Hi, I started cycling 6 weeks ago. Initially it was on a 2nd hand Giant Rapid. I bought it to get myself fitter and drop a few stone in weight. Very quickly, I became obsessed. After a couple of weeks using the Rapid, I bought a Ridley Aedon 605A. I love it. I started just doing a few miles every other evening. 5 miles or so. I was so unfit. But I have built my fitness and lost over 20lbs. So I now do 15 or 16 miles every other evening. Avg speed is about 13 mph.

The issue I am now having is the last two times I have been out, I seem to have no power in my legs. I went out on Sunday past and did 17 miles.....great, I thought. Went out on Tuesday and had to go home after 5 miles. Just couldnt get my legs going. It was like cycling through water....very heavy legged. I put it down to fatigue. I went out tonight....and exactly the same.

I start off feeling good. But very quickly my BP shoots up and my legs ache and burn.

Any advice or help would be wonderful....

I have no idea whats going on. I am thinking of going back to the start again. Just going out for a few short easy miles and build up again.

Congratulations!

Consider taking an easy week to recover.

Exercise tears down muscles. Muscles build back up and "Supercompensate" during recovery. An easy week is needed every three or four weeks to let the body fully recover, build back up and get stronger.

By easy I don't mean sit on the sofa. Just reduce intensity and duration of each exercise and reduce the volume of exercise for the week. Go ride in the park instead or walk with the family or ride some nice easy wooded trails for a change of pace.

Triple mileage and loosing 20 lb in 6 weeks is amazing but it has probably beat you up a little bit. Do a recovery week with easy riding and you may find that you come back stronger the week after.

Joe Friel - Recovery Week Design has some good information on the idea of a recovery week and why it is needed.


-Tim-

Yes you're overdoing it. If you're not careful you'll burn out after a couple of months and never ride again. I have seen it happen, LOTS.

Cut back to say 2 or 3 rides a week and concentrate on extending your distance, let your body recover in between. Get a cheap computer and keep a log book of your efforts if you want, that helps in monitoring your progress. It's easy to start cycling but if you don't want to end up obese again in a couple of years you need to make it lifestyle, not a boot camp. And don't forget to oil the chain.

Hang in there

You've only been doing this for six weeks. That's not very long at all. Give yourself a longer break if needed. Some days you feel like crap then just ride easy. On the days you feel strong go longer and/or harder. Just enjoy riding your bikes and listen to your body.

As others have said, give it time, and keep working. Also watch out for hammering big miles on a starvation diet. Exercise to maintain muscle, but don't slam yourself every direction.

As others have mentioned, a few rest days may help.

I do a lot of bike commuting, so once I start on a ride, I don't give myself any choice but get to the end, whether it is 5 or 10 miles away, or 20 miles, or 150 miles.

As one does longer rides, the short rides will just seem short.

Yeah

Definitely take down the intensity. Also only go for a long ride once a week at the beginning. Plus if you haven't had regular physicals with a Doc, it's always a good idea, but we all know this.

Cheers guys...


I'm getting that I need to watch what I am doing and not to over do it. I am a big heavy guy, just under 22 stone at the moment. Not done much exercise or training for over 20 years. So I guess, I need to take it easy to begin with.


Going to just do a few miles every other evening on my MTB, there is a nature reserve 2 minutes from where I live. Great to just thrash about in.....puddles and muck! Brilliant! And do as Evonhess suggested, one long ride a week. Will see how that works out for me.


Great advice guys, cheers!!!


Will let you know how I get on.....

Also, read up on post ride routines. Most people are aware of the benefits of warm-ups, but there's a definite benefit to cool-downs, stretches and complementary exercises as well.
The healing properties of complete rest have been mostly debunked.
The trick is to find alternate, "recovery" activities that are intense enough to get a good blood flow going, but relaxed enough not to add any further injury.

Good luck OP. This summer, at one point, I really picked up my biking and running when I started to train for a triathlon. My legs felt exactly as you described, like I was wading through water or had ankle weights on. I felt beat. I added rest days into my schedule and that helped a lot.

You measure you BP when you are riding?

I went for a ride one evening after a busy day at work when I was on my feet a lot, and intended to do just ten miles. However, I was so beat from work that I just had zero energy, and it was all I could do to get five miles in. However, the next day I was completely fine. Some times you just have to take it down a notch, or just rest.

Yeah, buddy....I have a Fitbit Surge that I use to keep an eye on my Heart rate, not BP...as I said....my mistake

I started cycling 6 weeks ago.
I was so unfit. But I have built my fitness and lost over 20lbs.


Really ? Six whole weeks ?

Take all those measuring toyz off your bod and go ride your bike.

Learn to hydrate properly, when and how much, before during and after a ride.
Fuel your body correctly, What, when and how much, before during and after a ride.
Recovery time Is just as Important as ride time,

Do Intervals, bunches and crunches,
Don't make your legs do It all, work on your core.

I don't believe In junk miles, I don't believe they exist.
Ride your bike more !