Aching legs

neilo23

Due to work I haven't been out on the bike for 2 weeks. Since then I've had aching, tired legs which feel as if I'd ridden 200km the previous day. I know the pros go for a spin on their rest days in the big tours but I usually ride between 2 and 4 hours, 5 days a week: it's not as if my legs aren't used to not riding. Haven't changed anything in my life which could make my legs ache. Any ideas?

cesco

withdrawal effects.

neilo23

Even after 2 weeks without having ridden excesively in the time before? Never experienced this previously when I've had breaks from the bike.

sloppyschleckonds

Carrying too much weight

ric/rstsport

Training is reversible. That is, if you don't train you become less fit than when you were training more/better. If you have been inactive for two weeks you will have reversed a variety of training effects and you will feel less fit than you did before.

For e.g., the reason pros train even on their off day at say the Tour de France, is that plasma volume decreases rapidly with training cessation (there's a significant drop off with 24 hours of rest). This results in a decreasing VO2max.

Some other training effects take longer to lose.

Sorry, rereading your post are you saying that your legs are hurting after a 2 week break without doing any cycling, or you've had a 2 week break, done some cycling but they feel really sore?

Ric

neilo23

Ric/RSTSport wrote:

Sorry, rereading your post are you saying that your legs are hurting after a 2 week break without doing any cycling, or you've had a 2 week break, done some cycling but they feel really sore?

Ric

The last time I rode was 16 days ago. I've been active for work, nothing strenuous but enough to get some blood moving through my legs. They constantly feel as if I've done a hard workout. Never had it before which is strange as I've stopped smoking and drinking and am living like a monk

ric/rstsport

not sure. but to clarify, you'll always have blood moving through your legs. unless you have absolutely massive health issues....

neilo23

Ric/RSTSport wrote:

not sure. but to clarify, you'll always have blood moving through your legs. unless you have absolutely massive health issues....

I didn't mean that quite so literally. I meant that I'm not sitting around going to pot