What pain?

dbmnk

Do you suffer, when giving it all you got?

Pros are always quoted for riding with pain and suffering when giving it all they got, but what is that pain? Lactic acid, I suppose, but how does it manifest in sensations?

I ask since I am not able to reach a pain state myself, but maybe I am not trying hard enough.

However, when riding at my limits, I more seem to just be out of power at a certain point, and there is just not more to put into pedals - I never reach what I would call a pain state. Well, I am able to get a cramp, but for me it is just not possible to put power into pedals with a cramp - perhaps it is cramps pros refer to as the pain?

Otherwise I get foot pain, knee pain, neck pain and back pain, but that doesn't seem to correlate with power output.

Bhima

Riding through the pain barrier is more of a psychological/immaterial thing. Because subconsciously you don't want to experience pain, your brain tricks you into thinking you can't go harder. You can, but it takes practice and insane mental strength to tell your brain to p*ss off.

dbmnk wrote:

However, when riding at my limits, I more seem to just be out of power at a certain point, and there is just not more to put into pedals - I never reach what I would call a pain state.

Lucky you! Next time you get to this point, ignore everything your brain tells you about you lacking power and just push harder. Just sprint out of the saddle and give it everything.

Or ride up more hills faster and faster.

I love cycling at the pain barrier. I'm a nutter though. :twisted:

mask of sanity

dbmnk wrote:

I ask since I am not able to reach a pain state myself, but maybe I am not trying hard enough.

Have you done a TT yet? That should result in you pushing yourself until it really hurts!! It did me anyway!

GyatsoLa

So far as I'm aware the latest research indicates that lactic acid is not (contrary to what you will be told by many people) the main source of muscle pain.

Incidentally, I've heard of lots of people recommend ibuprofin for intense workouts and competition, but according to this article, its a very bad idea...

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/0 ... -exercise/

ride_whenever

Yeah, learn to push yourself harder, it's about finding that next gear up.


One way that is good is to do intervals on a turbo. Do a TT10 then do 5*2miles at faster than your 10tt speed. A great way to find that extra level... well i say great, painful would be more accurate.

jocksyboy

Either you are Tyler Hamilton in disguise (riding the tour with a broken collar bone) or you are not pushing hard enough.

For 10m TT's you should get to the point of almost throwing up and hold it for the ride.

(well it worked for me)

Also try some sprint workouts on the track after an hour and a half chain gang on the road for some real pain

vorsprung

Let me describe the first time I went up a big hill near me
On my old bike which was heavier and didn't have such small gears

As I reached the top my legs felt like fire as I pushed down to move the pedals
Every stroke was searing agony
When I finally got to the top and stopped pedalling I was as high as a kite on endorphins

That's one kind of pain...specifically in the legs or perhaps lower back

Another sort of pain was when I was getting to the last bit of a time trial. I was just doing it for training, I don't compete. I noticed my speed had dropped off the pace so I upped the cadence slightly. There was pain in my legs again but not like on the hill. However I started to get tunnel vision. My body was saying to me "ease off!!!!". No sorry it was saying "EASE OFF!!! NOW!!!!!" I carried on pedalling trading the pain for increased speed for the last 100 metres.

The second sort of pain on the time trial wasn't so bad. But I'm more of a climber than a time trialist

Bronzie

dbmnk wrote:

However, when riding at my limits, I more seem to just be out of power at a certain point, and there is just not more to put into pedals

Same for me - I get to the point where I am just unable to get the legs to do what I want - it's not painful as such, but the legs just don't want to know.

shockedsoshocked

If it doesn't hurt you're not pushing hard enough

nmcgann

It's an interesting point since "the pain" in cycling isn't the same sensation as a back pain, a toothache, or the regular body aches&pains we all suffer.

It's very hard to describe until you have been to that place, but it soon gets to feel normal

Neil

Bronzie

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

If it doesn't hurt you're not pushing hard enough

Oh believe me that I can make my legs hurt.............hill intervals etc.

But at the exact point in a road race when I go pop, there is no pain............no power either

dbmnk

Ok, so in training sessions pain is possible along with vomitting and ripped lungs, but a long time ago I did such.

Now, I am more interested in the 4+ hour ride since that's what the pros are quoted on. I mean if I get to point of pain on such a ride, it's because I am about to blow out, and It wouldn't be possible to continue...
or is it? is that what they mean about the pain? to continue puttin an effort even though they are blown?

Surely I can ride to the point that I wish I weren't there, but I do not get a painful sensation in any of its physiological forms.

BeaconRuth

dbmnk wrote:

Now, I am more interested in the 4+ hour ride since that's what the pros are quoted on.

People tend to experience muscular pain if they have a build-up of lactate in their muscles. But you can't ride continually for 4 hours at a pace at which the lactate builds up - it's physiologically not possible.

So I think you're barking up the wrong tree. Try a 1km time trial - that'll cause some pain.

Ruth