Tiredness after hard ride

Ezy Rider
Ezy Rider Posts: 415
edited June 2011 in Road beginners
On wednesday evening I went out on a tough route. It wasnt by any stretch of the imagination a long distance, it was only 32 miles, but there were lots and lots of nasty uphill bits that I had to ride in 34/25 granny gear with hands in the middle of the handlebars to ease my breathing. As i worked my way up those hill sections , they were so steep that , even in granny gear, i couldnt get my cadence higher than about 55 rpm, a triple would have helped, but i just cant bring myself to use one and those soul destroying climbs were carried out at around 7.5 - 9 mph :oops: When I got home, I was drained completely and my wife and kids said i looked at deaths door :shock: That was wednesday night, on thursday i was very tired indeed and tonight, i am only feeling spritely again and looking forward to saturdays` ride. Can the cycling drain you to the extent where for a day and a half you can still feel it , ive not a notion in the world for an ice bath like tour riders do by the way LOL :lol:

Comments

  • ollyridesfirst
    ollyridesfirst Posts: 486
    Of course it can make you feel bad.....normally it's 2 days after that you really feel it anyway!

    My advice is to keep pushing up them hills until you get home and you're not so tired. Then you do it again 2 days later! You'll be flying up before you know it!
  • anto164
    anto164 Posts: 3,500
    Yes.

    I did my fastest 50mi on tues which drained my reserves, went to ride weds evening,and i struggled. Even climbing the stairs at work on thursday made me feel the ride that i did2 days prior.

    Just ride more and you'll recover faster.
  • red ed
    red ed Posts: 14
    Ezy Rider wrote:
    On wednesday evening I went out on a tough route. It wasnt by any stretch of the imagination a long distance, it was only 32 miles, but there were lots and lots of nasty uphill bits that I had to ride in 34/25 granny gear with hands in the middle of the handlebars to ease my breathing. As i worked my way up those hill sections , they were so steep that , even in granny gear, i couldnt get my cadence higher than about 55 rpm, a triple would have helped, but i just cant bring myself to use one and those soul destroying climbs were carried out at around 7.5 - 9 mph :oops: When I got home, I was drained completely and my wife and kids said i looked at deaths door :shock: That was wednesday night, on thursday i was very tired indeed and tonight, i am only feeling spritely again and looking forward to saturdays` ride. Can the cycling drain you to the extent where for a day and a half you can still feel it , ive not a notion in the world for an ice bath like tour riders do by the way LOL :lol:

    :D Yes, that's how you know you're doing it right!
  • Philby
    Philby Posts: 328
    Sometimes you may be just a little bit run down and are likely to suffer. Or could be due to tiredness from a hard week at work or a lack of sleep or even poor nutrition.

    Is this a regular route you do? I sometimes find on new routes I feel more knackered than on equally testing routes that I am familiar with - this may be due to not knowing what to expect.

    As above keep at it and it should get easier.
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    Sounds like not the right recovery steps taken though.
    My London Road
  • thescouselander
    thescouselander Posts: 549
    Consider yourself lucky - I remember being like that once after a particularly harsh spin session - I didn't move an inch on that occasion!
  • Alibran
    Alibran Posts: 370
    I'm not suggesting not doing those hills, but unless you're happy with being completely knackered and having to take 2 days off, maybe plan your rides so you get a mix of hills and flatter sections, so you're not pushing so hard for the whole ride. You'll still improve, but you won't suffer quite so much for it!
  • mikebikemike
    mikebikemike Posts: 166
    Cool down, stretches, eat and hydrate afterwards might help.
  • piquet
    piquet Posts: 83
    Ezy Rider wrote:
    e. Can the cycling drain you to the extent where for a day and a half you can still feel it ,l:


    Yes - it can happen at almost any level if you push yourself to far/fast/hard relative to your current fitness level or on a day when you are under the weather, or too soon after a previous hard session.

    Two things to prioritise:

    1 eating/drinking properly on the ride and as soon as you get home getting some form of recovery drink on-board. After a ride such as you describe, i will have a banana whizzed with milk as soon as i get in then a tuna sandwich after a shower.

    2 the next day going out for a VERY gentle spin AKA recovery ride, if you are overtaking granny on her sit up and beg you are working too hard :D 30/60 mins

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