keenan500

Im planning to do 1000 miles in ten days later this summer. Does anyone have ideas to speed recovery. I would also like advice about nutrition.

DXchulo

I've done it a couple times. There really aren't any secrets. Here is the main thing, at least for me- you're going to want to eat a lot more than normal after the ride. Eat until you feel like you're going to puke. That's how I've done it and I've never gained weight afterwards.

Sleep is also important, obviously. Do some stretching every night. Make sure you're protected from the sun during the day. You just have to stay up on the little things, because small mistakes can add up towards the end.

dual650c

For me...
1. Hydration - on bike and off, with and without electrolytes. Drink more than you think you need - but not so much that your urine stream is clear. Yellow is good. (ok.. gross, but necessary to know.)
2. 1 or 2 Peanut butter sandwiches for the carbs just before bedtime. YMMV but works wonders for me.
3. Stretch before the ride...on any stop break you take ... and after the ride. Stretching before bedtime might also help. 5 minutes total each time I stretch (back/calf stretches and ankle rotations) do it for me. I also do neck rotations while riding.
4. "On tour", when I was averaging 50-100 mile days, I was eating like a horse/pig (choose your favorite gluttonous animal). I like big breakfasts with lots of eggs and meat. Others can't stand riding on full stomachs or have digestive trouble while riding. I guess I'm lucky. I rarely start a ride with an energy deficit. Lunch is a small meal for me - at most a hamburger-sized meal. Supper tends to be big and carb-loaded. Faves are spaghetti, steak and 1 or 2 baked potatoes with all the stuff I can fit on top, and pizza. Basically, i figured I was eating 5000-6000 calories a day and burning it all each day. Nutrition-related recovery issues have occurred for me only once (lesson learned and that situation has never been repeated).

And as noted above, get some good sleep. If you have a post-ride hot shower/hot tub available each night, so much the better. Even a swim in a cold mountain stream or lake will refresh you more than you'd think it would.

Fwiw, right now, I'm averaging 150 miles during the week, 200km Saturday and/or 400km Sat/Sun as a ramp up/training for a 1200km in a couple months. Some say this is over-training but it's relevant to your question I think.

unterhausen

I would never over-eat at one sitting. You might need food available when you wouldn't normally eat. And making sure you have enough to eat on the bike is really important. Eating is probably one of the places where a 1000k in 75 hours is easier than doing it over a number of days. Same for sleeping. Sleep is the best recovery, don't do much other than eat and sleep when you're off the bike.

I rode 1500-2000 miles when I was at a 3 week racing training camp. Of course, racers are usually pretty good at eating enough, 5000 calories a day is very common. And it was easy to get rest there.

jhaddad8

Some things that work for me:
Compression pants
Kombucha with ginger and turmeric
High antioxidant foods, berries, vegetables
Focus on eating real food
Bacon
Cold showers or baths
Epsom salt soaks

unterhausen

I would wear my high-vis compression knee socks, but then nobody would ride with me. I like the compression tights idea. James, congrats on the super 600. I tried riding my proposed 200k perm and got cramps so bad I had to walk 2/3 of the 4th mountain. Can't imagine how bad a super 600k would treat me at this point

mtn_cyclist

Be sure and stay hydrated and keep electrolytes good. Once you get behind it's hard to catch up. Same with calories. Eat early and often, a good balance of different foods. Stretch and get massage if you can. Sleep as much as you can at night. Stay as clean as possible and wear clean cycling sorts as possible. I would wear compression calf cuffs at night. Good luck, have fun!