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Aloyzius
08-12-07, 09:05 AM
I just finished my first century yesterday. Woohoo.

Now, that said, how important is the recovery ride today? My butt is sore, I'm sunburnt and shaky. And quite honestly, the last thing I want to do is crawl back on Simone, and putter around town.

Am I cheating myself if I take the day off?
Hezz
08-12-07, 09:09 AM
No, you can take up to two days off without loosing much. One day is ideal. If you really feel weak you are better off with taking the day off and resting. Or do a slow short ride in the evening giving yourself the maximum time to recover from yesterdays ordeal.
Six jours
08-13-07, 10:31 AM
Agreed. A recovery day is slightly better than nothing, but not taking a recovery day is hardly the end of the world. And if you're so wasted that you simply can't stand the thought of getting onto the bike, you probably shouldn't, IMO.
supcom
08-13-07, 11:02 AM
A gentle recovery ride, or equivalent walking exercise, may help prevent deep vein thrombosis (blood clots, in the legs.

DVT is a common condition among endurance athletes and can be life threatening.
littlewaywelt
08-13-07, 01:49 PM
I just finished my first century yesterday. Woohoo.

Now, that said, how important is the recovery ride today? My butt is sore, I'm sunburnt and shaky. And quite honestly, the last thing I want to do is crawl back on Simone, and putter around town.

Am I cheating myself if I take the day off?

Take as much time off as you need. Conditionning is typically lost at 1% per day.
An event like a century warrants extra time off. Listen to your body. Do a light short walk or 15-30 min ride if you feel compelled which will help get the blood flowing.
After I do a ride like that or run a marathon, I'll typically take 3-4 days off depending on how the day went with nothing more than walking.
Aloyzius
08-13-07, 08:09 PM
Thanks, guys.

I took yesterday off, and maybe I should have spun around the block a few times because my left calf was kind of crampy last night and kept me up. But today I feel great, and did that recovery ride, and feel like my old self again. I appreciate the advice from your experiences.