Minimizing dead legs after lunch stop on long ride
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Thanks everyone. The length of this ride (50 miles) is not beyond my current conditioning (I've done a few 50s and 60s this year), but I'm still working on my aerobic conditioning so I can keep up with the faster riders on the second half.
NOS88: You asked a good question. I'm riding with this group because it's a fun group and we've been riding with them long enough that we're now riding with friends. There are some strong competitive riders in our group, but for the most part it's a recreational club. I have to admit I sometimes get frustrated with that aspect because it seems that most of them are not interested in the technical aspects of riding (base training, what's that?... warming up...). I suspect that some might be snickering behind my back about my base training plan, but that's OK I love 'em anyway. Anyway, it's a fun ride to the beach, then along the beach, for brunch at one of our favorite food stops at the beach.
I'll be mindful of what I eat, and will start in the front and ease into it for a few miles as you've suggested.
big john: The Cool Breeze event is on my bucket list for next year.
NOS88: You asked a good question. I'm riding with this group because it's a fun group and we've been riding with them long enough that we're now riding with friends. There are some strong competitive riders in our group, but for the most part it's a recreational club. I have to admit I sometimes get frustrated with that aspect because it seems that most of them are not interested in the technical aspects of riding (base training, what's that?... warming up...). I suspect that some might be snickering behind my back about my base training plan, but that's OK I love 'em anyway. Anyway, it's a fun ride to the beach, then along the beach, for brunch at one of our favorite food stops at the beach.
I'll be mindful of what I eat, and will start in the front and ease into it for a few miles as you've suggested.
big john: The Cool Breeze event is on my bucket list for next year.
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What they said. After a stop for any more than 5 minute you need to start slowly, perhaps even more slowly than you would at the start of any ride. Give the accumulated accumulation in your legs a chance to dissipate before you push them again. It won't take long.
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Tough to do on a "Beach Ride", but I find a steep pitch wakes my legs up after a long stop better than anything else I can think of.
Given that you are planning to eat a small portion to begin with, could you perhaps excuse yourself from lunch a few minutes before everyone else and do a couple of laps around the block to warm up before the group starts?
Given that you are planning to eat a small portion to begin with, could you perhaps excuse yourself from lunch a few minutes before everyone else and do a couple of laps around the block to warm up before the group starts?
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This is a fun group of "senior" cyclists and have become like family. "Slow" and "fast" are relative terms, some start slower than others. It's my own fault that I always want to start and ride with the fast ones, when I could choose the slower ones instead and sometimes should. As I stated above, I sometimes get frustrated when they don't seem to know more about some technical aspects of riding, but hey they're waaaaaay healthier and stronger than the average Joe who does nothing and can barely get around. These "seniors" do metrics and centuries and have raised the bar on what "senior" means.
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Same issue here. My annual WI ride (starts tomorrow) does 75-100 mi/day and we always stop for a 1hr+ lunch. It's like starting all over again with dead legs. We just start up slow and work back into a pace. Our short stops are often too long for me as well. I prefer to get off the bike for <5 min., lay flat and then stretch the legs (knee to chest, cross-leg pull to chin, etc) then go. I'll snack and hydrate on the bike.
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This is a fun group of "senior" cyclists and have become like family. "Slow" and "fast" are relative terms, some start slower than others. It's my own fault that I always want to start and ride with the fast ones, when I could choose the slower ones instead and sometimes should. As I stated above, I sometimes get frustrated when they don't seem to know more about some technical aspects of riding, but hey they're waaaaaay healthier and stronger than the average Joe who does nothing and can barely get around. These "seniors" do metrics and centuries and have raised the bar on what "senior" means.
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Yen,
I'm going to suggest something different for you.
Talk with your ride mates about what you'd like to do and change the game.
- Do the entire ride first, then have the meal together.
or
- Agree to ride once or twice per month without stopping - and do the eating and drinking on the bike
or
- Suggest a mid stop that can be limited to 15 minutes or so, and offers lighter fare that's better suited to cycling
Maybe there's an answer for you somewhere in there.
Good luck, and enjoy the times with your friends.
Phil
I'm going to suggest something different for you.
Talk with your ride mates about what you'd like to do and change the game.
- Do the entire ride first, then have the meal together.
or
- Agree to ride once or twice per month without stopping - and do the eating and drinking on the bike
or
- Suggest a mid stop that can be limited to 15 minutes or so, and offers lighter fare that's better suited to cycling
Maybe there's an answer for you somewhere in there.
Good luck, and enjoy the times with your friends.
Phil
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Yen,
Is this group the same ones you were referring to in your previous thread about the group ride problems? https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...h-group-or-not
It seems that the group rides and its participants don't want to work with you. Any chance the Phil's suggestion would make any difference?
Bill
Is this group the same ones you were referring to in your previous thread about the group ride problems? https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...h-group-or-not
It seems that the group rides and its participants don't want to work with you. Any chance the Phil's suggestion would make any difference?
Bill
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Do it! It's one of my favorite organized rides, done it 10 times. It's a well thought out route and the support is good. I would suggest the low land 100 for your first time, my group does a modified version of the double metric.
When that one gets to be old hat, let me know and I'll tell you about some tough ones. Of course, I don't love the ride unless the food is good.
When that one gets to be old hat, let me know and I'll tell you about some tough ones. Of course, I don't love the ride unless the food is good.
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Short stops; no prolonged lunch stop in middle of a ride.
We led club rides for decades.
Our formula was simple. Ride meets/starts at restaurant parking lot. End of ride is at that restaurant . . . then chow down and BS all you want!
Ride to eat/eat to ride!
Next time you set up/lead the ride that way.
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem
We led club rides for decades.
Our formula was simple. Ride meets/starts at restaurant parking lot. End of ride is at that restaurant . . . then chow down and BS all you want!
Ride to eat/eat to ride!
Next time you set up/lead the ride that way.
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem
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Yen,
Is this group the same ones you were referring to in your previous thread about the group ride problems? https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...h-group-or-not
It seems that the group rides and its participants don't want to work with you. Any chance the Phil's suggestion would make any difference?
Bill
Is this group the same ones you were referring to in your previous thread about the group ride problems? https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...h-group-or-not
It seems that the group rides and its participants don't want to work with you. Any chance the Phil's suggestion would make any difference?
Bill
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The more fit you get, the less of a problem it will be. I like some coffee or a can of Starbucks cold espresso if stopping for more than a few minutes.
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Maybe I'm just wimpy, LOL. Everyone complains of dead legs, sore legs, feeling exhausted after a long hard ride --- but I want to prevent or overcome that by doing things differently -- base training, warming up, etc. I've been hanging out in these forums for so long that I've read and learned these things many many times.... maybe I'm suffering from TooMuchInformationitis.
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After a long food stop I tend to be lazy about cadence so keep the beat on the high side for the first few miles. For me that eliminates the "what happened to my legs" question.
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Maybe I'm just wimpy, LOL. Everyone complains of dead legs, sore legs, feeling exhausted after a long hard ride --- but I want to prevent or overcome that by doing things differently -- base training, warming up, etc. I've been hanging out in these forums for so long that I've read and learned these things many many times.... maybe I'm suffering from TooMuchInformationitis.
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Practice!
My bike club has a weekly breakfast ride. We take a long route (20-25 miles) to a restaurant, sit down and eat (about an hour); then ride back to our starting point (5-12 miles).
The first time I did this it felt like I had concrete in my gut and legs on the post-breakfast return.
The first time we filled up with a heavy Mexican breakfast, the coffee and salsa had a violent interaction 5 miles away from the restaurant.
The next Mexican breakfast the violent reaction was 7 miles away.
Eventually I got used to it. No more reactions and good energy levels.
I try get lots of coffee, water, and a small OJ (electrolytes/sugar). Sometimes it's a light meal, sometimes it's heavier. Mostly carbs, I try to keep it low fat.
Whole-wheat French toast (no butter or sugar); 2-egg omelets and hash browns and toast; fancy oatmeal with fruit and yogurt; mexican eggs w/ beans and potatoes and tortillas; that sort of meal.
While we have different destinations each week, the last 4-5 miles of the return is almost always on the same route. I ride it like it was a time trial going as fast as I can.
My bike club has a weekly breakfast ride. We take a long route (20-25 miles) to a restaurant, sit down and eat (about an hour); then ride back to our starting point (5-12 miles).
The first time I did this it felt like I had concrete in my gut and legs on the post-breakfast return.
The first time we filled up with a heavy Mexican breakfast, the coffee and salsa had a violent interaction 5 miles away from the restaurant.
The next Mexican breakfast the violent reaction was 7 miles away.
Eventually I got used to it. No more reactions and good energy levels.
I try get lots of coffee, water, and a small OJ (electrolytes/sugar). Sometimes it's a light meal, sometimes it's heavier. Mostly carbs, I try to keep it low fat.
Whole-wheat French toast (no butter or sugar); 2-egg omelets and hash browns and toast; fancy oatmeal with fruit and yogurt; mexican eggs w/ beans and potatoes and tortillas; that sort of meal.
While we have different destinations each week, the last 4-5 miles of the return is almost always on the same route. I ride it like it was a time trial going as fast as I can.
#43
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The "can you" is hard, I don't recall the names and sequence of these moves. Personally, I very much like doing a few simple yoga moves, like cobra and downward facing dog to open up the back - but you need to have some grass nearby unless you are hardcore and just drop on the asphalt.
The dynamic warm-up includes things like running in place, hi knee lifts for 20 seconds, jumping jacks, shoulder rolls, arm spins, trunk bends...stuff like that. I don't think there is any magic routine, just pull a dozen movements together that work for you, develop a routine.
My experience, you'll get on the bike feeling loose, light and with blood flowing. But, I am often too lazy or perhaps embarassed to follow through routinely, then a mile down the road I'm cursing myself for not warming up properly..or re-warming I should say.
The dynamic warm-up includes things like running in place, hi knee lifts for 20 seconds, jumping jacks, shoulder rolls, arm spins, trunk bends...stuff like that. I don't think there is any magic routine, just pull a dozen movements together that work for you, develop a routine.
My experience, you'll get on the bike feeling loose, light and with blood flowing. But, I am often too lazy or perhaps embarassed to follow through routinely, then a mile down the road I'm cursing myself for not warming up properly..or re-warming I should say.
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Do it! It's one of my favorite organized rides, done it 10 times. It's a well thought out route and the support is good. I would suggest the low land 100 for your first time, my group does a modified version of the double metric.
When that one gets to be old hat, let me know and I'll tell you about some tough ones. Of course, I don't love the ride unless the food is good.
When that one gets to be old hat, let me know and I'll tell you about some tough ones. Of course, I don't love the ride unless the food is good.
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A slow stretch and "shake-out" of the legs before and after may help some; but you HAVE to go easy at first when you get back on. If your gang refuses to accommodate this, get a new gang. Unless you're pro riders in training, nothing is that important to force someone into a potentially injurious action. (Muscles that have 'cooled' are more fragile than at the beginning of the ride; they need to be 'coaxed' back into that level of exertion.)
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We did go easy at first on the return today and my legs felt pretty good!
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The club that puts on the Lighthouse (SLOBC) has a knife and fork in their logo. I've done the Lighthouse 5 times and the food is exceptional. They even had a chocalate fondue at the last rest stop in years past. A wonderful lunch including hot drinks and hot, fresh olalaberry pie. Also, a feast at the end ensures you won't be hungry on the drive home.
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The club that puts on the Lighthouse (SLOBC) has a knife and fork in their logo. I've done the Lighthouse 5 times and the food is exceptional. They even had a chocalate fondue at the last rest stop in years past. A wonderful lunch including hot drinks and hot, fresh olalaberry pie. Also, a feast at the end ensures you won't be hungry on the drive home.
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