Got a question on your experience with post-ride recovery. Typically after my 'long' ride on the weekend, my legs will be burning and that often carries forward into the night and can impair my sleep. I do bring energy drink with me on my rides (Cytomax) although I probably still don't hydrate as much as I should.

I've read that taking in protein within the hour after a hard workout is necessary for repairing muscles (and may at least partly address the issue I experience?) ... e.g. a protein drink. The thing is, on my long weekend rides, I've usually driven my bike to a different part of the state and I'm usually a good hour and a half from end of ride to getting home. Curious what you all do for that part of your post-ride recovery ... do you bring something with you? Stop somewhere to grab a bite? Or, is 1-2 hours before getting home and getting your protein close enough to still be effective for you? Thanks

Grab some chocolate milk from the nearest shop. Within 30 minutes of exercise is ideal.

Thanks for easy, common sense answers that I should have thought of myself ... I often marvel that I've made it, touch wood, to 65 years old next month.

So, the positive reviews about chocolate mils are really true?

Thanks again!

yup.. though I typically use regular skim or 1% milk mixed with Endurox R4 (chocolate flavored) which works pretty well (IMO).

Protein bar/cookie?

A 16 oz latte has 12 grams of protein, is delicious, and will help keep you alert on the drive home.

I think a lot of people overthink things. A bit of protein mixed with carbs, by my understanding, is really all you need. Extra fluid wouldnt hurt either.

So if you're in a car...some beef jerky and a bag of chips would probably more than suffice.

Or you could go to the effort of mixing protein concoctions and bringing coolers...but that's a lot of effort imo lol.

^^^ These gents have the right idea.

You could bring a scoop of mix in a small Tupperware/baggie/pre-packed serving and a thermal beverage container of cold water/milk (I'm still amazed at how well my Hydro Flask works). Dump it in, shake it up, drink it down.

....though eating a burrito still appeals to me a little more.

Thanks for the responses so far. I've got some limitations on applying a couple recommended approaches .. don't drink alcohol or lattes ... I've tried having a burger or something similar at the end of group rides (where a dinner was served). That didn't help so much so was thinking in terms of what success others have had with "faster delivery approaches". Easiest to try first is chocolate mils ... then maybe a specific recovery drink.

Here's something to consider when thinking about protein powders: The Pros and Cons of Protein Powder for Endurance Athletes

In my experience, most recreational riders take a misinformed and misguided approach to recovery nutrition. When a few friends and I were doing 600+ mile weeks, I found that this was good advice: Adjusting Sports Nutrition to Your Needs

Carnation Breakfast Essentials is cheap and has lots of vitamins and protein. It comes in packets to be mixed with milk or juice.

Stretching after a ride and prior to a 1.5 hour drive home would probably help.

Good advice here.

If your legs burn, but you don't cramp, electrolyte drinks might not help. it could be leftover lactic acid.

After a good ride it is advisable (I am the one giving the advice, so a grain of salt is too large) to take at least five-ten minutes spinning at very low load. The idea, as I have heard it, it that when you just stop and get off your bike, the circulation to your legs drops---you don't get as much blood to the legs because they are not demanding constant fuel/ air and are not producing large amounts of waste.

This can leave a lot of dead cellular matter---walls from broken muscle cells--which can clog capillaries, and it van leave a lot of lactic acid in those capillaries. Lactic acid is an acid--it is caustic--and can kill capillaries--particularly newly-formed capillaries which just grew to service the increased muscle load--so you have all this rotting matter and lactic acid trapped in your muscles.

Not sure if any of that is true, but ... they guy who told me was a long-time bike racer and spin instructor who was still winning races in his early sixties ... he might not have known why stuff worked, but he sure knew What worked.

Cramps might be electrolyte imbalance, and I just read an article on how extreme load can also cause cramps regardless of whether you hydrate and use electrolyte drinks/tabs etc. Soreness is bruised muscle, overused, or sometimes damaged from the pressure of clogged capillaries again ... cell fluid builds up behind capillaries blocked by broken muscle cell membranes, which squeezes the remaining cells and can hurt or even kill them well after exercising is done.

So ... do a serious cool-down and as Timothy H recommends .. Stretch after riding. it helps. Otherwise, a balanced protein/carb meal withing 30-45 minutes of ending exercise is often recommended.

I have no idea if anything I said is true or valid.

Hydration is key.

You don't have to choose between beer and chocolate milk...

Thanks again for the advice ... really appreciate you all taking the time to respond. I think I need to pay more attention to the immediate post ride time rather than just jumping in the car and driving home. Some light spinning and experiment with different recovery drinks (btw, thankfully I don't cramp on or after rides so that hasn't yet been a problem).

lactic acid is a myth that needs to die

Ok..Why??

I think you should take some pride at riding so hard that your legs burn when you're finished, at age 65 no less. I think the burning is just a natural result of pushing yourself and extending your fitness up to new levels. So you've done the work needed to get nice and sore, that's the difficult part. I see the fun part as afterwards, when I can gorge on food and have an excuse to be lazy and lay around a lot.

I see muscles burning from riding a bike as being no different from the burning you get from lifting weights, running, hiking. If you're still sore the next day, maybe take a quick 10 minute spin around the block in very low gears. That'll help.

Good food, rest, a little stretching, and father time are really all you really need. And once you recover, you'll notice some real fitness improvements resulting from all that pain. Good luck, and keep those wheels turning.

Thanks for the positive spin ... I'm going with that! Yeah, it's not like I'm laid up and can't function. And, it's better the next day except maybe a bit of tiredness, which I consider fairly normal after a strenuous ride. Thanks again!!

https://www.velonews.com/2017/10/pod...ic-acid_450639

Post ride-Protein recovery smoothie/chocomilk etc, re-hydration(electrolyte tabs sometimes), stretches, foam roller and compression socks all help me followed by a big lunch. I also like to try to ease down the pace for the last :10-15 min too to cool down otw home - not always possible but good to do.