Recovering each day for 6 days riding

bluechair84

I've a riding holiday planned next week; will be tying in some of the 7 staines and part of the West Highland Way - the devil's staircase.
I'll be riding over each day for 6 days and I've never done anything quite so strenuous. How can I aid recovery each day to be ready for the following ride? Any techniques or things I should include in my diet?
Cheers

tlw1

energy drinks & decent breakfast (porridge) followed by pasta lunch.

Got me through 5 days of circa 100 miles

bluechair84

aye, pasta will be the staple for carbs. I've heard you need certain amounts of salt to replace electrolytes or something or other. Protein for muscle recovery.... any other advide as to diet?

Paulie W

This is a holiday right? Eat and drink what you want. If you're tired ride slower or not so far! ;-)

.blitz

bluechair84 wrote:

Any techniques or things I should include in my diet?

Hosing your legs down with cold water in the shower helps (YMMV)

bluechair84

.blitz wrote:

bluechair84 wrote:

Any techniques or things I should include in my diet?

Hosing your legs down with cold water in the shower helps (YMMV)

Really? I'll be living out of the bus so washing in the local lochs will be my postride activity.
Gonna make a very large quantity of flapjack too

.blitz

bluechair84 wrote:

I'll be living out of the bus so washing in the local lochs will be my postride activity.

Great success!

I posted a while back about cold water baths and someone mentioned cold water on the legs. I find it reduces soreness especially on multi-day rides.

edhornby

nuun tablets are good for electrolyte replacement, one tablet per bidon

you can do a homemade energy drink by 1/3 orange juice to 2/3 water and a little bit of salt

bluechair84

Paulie W wrote:

This is a holiday right? Eat and drink what you want. If you're tired ride slower or not so far! ;-)

I only have six days of riding; I'm planning on
Dalbeatie day one
Kiroughtree day two
Fortwilliam chair lifts day three
West highland way day four
Beast it in Edinburgh four's eve
Innerleithan day five
Possibly Kielder day six to break up the driving home.

Want to make sure I get to each place with enough strength to enjoy it!

mea00csf

you'll be fine, you'll be surprised how much you can do once your body gets used to it, which it probably will do very quickly. We did the south downs way, carrying 8kg of stuff each over 3 days, 40/30/30 miles each with about 1000m of climbing each day. I was really nervous about making it before we left but the final day actually felt easier than the 2nd.

Eat plenty of carbs and perhaps have a easy day midweek if you start to feel tired

bluechair84

yeah the west highland way day is only a 16 miles, though it'll feel like 16 miles because it's natural trail (as apposed to 20miles at a centre which feels more like 15). And Fort Bill is chair lift all day long

Interesting you say the body gets used to it. Id like to keep up that sort of level of fitness and get into some endurance events this autumn if i don't forget they are on.