COVID & Bike Fitness

Assuming you're talking about coming back from a Covid-19 infection, there are a few things to consider. First, it can take weeks or even months for your lungs to recover from the virus entirely. This will obviously impact your endurance and ability to ride at full intensity. Second, even if you're otherwise healthy, the stress of having had the virus can take a toll on your body and make it harder to recover from workouts. For example, I use https://behemothlabz.com/product/mk-677-ibutamoren-liquid, which helps me to recover faster. Finally, it's possible that you picked up some bad habits during your time off from riding (e.g., eating junk food, not exercising, etc.), which can also impact your fitness.

I think a lot had to do with your strain you contracted.

I was fine, I still worked from home, in essence just a little bit sick. I've had worse hangovers (omicron strain) I was riding a week later like nothing had happened.

A good buddy of mine had the delta strain about 6 months prior, he is only getting back to full strength now about 11 months on! He was absolutely floored and useless on a bike for months, he is a fit dude too.

I suspect, with no medical training and knowledge, that if it gets into your lungs (ie coughing and shit) it takes longer.

Two close riding buddies are a wreck months after contracting Covid. They just can't really pedal their bikes any longer and bail out about 1/3 of the way into our 'usual' rides npw.

I had a mild case of Covid and it really didn't affect me after a 2 week recovery.

Glad to see I am not the only one. Thanks for sharing.

I have not felt myself in a long time after finishing the Colorado trail race and getting crushed by giardia a week after in Aug 2021, then Covid in Feb 2022 (followed by multiple other illnesses and shoulder dislocations later this year, fun!). Heart palpitations after giardia which have continued until now. Then after Covid I have felt very similar issues as you Jeff. I live at 7,000 ft, am an endurance MTB racer, and regularly ride/hike/climb at 10-14.5k. I've always had strong/healthy lungs and I have never struggled at altitude; I have always been able to try as hard as I could to stay on the bike no matter how steep, rugged, and high. This year, there were times where I simply could not fathom riding my bike up something at altitude as I feel like, if I tried, I would pass out. I have had an odd feeling of lightheadedness riding and in regular life as well. It has caused me some uneasiness being way out there on my own, something that I have generally thrived at doing.

Oddly enough, after a couple day trip riding at 12k, I'd feel acclimated and ready to hammer it and I did put down some PRs this year and felt amazing. When those days will happen is very inconsistent and I've had many days of big-time fatigue, lightheadedness, and heart palpitations. Also, those efforts are very depleting and finish me off whereas in years past those types of efforts could be repeated and followed up with hours of riding. I feel as though in previous years I could go go go even when fatigued. This year has been way different. I've rested much more and ridden less than usual this year (maybe I need to rest even more?) and have also been to the doctor. Because my vitals check out much better than the average person and I explain what I am doing, I get the shoulder shrug as well.

I'm very into dialing in nutrition and have felt the need the need to eat even more on the bike this year (not totally a bad thing but odd). I tried hitting the electrolytes hard and ended up with blood levels off so backed off a bit. I am currently trying vitamin D as I was bit low in that, it seems to be helping but only slightly. I'm stoked to see how I feel when I'm back to 100%. 

I'll be following this thread for anything that has helped others in a similar situation. It could be worse for me as well, still loving my bike, but something is not quite right. 

Check out the FLCCC Alliance.  It was started by a few very well respected doctors (at least they were before they went against the powers that be).  They have a variety of protocols for covid and covid shot injury treatment.  The link below is to their Log Covid Treatment.  Also, consider seeing a good functional medicine doctor.

https://covid19criticalcare.com/treatment-protocols/i-recover-long-covi…

A few interesting videos by Vinay Prasad on YT where he goes over two recent studies into long Covid. It turns out long term effects are no different from influenza etc and it's potentially a mental thing. Also don't forget the S1 in the vaccine causes the same symptoms as the disease, but with wider distribution. 

Hi all, I'm a long time vital lurker but signed up to join in the convo. Thanks for sharing and I can only echo what others have said.

I had Covid at the end of Jan. It wasn't that bad, was ill for maybe 3 days. But I tested positive for 16 days straight after, which I thought was a bit weird. I took it easy for a month but slowly got back into riding. I noticed that my top end was completely gone but my endurance was ok. So this is probably related to lungs not getting oxygen in as others have said. I'm asthmatic so maybe have been hit harder in this department.

I feel light headed and a bit 'not quite right' most of the time these days, but have sort of learnt to ignore it and carry on. 

But the biggest symptom is the fatigue. If I go for it on a ride or at the gym, it will make me feel like shit for weeks after. I can't do back to back days like I used to and muscles ache for 3-4 times as long as they used to. It's really clipped my wings. 

I've decided to have December off pretty much all exercise and see what happens in the new year because this has been going on for almost a year now and I'm desperate to get back to where I was. Maybe strict rest could help, and then stick to zone 2 stuff after that for a while. I'll report back!

I have worked with many athletes from a variety of sports who have had COVID and had a variety of struggles after. Some short lived some long term (read: several months).

As many have noted here there is some time needed for the lungs and body to recover from the virus even after your body has fought off the virus.

Frequently when it takes for then a few days or a week to recover and you fitness doesn't bounce back, chronic fatigue lasts months there is an autonomic nervous system dysfunction that occurs. Basically your body thinks it under lots of stress and in flight or flight mode whenever you exercise. I monitor what someone's heart rate response is to low load exercise and gradually increase to see anything that is not typical. Bonus if you have data to show your HR response to your typical work loads from before getting sick. 

Ultimately, patience will be needed as there is very little that can be done to stop this process. The athletes who were impatient and tried to push past the obvious feelings of fatigue and excessively high heart rates were more likely to have set backs and prolong the whole experience.

It is frustrating to not push yourself like you want to, it's unfortunately something that you cannot control. You can only control with how you respond to the adversity.

Chris 

www.alpinemtbtraining.com.
@alpinemtbtraining

Awesome to hear your experiences with it Chris, cheers. 

To update my story, I took dec and jan completely off all exercise, and just walked more. And it's worked wonders. Whooop! 

Wish I'd done that a year ago instead of ignoring the symptoms. Now to get fit again  

Great to hear things turned around for you Mark!

Hope more riders with long COVID find this and helps them recover.

I did the same thing when I got Covid last January, just walked daily and gradually increased the duration and intensity of the walking until I felt better.  It still took nearly 4 months to get back to where I was prior to getting sick.

How are you doing? I'm also thinking about trying Vitamin D as I have faced the same problem. Did it work for you?

I read the study showed that those people who got enough vitamin D lost more weight. Getting adequate amounts of vitamin D may enhance weight loss, decrease body fat and limit weight gain. Since I started my weight loss journey, I take vitamin D on a daily basis. I checked these BioTRUST complaints before making the purchase, and I'm glad that I didn't rely on some of them as this brand turned out to be trustworthy. 

This post is full of wisdom.

I didn't suffer from COVID and the organizing pneumonia associated with it but contracted Influenza B in April 2023. I suffered from Viral and Bacterial Pneumonia as well as Sepsis. This put me in the hospital for 8 days and on full time oxygen and a walker when I got out. I was off work for 8 weeks and now, 5 months later I am still recovering from Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia. The respiratory effects of COVID is a type of organizing pneumonia similar to what I am dealing with.

If you can get medical attention and see a pulminary specialist after recovering from COVID, you'll likely find you have "groundglass diffusion" within your lungs an it is limiting your O2 saturation and decreasing your total lung capacity and total lung volume.

I am on a treatment plan now to reduce this organizing pneumonia and hopefully regain most of my capacity and volume back.

I hope my experience can educate others on a path forward and keep them from losing all of their fitness and ability to ride and/or compete.