covid, had light symptoms, although they have dragged on and off for weeks with -ve RATs. A PCR last week confirmed it was Covid.
Did my first Z2 Zwift ride yesterday and felt OK but my issue is getting the HR up, not keeping it down.
I regularly race or train at 170bpm but have struggled getting it over 150 recently. I guess we're all different.
Hoping the after effects don't linger, got a major event 6 weeks away.

[trailgumby]

Interesting thread. I'm just returning from Covid, had light symptoms, although they have dragged on and off for weeks with -ve RATs. A PCR last week confirmed it was Covid.
Did my first Z2 Zwift ride yesterday and felt OK but my issue is getting the HR up, not keeping it down.
I regularly race or train at 170bpm but have struggled getting it over 150 recently. I guess we're all different.
Hoping the after effects don't linger, got a major event 6 weeks away.

I would not be too worried about that. Focus on staying in Z2 for 80% of your training time for the next couple weeks to rebuild your endurance base. If your threshold is 170, then 150 may in fact be a little high for Z2 - 141 is 83% per the chart below.



And here's a pretty good video on how to do and how not to do Zone 2 sessions.

[vbplease]

Interesting thread. I'm just returning from Covid, had light symptoms, although they have dragged on and off for weeks with -ve RATs. A PCR last week confirmed it was Covid.
Did my first Z2 Zwift ride yesterday and felt OK but my issue is getting the HR up, not keeping it down.
I regularly race or train at 170bpm but have struggled getting it over 150 recently. I guess we're all different.
Hoping the after effects don't linger, got a major event 6 weeks away.

I'm no dr, but I think low HR may suggest some form of autonomic dysfunction.. Are you getting any lightheaded or dizziness when standing up/moving too quickly?

I'm getting this.. now 2 weeks off the bike (only riding Z1) with no improvement in energy levels and increased dizziness. I've accepted that I've got long covid and will likely be off the bike for months.. maybe a 3-6month recovery for me now..

[MichaelB]

I just took 3-4 weeks off the bike altogether, and just did walks on the beach with the Missus, and then riding was just short and flat, and gradually working back into it to where I am now.
Anytime where I was flat/tired, I didn't ride.

[Duck!]

Covid has nothing on Glandular Fever/Epstein Barr virus. Covid had me a bit flat for a day or two after solid rides over two or three weeks post-mild illness. Glandular fever/EB floored me for a solid two months, and more than 10 years on continues to kick me into the gutter for a few days if I push things really hard.

[trailgumby]

Covid has nothing on Glandular Fever/Epstein Barr virus. Covid had me a bit flat for a day or two after solid rides over two or three weeks post-mild illness. Glandular fever/EB floored me for a solid two months, and more than 10 years on continues to kick me into the gutter for a few days if I push things really hard.

Yeah, it's quite variable in its impacts. Possibly a genetic issue. Like you I was over it relatively fast and at worst I had a bit of fatigue for a few weeks but seem to have recovered completely.

A friend of mine, though! She's had long Covid and has been unable to work at full capacity for months.

[Jean]

Hi,

I had COVID three weeks ago, but because of other health factors, my GP promptly put me on the COVID antivirals. My household isolation was 8 days (though the worst had passed by day 3-4, which was about when I started the antivirals), which was short of my son's 10-day house record. Whether the drugs had shortened my infection is anyone's guess. I think I was rather lucky in that COVID did not seem to go to my chest much, and mostly affected my head and throat.

The GP's main motivation was not possible effects in the acute phase, but attempting to minimise the chances of medium and longer term effects.

My isolation finished on the Monday after I had the bug, and by Friday I was ready to try some light exercise, a reasonably vigorous walk for an hour. The week after, I was basically feeling fine and went for a few walks and tried a ride without any difficulties. This week I've returned to essentially my normal pre-COVID exercising, and so far I've done three rides of about an hour, with the alternating days being either a walk, or swim and sauna. Though I've lost a bit of condition in those few weeks, I feel good, and my HR and BP are fine. I'll try a slightly longer ride on Sunday.

That's one person's anecdata, naturally, and there are so many variables in the way that COVID can affect someone, but if you get the bug, think about the antivirals.

Cheers