Training & Nutrition - restless leg

Over the last few months, a little bit before summer began, my left leg has been very restless. By this I mean I cannot seem to keep it comfortably stationary. I always have to move it around and this has been really affecting my sleep over this past summer.

I'm posting this now because it hasn't been so bad until yesterday. I suspect this has to do with my riding habits, just before the summer is when I became more serious about regularly riding. I go on at least one 30+ mile group ride a week and commute ~15 miles five days a week. Yesterday I rode to the Lance Armstrong ride and put in ~40 miles and my leg was just annoying the crap out of me when I got home.

I really have no idea what this is and I want to know if anybody has experienced this. Has anybody heard of this and know it be a real issue? I bet it's nothing but it's really getting in the way simple things like sitting and paying attention in class!

ha, ok I did not see that other thread posted a couple hours prior. But it seems odd it's one leg.

If you had to ask then go see a doctor. But it seems so minor to waste a doctor's time on.

I find a good stretch before bed helps with this. At least hamstrings, calves and quads. I hold each stretch for 30-50 seconds. YMMV.

I think I figured out the cause or part of it. I was paying attention to how I pedal with my left leg and I realized my cleat was too far forward and did not place the ball of my foot directly over the pedal spindle. I use SPD pedals.

Once I realized this I somehow was able to focus all my attention on how my left leg felt. It really was feeling tense, like I was pedaling with my toes, and it felt like it had to work harder. So I got off the bike and moved my cleat back a millimeter or two. That really helped, it placed the pedal right where it needed to be. I rode home and my leg really felt a whole lot better.

Happens to me every night around 10:30. Almost always to one leg only. Ibuprofen helps.

This is a very common affliction whose offical name is Restless Leg Syndrom.

+1 on the ibuprofen