Weird feeling in leg

Totalnewbie

One of my legs feels very odd. Not painful at all - but I've suddenly become very aware of one of the muscles in my thigh, it feels kind of heavy/like there is pressure there. Difficult to describe.

I've been cycling pretty much every day since I got the new bike, inc weekends (average of about 10 miles a day) which I built up to gradually since May this year. I carted a load of stuff to and from my mum's on the bike at the weekend, and woke up this morning with this weird feeling in my leg. I also feel pretty tired. I didn't want to exacerbate it, so I got the bus this morning to give my legs a rest. Have I pulled a muscle or something?

BentMikey

Looks like you already know the answer! Sympathies, I have a sore hamstring from overdoing it at the moment. I think you did the right thing in getting the bus, I would maybe also consider getting as much extra sleep as you can manage over the next few days, as well as taking the bus again tomorrow. Tell us how you feel again tomorrow and on Wednesday!

Totalnewbie

Thanks Mikey. I feel as though I could sleep for a week actually. Even though I fell asleep quite early last night (the theme to Match of the Day acts as a kind of sedative...)

I do hope to be back on the bike tomorrow, I'm very attached to it these days.

On the way home from my mum's yesterday I was going through Hyde Park and looked over at a skater doing lots of fancy stuff in case it was you - it wasn't, but he looked quite pleased with himself, maybe he thought I was checking him out!

BentMikey

Hehehe, not me, I was by the Albert Memorial yesterday.

If you feel like you need that much sleep, then it's defo time to reduce your cycling by a large amount and give yourself time to recover. If you get too far into the depths of what is essentially over training, you'll get sick, ratty, and life will not be good. Best to rest now, knowing that you're ensuring much more cycling for yourself in the near future. Don't take the bike tomorrow, and don't pass on bed!!!

Totalnewbie

All right...not that I ever pass on my kip! I think the fact that I had a fairly full weekend didn't help.

Totalnewbie

Meh, I was a good girl and got the bus again. Even though I quite like cycling in the rain. Leg feels much better but not 100%.

It wasn't easy though, I nearly murdered the bloke sitting next to me last night. He kept opening his paper onto my lap and sniffing and snorting. My tolerance of public transport is low these days!

How many rest days should someone have?

I guess I thought I would be ok due to short distances (never more than 10 miles a day) but then again before I wouldn't ever have considered going to the gym every single day and spending nearly an hour on the stationary bike, which is what it amounts to (in fact I probably push myself harder on the real bike in order to catch green lights etc, if I'm honest).

BentMikey

Sorry to have sounded like a Mum!!! It sounds to me like resting was the right thing to do.

I know from my own commuting and work that I need two rest days a week, and if I don't get them, I end up sick or zoned out on the couch in a complete stupor for days on end.

Totalnewbie

Well I took the bike today, the boyf was making noises about taking my bike to work 'to try it out' and I can't have that!

It did feel difficult but the wind was against me (metcheck has confirmed this!) so that might have been it. Let's hope it doesn't turn around this evening! :evil: