Training & Nutrition - Muscles so Stiff & Tight, I could hardly move.

Hi y'all - I need some advice here.

Okay - my first week back on the bike after the van incident was May 25 - June 1. I put 128 miles on the bike and was feeling good. I also took 2 rest days in that period as well.

On June 1st, I did a route so chock - full of hills, that half- way through I was wondering if I had lost my sanity. I would get done doing a steep climb, and there was a steep descent, or gradual climb to steep climb..

So, I decided to take Sunday the 2nd off. Then my schedule went haywire, and I couldn't ride again till yesterday. Now, even though I wasn;t riding, I was still stretching and doing moderate weight lifting. (Apparently not enough).

Anyway, Wednesday night, I can feel all my leg muscles, from the glutes all the way down to the achillies begin to tighten. Thursday, I wake up, and I can barely move. I stretch, stretch and stretch. Then I get on my bike - and I could only go 4 freakin miles - and I'm crying all the way because the pain is so incredible. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst -- I was a 15!!! I get home and after about 30 mins. am able to undress - I was so stiff I couldn't lower myself to my socks, or lift my foot up high enough to get them off - it was horrible.

So. I take two super hot baths last night - I figure major sports stars wouldn't get into a hot tub/whirlpool if it didn't help. I also stretch what I can while in the tub, and stretch afterward as well

Today I wake up and the pain is so much relieved, about a 4-5. What happened to me? Has this happened to anyone else? Is there something besides stretching that would have helped or prevented this from happening?

I haven't been on the bike yet today, but plan on goiing out later this afternoon.

Sorry---I got all caught up in all that hot tub talk I forgot what the question was. What-- what was that??? ---lol

The only things I can think of is maybe give it a few more days rest---and maybe take in a lot of water and some aspirin.

You seem to have used a whole set of muscles that weren't prepared for the task at hand. Stretching before and after a ride, doing the hot tub and resting -or riding easy- for a day between hard rides and you'll be OK. Patience is the key and moderation is the cure.

I've sufferd this several times when my head got more ambitious than my body was prepared to accomodate.

Let's get this straight;

You bicycled 128 miles in hills, came home and felt sore.

Unless you are an 18 year old competitive bicyclist, this seems normal.

Hm...well I can't say I've ever experienced anything similar. The closest thing I've had was after a 70km mtb-ride (mostly uphill). I cramped up sooo bad, I could hardly sit on a chair. In my case I was just too dehydrated. I asked a friend of mine who does a lot of racing and he said that the most important things on long hard rides are water, water, water and some nutrients (powerbar, gu, banana, etc.).
Try taking a day off from anything that uses your leg muscles, then on the next day go for an EASY spin.
If everything feels fine, you can go back to hard training. Just make sure to give your legs some recovery time during the week.

Hey mike, do I sense some age discrimination there or am I being over-sensitive?

Anyway, stretching should be done frequently as flexibility reduces muscle injuries. Whenever I watch television, I would be stretching. It does help a lot!

Originally posted by oxologic
Hey mike, do I sense some age discrimination there or am I being over-sensitive?

Anyway, stretching should be done frequently as flexibility reduces muscle injuries. Whenever I watch television, I would be stretching. It does help a lot!

Hee hee, well, I took a guess anastasia wasn't eighteen - hope I was correct.

Shucks, y'all, if I rode 128 miles in the hills and came home sore, it would feel bad so good. I would be moaning to my wife and crying to everybody just so they could hear how I rode 128 miles in the hills in one day.

Hi again.

I don't think I was clear. In a week which ran from May 25 - June 1 I rode 128 miles, not in one day, in one week. I then couldn't get on the bike again for 4 days.

I found out from my LBS the problem is probably nutritional - not nearly enough potassium in my diet. So, I have up'd the potassium and am feeling and doing MUCH better. So much better that I was able to do a 66.56 mile ride yesterday with no ill side effects. I have also added a sports drink XCLR8 to my water bottle, and it has helped immensely.

Glad you got it sorted out.