How long to regain fitness after time off?

[beingabanana1]

Due to 'flu then being incredibly busy with work on the build up to Christmas I have done no exercise for about 2 months. Prior to that I regularly cycled 50 miles or run 10km. I've just been for a 5km run and it was so hard! How long do you think it will be before I get back to where I was fitness wise?

I am very similar. I hadn't run or cycled since the summer due to injury. Then I started cycling again about a month ago, I've been out a few times and it is getting easier. But I've only run twice in the past month and that seems the hardest! It was hard, but doable and I don't reckon it'll take long to increase fitness.

I find that if I get in to a routine, or put a training plan in to place I find it easier to get out as the longer I leave it the less motivated I become.

I have signed up for a couple of races in Feb next year, so I'm hoping, with decent training, I'll be back to where I was in the summer.

I recently had a 8 week break (recovering from operation) and had lost probably about 20% or 30% of my fitness/strength in that time, which I regained within 4 weeks of working out again.

Normally I exercise 4 or 5 times a week.