genejockey 

Sunday, I had a glorious day on the bike. My legs told me they could go forever, but I wisely didn't heed them and kept myself to 37 miles, as part of building back up slowly and carefully to avoid injury and just plain overdoing it. I was a little stiff that evening, but not too bad, after walking around shopping with the wife.

Yesterday, I woke up a little stiff and sore, but the soreness went away in the course of a couple mile dog walk.

Today, I am just beat. My legs are more sore than yesterday, and I'm generally just blah.

Ever since turning 30, it seems like the SECOND day after a big exertion is worse than the day after. Why is that? Anyone else observe a similar phenomenon?

EDIT: SEVERE, not SEVER. See - I'm also stupider today than usual!

jdfriesen

There's even a term for it - "Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness". I get it too after either really heavy workouts, or after a completely new type of workout. It typically occurs 24 to 72 hours after exercise. I'm actually feeling it right now as well, from some extensive hiking I did over the weekend!

WonderMonkey

It's typical and it's not age related, it's more fitness related and how out of shape your body is for a particular activity. When you are young and doing "everything" it's difficult to get there unless you are hitting things hard like the beginning of two-a-days for football, wrestling conditioning, marching band, whatever it may be. I used to play baseball (high school, minors, etc) and during certain parts of the year it would happen to me, however slight, when kicking activity up a notch when going into the off-season with activity I had not done during the season and then when starting to seriously throw again.

WonderMonkey

How I get over it is that after an activity that will bring that on I do a recovery activity the day after and then again on that second day. That seems to really help flush out the soreness.

TrojanHorse

+1

Do a light recovery ride (small chainring, easy to the point of ridiculous pedaling effort) for 30-45 min. the day after your harder/longer ride.

Divtos

Supposedly no one really knows what causes DOMS and there is no cure. Its a fallacy that massage will help. What's odd though is that you get it from biking. Its usually observed with resistance training. Maybe you can try spinning a lighter gear.

genejockey 

The dog walk on Day ! helped, but there was no time this AM for one, much to the chagrin of the Greyhounds.

12smile

hot bath, stretching

WonderMonkey

Massage, game of rugby, judo match


just kidding.

jsigone

in the words on Jens Voigt "Shut up! Legs"

goldfinch

This year I worked up to doing a four day tour where we did 60 to 70 miles a day. A couple of months before the tour I had a hard time doing a ride the day after a long ride. I would be sore and jagged the next day, even if I felt great the day of the long ride. I dealt with it two ways. First, I slowed way down. Second, I started with shorter rides. So, I would do 20 miles, the next day 30 miles and then the next day 40 miles. The next week I would do a few more miles. But the time I did the tour I had no problem doing four days of high mileage. I also ended up faster than expected, with my fastest metric yet on the ride.

bakeoh99

I agree that is a fitness related issue. The muscles are recovering and need some rest. By the way, what year(s) did you play in the minors and what team. I signed in 73 and played for two years. Left handed pitcher with good fastball but slightly wild.

Slayer_X

Yes, this same exact thing happens to me too. In my early 30's myself. I strength train 5 days a week in the gym.

prathmann

Hard activities with which I'm unaccustomed have always resulted in the worst soreness on the second day later. I remember that pattern even back in grade school when we'd have our 'Presidential Fitness' tests in gym class that involved 100 situps, as many pullups and pushups as possible, etc. I bicycle often enough that I never get very sore from that, but if I go on a longer hike after not doing so for a month or more I'll get the second day soreness - especially if I need to walk down some stairs.

WonderMonkey

Orioles farm system in 1988 and 1989. Highest I got was mid-level A ball. I was a pitcher as well. Pitcher is a generous word as I was mostly a hurler that never actually learned to "pitch". Once they figured that out it was out the door!

bakeoh99

Pretty same here. Milwaukee farm system. Got to long season Class A. Did get to room and play with Robin Yount in my first year. He was 17 and oozing with talent. Major League shortstop the next year. My brother came up the the Tigers in 78. Pitcher too. Played in the minors and bigs for about 10 years.