Commuting - Any way to speed recovery time?

I'd like to start commuting every day but I can't get beyond every other day. In fact on the way home from work my legs are tired from cycling in (even though I didin't huff and puff much going in at all). My speed runs from 20-23 most of the way but frequent stops and 2 big hills drops the avg trip ride down to about 16mph.

Does anyone have tips to help speed recovery time for the return trip or for daily riding? Foods? Massage? special stretching in between rides?

Perhaps try riding a bit slower. Make sure your bike is fitted properly and is suited for the commute. Are you in decent shape? Is your job extremely physical? How far is your commute?

Something here isn't right. Most healthy people can ride quite a distance, day after day.

Paul

I don't know how far you are riding, but 20 - 23 mph is a fast pace. Why not go 10-15 mph -- that pace uses up about as much energy per minute as walking? Given that you have lots of trafic lights, the lower speed might not hurt your total commute time that much. You can save the athletic riding for the weekends when you can rest afterward.

Paul

I'd like to start commuting every day but I can't get beyond every other day. In fact on the way home from work my legs are tired from cycling in (even though I didin't huff and puff much going in at all). My speed runs from 20-23 most of the way but frequent stops and 2 big hills drops the avg trip ride down to about 16mph.

Does anyone have tips to help speed recovery time for the return trip or for daily riding? Foods? Massage? special stretching in between rides?
I'm right there with you.

Riding more slowly will allow you to cover more miles. Conversely, riding hard and resting on alternate days will improve your endurance, which will also help. In time you'll improve. Also, I've read that carbs before a ride will reduce muscle tissue breakdown, thereby reducing recovery time needed; and eating protein within a few minutes after a ride will stimulate muscle recovery.

Don't forget to rest at night.

I'm right there with you.

Riding more slowly will allow you to cover more miles. Conversely, riding hard and resting on alternate days will improve your endurance, which will also help. In time you'll improve. Also, I've read that carbs before a ride will reduce muscle tissue breakdown, thereby reducing recovery time needed; and eating protein within a few minutes after a ride will stimulate muscle recovery.

Don't forget to rest at night.

I'd like to add stretching to this list of good recommendations. If you keep your muscles elastic, they can recover much faster.

What kind of gears are you pushing? My legs usually never get tired, but I pick a real low gear and just spin it like their is "no chain".

I'm with ALoner. It's not about the speed, it's about the spin.

I find if I gear down and spin you breathe a bit harder but you can go for hours where as if you load up to a low candence my leg at least :) run out of go a lot faster.

I'd like to start commuting every day but I can't get beyond every other day. In fact on the way home from work my legs are tired from cycling in (even though I didin't huff and puff much going in at all). My speed runs from 20-23 most of the way but frequent stops and 2 big hills drops the avg trip ride down to about 16mph.

Does anyone have tips to help speed recovery time for the return trip or for daily riding? Foods? Massage? special stretching in between rides?

wow... 20-23mph is quite fast. normally on my commute, the fastest i go is 16mph max... on average it's around 10.5mph. what i would do is after every commute, stretch your legs and back out. then take a shower or bath and massage it. then before sleep time, i would stretch again. early in the morning, eat a banana, take a glucosamine pill, and drink plenty of fluid while riding.

rui :p

VR,
Go to roadbikerider.com and find Fred Matheny's writeup on commuting. You are making one of the classic commuter mistakes - going at moderate, or faster, pace all the time. He recommends a couple of very easy days a week for recovery. Fred says on hard days go very hard, and on easy days go VERY easy. It's the VERY easy that we tend to have trouble doing.

20-23!! Damn, girl! By yourself? This isn't on a trike is it? Jeez, I have been complaining because my weekend group is up to 20-22, and that's in a paceline! Young whippersnappers! I like to get together with BFers for a ride when they come to New Orleans or I travel to their area. If we ever ride together we will first have to negotiate how many cinderblocks you are going to have to drag behind your bike! :D

I'd like to add stretching to this list of good recommendations. If you keep your muscles elastic, they can recover much faster.

The commute is 11.5 miles in and 13 back. Then at lunch I usually go out and run errands or tour around (3-10miles). On the flats the gear is usually 52/14 or 42/16. Depends on the winds. There are lots of rolling hills and 2 steep ones also sprinting to get through lights and switch lanes to do turning.

I'm in reasonable shape and not over weight. What sort of stretching is good...is that before or after?

Gentle stretching a little before is good to avoid injuries. Most authorities advocate stretching after, and most elite athletes do. Interestingly, there were reports on NPR just this week that it "a study" researchers found that stretching after exercise had little apparent benefit. Who knows?

Gentle stretching a little before is good to avoid injuries. Most authorities advocate stretching after, and most elite athletes do. Interestingly, there were reports on NPR just this week that it "a study" researchers found that stretching after exercise had little apparent benefit. Who knows?

So the girations that a person has to do to get the bike tights, and assorted apparel is not enough? :D
Kidding aside, do you mean toe touches and lunges then?

Thats a fast ride in a big gear.
Commuting doesnt have to be about ftness or training, just getting to where you need, by bicycle.
Besides taking the pace a bit slower, consider using the first and last 1/4 miles as warmup and cooldown.
When you start your ride, dont just blast off down the road. Pedal easy in a low gear for a minute or 2, then gradually up the pace.
When you come to the end of the ride, ease up, gear down, and let your body cool down. Its much more effective to cool down on the bike, than off, you have a breeze, and when you are resting, you are still travelling.

Gentle stretching a little before is good to avoid injuries. Most authorities advocate stretching after, and most elite athletes do. Interestingly, there were reports on NPR just this week that it "a study" researchers found that stretching after exercise had little apparent benefit. Who knows?

Big article in our local paper that stretching, both before and after exercise, had absolutely no value for the typical athlete/person.

BUT, warmups were very valuable! Start out easy and let your muscles get going gradually.

Don't know, but I keep seeing more and more articles negating the value of stretching. FWIW, at 64 yo, I have NEVER stretched a day in my life, but I do warm up. I have never had a cramp or other similar problem.

Thats a fast ride in a big gear.
Commuting doesnt have to be about ftness or training, just getting to where you need, by bicycle.
Besides taking the pace a bit slower, consider using the first and last 1/4 miles as warmup and cooldown.
When you start your ride, dont just blast off down the road. Pedal easy in a low gear for a minute or 2, then gradually up the pace.
When you come to the end of the ride, ease up, gear down, and let your body cool down. Its much more effective to cool down on the bike, than off, you have a breeze, and when you are resting, you are still travelling.

This all very good advice since I usually roll in with a final sprint. and leave work with a sprint!
Thanks everyone!

I have noticed the same problem this year. I am 50 yrs. old and had trouble exersizing during the winter so I am struggleing with commuting. I commute 10 miles each way. The first day, a Friday,I was exhausted-I rested over the weekend and biked again on Monday which was better but I could tell I was breaking down and not waiting long enough to build up agoin before the next commute. I am now trying to ride a little slower and shorter distance. Maybe you could drive/bus part way or drive to work with your bike and ride home. Take it slower, you will get there.

Simple method - ride every day no matter what. Feeling tired? Ride anyway. Feeling stiff/sore? Ride anyway, but spin easier.

You will be slower by the end of the week, but you will get stronger.

Then, eventually, you will sustain speed all week if you work at it. . . and periodically take it easy (but still riding) on some days in the beginning. But, you can ride fast every commute, every day without a "rest day" if you build up to it. Not every ride has to push a big gear and not every ride has to have a high spin. And each ride can actually incorporate both. But learn to use spinning as a way to recuperate from a previous day's hard effort. In other words, ride every day and mix up your technique.

I recommend not using 52/14 unless you are spinning it at, or above 90rpm. Use it periodically to build leg strength (use it up inclines for a few minutes at a time), but don't rely on it entirely until you can spin it fast. You are pushing about 15 gear inches more than I use to cruise on the flats and I am a very fast commuter. I average 40 minutes for 12 miles, door to door (clock ticking at all stops in traffic) through suburbs and city traffic.

>You will be slower by the end of the week, but you will get stronger.

O cool..When I did this the last time I road slower by the end of the week as you mentioned. I thought it was a warning sign of an impending sport injury (Don't want to zonk something and never be able to ride again!)