Problems with my legs lately...
01-24-04, 10:51 PM
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Problems with my legs lately...
Hey all,
I'm sort of lost here. About a month ago, I had a crash which left me off the bike for around a week. When I returned, my performance and fitness were pretty solid, but steadily went downhill. Before the crash my form was very strong, and I was planning for a good, solid start to the season.
Fast forward to the past week or two. The weekends are generally the time where I get in most of my training, a lot of the intensity coming on Saturdays with the group ride in the area. The problems come in that it seems as though my recovery lately has been awful. Last Saturday was a difficult ride, and after the 4 hours at around 20 mph average my legs were hurting. The next day I did around 80 miles, but nice and easy, keeping my average heart rate in the low to mid 130's. I didn't ride Monday or Tuesday, but Wednesday morning I went out nice and easy and afterwards, my legs felt like I had done 4 hours with moderate intensity instead of 2 with none. I had a massage Thursday, and that seemed to make my legs hurt even more. The massage was my first, and I had figured it would do more help than hurt.
Today, I did around 3 hours easy but afterwards my quads felt weak and fatigued. This has been happening after every ride for the past few weeks, regardless of how intense or long it is. This is the first time that it has ever happened to me and I'm not quite sure what I should do. The first race of the season is a week from today and I'm worried I won't be at a level to compete.
Sorry for the length. Any advice would be appreciated.
I'm sort of lost here. About a month ago, I had a crash which left me off the bike for around a week. When I returned, my performance and fitness were pretty solid, but steadily went downhill. Before the crash my form was very strong, and I was planning for a good, solid start to the season.
Fast forward to the past week or two. The weekends are generally the time where I get in most of my training, a lot of the intensity coming on Saturdays with the group ride in the area. The problems come in that it seems as though my recovery lately has been awful. Last Saturday was a difficult ride, and after the 4 hours at around 20 mph average my legs were hurting. The next day I did around 80 miles, but nice and easy, keeping my average heart rate in the low to mid 130's. I didn't ride Monday or Tuesday, but Wednesday morning I went out nice and easy and afterwards, my legs felt like I had done 4 hours with moderate intensity instead of 2 with none. I had a massage Thursday, and that seemed to make my legs hurt even more. The massage was my first, and I had figured it would do more help than hurt.
Today, I did around 3 hours easy but afterwards my quads felt weak and fatigued. This has been happening after every ride for the past few weeks, regardless of how intense or long it is. This is the first time that it has ever happened to me and I'm not quite sure what I should do. The first race of the season is a week from today and I'm worried I won't be at a level to compete.
Sorry for the length. Any advice would be appreciated.
01-25-04, 12:16 AM
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Could it be that you are overtrained instead of being related to the crash? I understand that you were off the bike for a week but if your legs are extremely overtained it could take more than a week for a recovery. You might try either cutting your training time but not the intensity or alternatively cross training for a week or two. What you described is exactly how my legs feel when I have overtained for an extended period of time.
Do you have any lingering pain from the accident?
Do you have any lingering pain from the accident?
01-25-04, 04:27 AM
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Hi,
it sounds like you are still recovering from the crash. First, eat a bunch of fruit, especially kiwi,pineapples and papaya.
Also eat a little extra protein. Next, take a week and do nothing but easy rides.Start with just an hour at an extremely easy pace. Add as much time in the saddle in subsequent rides as you want, but increase your effort level gently for a couple of rides.. It should not take long to heal your legs, but it sounds like they do need a few more days of recovery time.
it sounds like you are still recovering from the crash. First, eat a bunch of fruit, especially kiwi,pineapples and papaya.
Also eat a little extra protein. Next, take a week and do nothing but easy rides.Start with just an hour at an extremely easy pace. Add as much time in the saddle in subsequent rides as you want, but increase your effort level gently for a couple of rides.. It should not take long to heal your legs, but it sounds like they do need a few more days of recovery time.
01-25-04, 05:03 AM
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Hey guys,
Thanks for the replies. I was worried that overtraining may be the case. I think that when I first came back from the crash, I worked a bit too hard for a few weeks and it took a lot out of me. Looking back at my numbers, there were a bunch of rides that were probably too long and intense that I just was not ready for. With that race coming up, would it be beneficial to take the week off, or wait until like Thursday or Friday to get some easy time in?
Thanks for the replies. I was worried that overtraining may be the case. I think that when I first came back from the crash, I worked a bit too hard for a few weeks and it took a lot out of me. Looking back at my numbers, there were a bunch of rides that were probably too long and intense that I just was not ready for. With that race coming up, would it be beneficial to take the week off, or wait until like Thursday or Friday to get some easy time in?
