Issues with Recovery
 

Hello all. Need some advice.

My commute round trip is 36 miles. Up a few small hills and such as we'll. Bike is heavy with stuff in the panniers due to work stuff I work on at home.

I currently ride on Tuesdays and Thursday's or Fridays. I would like to do a back to back day like I used to at my other job but after I get home from work, my legs get tired and next day they are sore and tired as well.

I am a chef and on my feet all day.

How do I recover faster so I can get another day of riding in back to back?

And sometimes on my way home from work, if I am fighting a head wind, my legs feel so fatigued.

Any suggestions?

Do a ride that's like half of your 36 back to back with a 36 day. Basically, build up by doing back to back days but not both of them 36 at first. You might drive part of the way, ride on an adjacent weekend day, etc. Me, I worked up to a 40 mile commute by first just riding to work and then riding the train home. Then I started riding the train about half way home, etc. In a few weeks to a month and I was doing 40 miles rt 5 days a week.

When you finish your ride (both ends) spend five to twenty minutes stretching. Do it slowly, don't bounce (it's not how far you go, it's how long you hold plus how many repetitions). Stretch your hamstrings and calf muscles. Stretch your quads (something like a laid-back hurdler's stretch). Do it slowly, hold 15-60 seconds, release and repeat. Do it before you cool down, then go clean up and get on with whatever you were doing. If you can, stretch at other points in the day as well.

It may also help if you make a point of warming up slowly over the first few miles and warming down at the end. Get the blood flowing before you put big loads on the muscles.

Keep your cadence high (95-110 rpm) and you may find that the leg pain stops. If you are a lugger with a low cadence, you'll have to work up to a higher spin. Just do it for a few minutes a couple of times each ride until you can last longer. It will eventually become natural to ride at a higher cadence, which will increase your endurance.

I also agree with Walter S. If you're driving on the days you don't ride and if you can leave your car at work, consider doing something like driving in one day with your bike, then riding home and back in the next day. Then drive back home and do your round-trip thing the next day.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can be related to depletion of glycogen, which is a molecule including glucose (sugar) that's stored in muscle cells and in the liver. Small tears in muscle fiber can also be a factor, as can plain old overwork and fatigue. I learned a little about this when I was a much more strenuous rider than I am today:

1. To replenish glycogen, eat immediately after a long ride, or even eat while riding on the bike. Eat something that includes carbohydrates, fat, and plenty of protein. Then eat again a couple hours later. I used to eat half of a normal nutritious meal as soon as I got home from a long ride, then ate the other half after two hours.
2. To avoid depletion of glycogen, ride at a slow but steady pace on your long rides. Don't do any sprints or strenuous climbs until you're in better shape.
3. Ride in a lower gear the next time and see if that helps. Forget about being fast for a little while until you're in better shape.
4. When possible, allow yourself a rest day in between long rides.This can be an "active" rest day, where you are exercising othe muscle groups while resting the muscles most used while cycling. Personally, I found it beneficial to walk on the days between long bike rides. I also benefited from upper body esertion, such as canoeing, swimming, weight lifting.
5. Remember that a lot of this is a question of conditioning. It will improve dramatically as you get in better shape over a period of, say, a few weeks. Riding 36 miles a day is tough, but you should be able to work up to it eventually.
6. Total rest days can help, and make sure to get plenty of sleep and good nutrition.

This is just a few pointers to get you started. Hopefully Machka and a few others will weigh in also.

Riding a bicycle is an activity requiring adaptation to a machine and highly specific muscular stresses and pressure points.
The Old School method for developing the cardio vascular/muscular systems to provide basic Endurance, Power and Speed for cycling requires a good fit on the machine and Base Miles.

Jumping into a heavily loaded ride twice a day w/o adequate Base Miles and Adaptation would not be an optimal program.
Seat Time is the key, there is no substitute, paired with good quality Recovery.

Ease into a commuting program with consistent short unloaded rides of 1/2 hr. at a conversational pace with no particular practical goal. Repeat, repeat, repeat, Rest day.
If you can't carry on a conversation you are going too hard.
A solid Base allows building into the Endurance for longer rides, the Power to climb hills and carry loads and the Speed to move right smartly along with the ability to Recover and do it all over.

Don't feel trapped into Mandatory Commuting Mode until you are ready, just going for a nice bike ride nearly every day will get you the Base Miles for practical cycling.
Riding a bicycle is supposed to be good childish fun, not penance or a duty.

-Bandera

My advice is: don't hammer it too hard everyday... Ride at a lower intensity. Follow a well balanced diet with plenty of protein. The more you weigh and the more physically active you are the more protein you will require for recovery...I think one of the reasons why I've been able to commute and ride daily and still keep up with my physical labour job and strength workouts is because majority of my rides are done at a low-medium intensity. Sure I could hammer hard if I wanted to but I know it would only lead to a burn out and compromise my recovery.

I think your advice is spot on. The problem we encounter as everyday transportation cyclists is that we don't always get to pick and choose how far and how fast we ride. And not all of our rides are for the primary purpose of fun (Although hopefully we will be having fun along the way.)

It's definitely a challenge to adapt sound physical conditioning principles to the everyday necessities of getting to work, shopping, appointments, etc.--on time and remain pain-free, injury-free, and carfree. But this can be done, and as you imply, one key is to lay down that base exercise that gets your body into great overall shape.

Good point. I pay attention to how I'm feeling and slack off as necessary. I think a good question to ask yourself is "what will make me stronger tomorrow". Usually doing nothing is not it. And a hard ride might do you good, but not every day or even most days. If you're doing a 30-40 mile commute then relax most days and step it up for maybe a day or two in the week - if you've established that you can handle the basic ride day after day.

I consistently find that if I choose to back off a lot that in practice it makes little difference in the time. Far less than I would expect after feeling that I was just goofing off.

Thats a real good point. Ride 14 mph instead of 18 mph, and you will be able to go much longer, with less pain and tiredness. But the difference in travel times for 1h mph and 18 mph is negligible for all but the longest rides. When you're cycling for transportation, you soon develop a different feel for both time and distance. You become a little more laid back, I think.

"Further not faster"

It may just be the company that I kept/keep but all of the avid cyclists that I have known use bicycles as practical transportation as a matter of course, and have for quite a long time.
Here's my Town Bike, it's been in continuous service for 41 years, performs errands quite nicely and plooters about with equal aplomb.
It does not however have the capability of hauling hay bales or covering a 1,000 miles in 24 hours. This is not a sudden insight.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=486874

"Advocating" practical cycling to substitute using a bicycle instead of a motor vehicle is preaching to the choir for cycling enthusiasts who not only have the requisite fitness, road smarts and are already commuting to work and/or shagging stuff home from the Farmer's Market for the last decades or so as a nice "rest day" from structured training as many BF posters do.

Those who take up Practical Cycling for whatever reason "cold" w/ no real miles in their legs would be well advised to check out the BF/Commuting sub-forum for practical advice on hardware/kit/tips where there is an active and useful discourse on Practical Bicycling w/o Politics or Dirigibles.

-Bandera

I think this type of question should be posted in Training/Nutrition forum as there are a lot of experienced riders over there who know a lot about recovery.

I learned most from the long distance sub forum. I'm not knocking the others mentioned, just adding that long distance is also worth checking.

Nutrition is a key element. Supplements (like Endurolyte, or Eleet) will help you feel and perform better on the bike, and recover faster with fewer issues.

I used to do a 30 mile r/t commute for several years, and I found that varying intensity helped a lot. I would ride a time trial and then an easy day, an 'interval' day (not *real* intervals..) and an easy day, back to back steady pace days...

You can take the stress out of fighting the wind by spinning faster in a lower gear, at a lower speed. In fact, spinning faster, rather than grinding in a high gear, is always more effective and easier.

You both already gave excellent answers to the OP's question in earlier posts. Neither of you should feel the need to refer him to another forum when you've already answered the question very well.

One question leads to another as one actually gets out on the bike.
It's a need.

What fenders work for well for 700X32 w/o costing a fortune?
Why use dynamo lighting systems instead of battery lights?
How to carry a laptop and a change of clothes?

Go to the BF/Commuting sub-forum for prompt input from a variety of posters with real world experience of Practical Bicycling.
LCF is a desert of practical advice on actually using a bicycle to get around in comparison with it's emphasis on Politics, Social Engineering and Dirigibles.

You would you ask a sociologist or a plumber for advice on installing a faucet? :rolleyes:

-Bandera

But the OP didn't ask any questions about fenders or whatever. He specifically asked about recovery. He received several good practical answers from you, me, and a couple other LCF users. If he has followup questions, he will ask and we will answer, to the best of our abilities.

Otherwise, I think the thread has accomplished its mission, and could quietly die now if nobody has any relevant followup or discussion.

Isn't it up to the OP to ask when a thread should be closed?
It would not be you determining that "I think the thread has accomplished its mission".

Once again you chose to use a Chiding tone regarding other's posts as if LCF was your personal sub-forum.
It's not.

-Bandera

I guess I don't understand the point you're trying to make. But unless a followup question is asked, I have nothing more to say about the thread topic of recovery from exercise, so consider this my final post in the thread. You can do whatever you like.

Of course I'll be doing as I please, your permission has never been and will not be required.

If you did not understand "the point" here's a quick re-cap:

Do you "feel our need"? Not likely, in fact impossible. Note your Chiding tone here:

Complete nonsense, as if you were a superior authority, which you most certainly are not.

LCF is indeed a desert of practical advice on actually using a bicycle to get around in comparison with it's emphasis on Politics and Social Engineering.
Practical advice on using a bicycle in this sub-forum is mostly accidental.
I recommend one where using a bicycle for practical transportation is the entire emphasis for anyone who is considering using motor vehicles less.
That would not be LCF, try Commuting or Utility Cycling instead. For the OP's question "Training & Nutrition".

As stated previously this is the OP's thread not yours and determining that "thread has accomplished its mission" is not yours to make.

Once again LCF is not your personal BF/Sub-forum and others including myself will post as they please without your permission or approved viewpoint, much less your Chiding Nanny tone.

Are we clear now?

-Bandera

Ding! Ding! Ding! Round Two!

No criticism was meant on my part. Quite the opposite--I was just complimenting you on your practical advice to the OP, and pointing out that we on LCF shouldn't have an inferiority complex because we really are able to provide helpful suggestions to each other on the LCF subforum. Looking back, I see how that could be misinterpreted, and I'm sorry about my lack of clarity.

By saying the thread could die, I only meant that it's probably served it's intended purpose of answering the question asked in the OP about recovery from carfree exercise. If you (or anybody) have further thoughts on that topic, I look forward to reading them. I also look forward to continued participation in the many other "practical" threads that are regularly posted here on LCF.

I apologize if my tone was unintentionally chiding or insulting. :(

Ugh this thread was going so well and then ya'll **** all over it.

Apology accepted, we are once again good.

-Bandera

36 miles, or 18 miles each way is a pretty decent ride.

A few thoughts.

1. First of all, get a nice bike. I've had people at the bike co-op laugh at me for showing up on a well battered Colnago road bike, or using a titanium Litespeed as my rain bike. But there is a reason for that, as they're at about the 15 mile point in my ride if I'm just going straight there. I've read about the differences between skinny and fat tires... I still like the skinny tires. I now have a Cross bike, and it just doesn't feel the same.
   
2. Figure out what you need to pack back and forth, and what you don't. You didn't mention what you're carrying. For the most part, keep computers, cookware, etc at each destination. Just carry the bare necessities (such as groceries, flash drives, etc).
   
3. For the biking, you need to push yourself a bit, some of the time. Don't always stop at 18/36 miles. Perhaps go for a few 100 mile rides on the weekend. Play around with varying speed. You might not want to wipe yourself out on a Monday or Tuesday, but you could try using Friday as your "sprint and intervals" day. Occasionally snag your cargo trailer. Nothing beats climbing hills while dragging 500 pounds behind your bike.

As far as myself, I'm rapidly approaching the second half century of my life. I've always ridden a bike, but the number of miles varied. A couple of years ago, a ride from my house to Mom's house and back (about 20 miles each way) in a day would just wipe me out. Now, I'm pushing the speed and cargo capacity getting there, and the recovery time is much quicker. Still, a 100 or 150 mile ride is tough. I'm estimating 4000 to 5000 miles this year which will be the most in quite some time.

Again I'm sorry. I am trying to do better, but I guess I have a way to go...

If you have a tub? Soak the legs for 10 minutes each night in very hot soapy water ...Also good for your back if can lay down in the tub.