Bit of calf discomfort - 3.5 weeks to Ride London

daniel_b

I'm riding the ride london event in just under 4 weeks, and have been training on average 3-4 hours a week since December last year.

In the last 8 weeks, I've upped the mileage a fair bit, and also now go out on a local group ride on a Saturday morning, average speed usually being around 17mph.

This last weekend, we rode a fairly hilly 36 mile route (2500ft of climbing) and then I tacked a further 20 mile on with one of the guys, this was a flatter route, but we were going pretty much flat out, and on the group ride I was attacking the hills, and spent a fair bit of time on the front of the group.

Felt fine when I reached home, rehydrated, and carried out my usual stretch routine.

No issues at all for the whole day - the folowing day, I noticed my right calf was a bit achy, a but like in the days when you were unfit, and hadn't done any exercise for ages, and didn;t stretch afterwards.
I did a bit more stretching, and some gentle rollering, and this seemed to abate things a bit.
However, now back at work, I'm noticing if I am sat down for 30 minutes or more, I do feel it when I get up.
I wore a not hugely compressive calf sleeve overnight, and this seems to have helped.

Last week, I went out on the bike on the Tuesday for a gentle spin, and my legs felt a bit heavy, I knew I was riding on Friday and Saturday, so had already decided to take a few days off of any cycling and wasn't planning to start training until tomorrow, but I'm now a bit nervous about tomorrows session - meant to be 4 X 20 minute blocks at 85% of ftp.

I'm not sure if I have pulled, strained a muscle, or even how I did it, whether it was during the ride, or via the stretching.

It is feeling a bit better this morning post calf sleeve wearing, but I'm not sure whether to go all in for the turbo session tomorrow, or whether I should hold off until I'm sure it's totally better.
Not keen to lose fitness, but then don't want to wreck it and mean I can't take part at all.
It's not like a sharp pain, but just when it's in that zone, post sit down for a bit, stairs have to be taken a bit gingerly, but the more I walk, the better it seems to get if that makes sense.

Opinions and past experiences please?

lemonenema

definitely give it more rest, active rest that is like walking around some massaging etc.
Having an injury will slow you down more than a week off training.

bongobiggins

IMO taking it easier for a week or so outweighs making something worse and having to stop altogether.

Never had any calf issues before but my wife is a runner and has had a calf strain before. Think she was out of action for a month but had been running on it when sore.

Might be worth a trip to physio.

daniel_b

Thanks both, will play it by ear, and see how it feels - don't want to set anything back drastically.

Biggest worry for me presently, is exactly how I did it - worried I might do it again.
My money is currently on the stretching exercise, there is one that targets the calves specifically, so I may omit that one, or tone it down somewhat.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

These "mystery" twinges do happen, especially as we get older, I've been nursing one myself for the last week.

I did a fairly constructive undulating ride last Wednesday, ~37 miles and ~2500 feet, felt fine when I got in. Roll forward to Friday and the outside of my left knee was giving me a fair bit of grief when moving around at home, so another 2019 setback for me, but thankfully it's eased off now so I might actually head out for a conservative effort ride in a while.
My best guess is my issue is down to cleat position having recently swapped to 3-bolt from 2-bolt and the new 3-bolt cleats perhaps not having so much float, I had issues with clipless pedals before getting my ATACs ~13 years ago.

As already written, you won't lose much fitness over a week or two of taking it very easy to let your calf recover, you really don't want to push things now and be dealing with a serious niggle for the sportive that may cause you to abandon.

cougie

It takes about two weeks off to lose fitness.

You're definitely better going in undertrained than injured.

Ride London will be a breeze.

itboffin

Hey Dan 3-4 hours a week in total or outside? that's not a huge amount of time on the bike so it could be a getting used to riding more pain or as already said cleat positioning issue if its on one leg only.

ditto Ride London is a doddle unless you're looking to place in the top 10

daniel_b

Ello ITB, twas 3-4 hours for the winter months, but then more like 7-8 hours for the last 3 months.

Against my better judgement, I did cautiously complete the 2hr turbo session this morning (whilst watching yesterdays tdf stage) and had no further discomfort or issues.
I'm still playing it safe, and sticking with overnight compression, as that seemed to help substantially.

Tomorrow I have 24 (6x4) minutes of 117% ftp, that may be more of a test.

Encouraged to hear the concensus re Ride london, hoping to get my start time soon, and am scheduled to have one more ftp before the event, would be nice to go in with a pb ftp.

itboffin

that's more like it, do the Newbury club have a chain gang ride? if they do i suggest joining a couple before the event, I tried my clubs chain tonight for the first proper time in 2 years, bailed at 9 miles into 22 not because I was toast but I knew I didnt have another turn in my lungs, i'll keep going and pushing myself a bit further and faster.

Sadly I used to be able to hold my own on those rides.

My point being to get better ride with those better than yourself and keep at it. I have a horrible habit of sticking to "my" pace 17-19 MPH even when there's more in the tank, this is killing my progress.

daniel_b

Yes I get that totally, even just going on the shop rides has made me work harder (especially on the flats) than I would tend to do solo.

A 22 mile chaingang sounds reasonable, dare say you could get yourself back up there.
How long does each turn on the front tend to be, or literally just as long as you're happy to?

They do have one here, but it's 2500ft of climbing, and 50 (fifty) miles in length, and they tend to average 22-23mph......
That feels a fair distance away right now.

There was talk of a group of us lesser mortals going out for an effort on that route to see what we are capable of, yet to happen though.
Will see if I can organise one or more this month though.

And then potentially starting x minutes before the fast group, and seeing how long we can hang on when they catch us.

I follow a few talented local riders on Strava, and even their fasted solo rides are 21+ mph, certainly something I find, to aspire to.

itboffin

Same pace and elevation for many of ours, generally its 10 mins on the front which i think is too long at that tempo, I'm trying to get back to the 20-25 miles at max speed with turns as long as you can hold on but definitely not more than 10 minutes.

The problem tonight was there was only three of us and the prospect of 3+ turns at 25 mph didnt float my boat, if i could i would because i know these short punchy rides do more good for me than hours in Z2/3, i should also get back to my regular hill repeats, I'm at a third of the total elevation of last year which was my worst year since 2013

I never thought I'd miss those thousands of commuting miles but i do

daniel_b

Fair enough, this is unchartered territory for me, so I think may take me a while to get there to be honest.

10 minutes does seem a fairly long haul - do you ride outside with power, and if so, what kind of watts do you need to sustain (on average, as I appreciate terrain and wind direction will play a part) for the duration of your turn?

Three of you does not give a huge rest does it - I suspect 5 minute turns or the like in a bigger group could work quite well.

There is a faster 19/20mph lbs ride, so I may migrate to that in the short term, and then see if I can start the chaingang beginners after that.

I've never really had much in the way of regular commuting miles, but that will change next spring, and I should be putting in 100 miles a week, so that will soon add up, plus the odd turbo\group ride\hopefully chain gang too

daniel_b

Just stuck some stats into http://bikecalculator.com/ (ZERO idea how accurate it is or isn't) and it is of the opinion, that with only a 5mph headwind, at my weight and bike weight, to maintain 25mph on the flat, I would need to be putting out 410 watts.

As my FTP is only 250, I realise that would be somewhat beyond me!


I think I could manage 290\300ish, with breaks, but that equates to circa 22mph.

sloppyschleckonds

Daniel B wrote:

Just stuck some stats into http://bikecalculator.com/ (ZERO idea how accurate it is or isn't) and it is of the opinion, that with only a 5mph headwind, at my weight and bike weight, to maintain 25mph on the flat, I would need to be putting out 410 watts.

As my FTP is only 250, I realise that would be somewhat beyond me!


I think I could manage 290\300ish, with breaks, but that equates to circa 22mph.

Remember, if there are 12 of you then thats 1x10 minute turn on a 2 hour ride. Most resonably fit people can hold Vo2 max for 8 minutes and the secret here would be to get as aero as possible for that duration.

Sounds like you are pootling around with the leisure clubbies too often

And back too original question adrenal gland can cause calf stiffness

itboffin

i agree if there's 12 or even 6 but 3 makes even a short 20 ish mile course bloody hard work, my power for the 10 mins was about 120-125% FTP on avg. I knew that the next two turns for me would be one long steep climb over 2 miles long hitting a peak of 10% then the next turn is one of the roads i hate most in the area, 6 miles of rolling surface dressing straight hills, 2-8% no tree or hedge cover so even a gentle breeze feels hard.

I made the right choice to bail at my fitness level and the pace on the night.

itboffin

this is what i mean by rolling hills https://photos.app.goo.gl/CPxb1vpUCj29M4kb7

That's my local "rolling" hills

daniel_b

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

Just stuck some stats into http://bikecalculator.com/ (ZERO idea how accurate it is or isn't) and it is of the opinion, that with only a 5mph headwind, at my weight and bike weight, to maintain 25mph on the flat, I would need to be putting out 410 watts.

As my FTP is only 250, I realise that would be somewhat beyond me!


I think I could manage 290\300ish, with breaks, but that equates to circa 22mph.

Remember, if there are 12 of you then thats 1x10 minute turn on a 2 hour ride. Most resonably fit people can hold Vo2 max for 8 minutes and the secret here would be to get as aero as possible for that duration.

Sounds like you are pootling around with the leisure clubbies too often

And back too original question adrenal gland can cause calf stiffness

Yes that's fair enough, get what you mean there.
No issues with getting aero.

To be honest, I've been riding turbo or solo for ever, and it's only since April I have been taking part in group rides. And as I alternate weeks with my girlfriend, I think I have only taken part in 7 or 8 rides at most. Probaly two 15mph rides, and the rest at 17.

Moving to the 19\20 ride, and or the chain gang I can see will likely improve overall average speed and strength.

Thanks for the tip on the adrenal gland, will look that bad boy up.

itboffin wrote:

this is what i mean by rolling hills https://photos.app.goo.gl/CPxb1vpUCj29M4kb7

That's my local "rolling" hills

Aha, yes indeed, I see what you mean

itboffin

Well I did persist and rode the fast Sat group avg just over 20 mph for 60 miles, even with a gentle Sunday spin out I'm suffering today with DOMS.

We do this for fun ...

daniel_b

Fine effort sir.
Suffering is good yah!

itboffin

Daniel B wrote:

Fine effort sir.
Suffering is good yah!

Back to normal today but out for a gentle short ride ready to try the chain gang again tomorrow, hoping to hold on for a bit longer if i can.

That's my improvement plan for 2019, good luck with your prep

daniel_b

itboffin wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

Fine effort sir.
Suffering is good yah!

Back to normal today but out for a gentle short ride ready to try the chain gang again tomorrow, hoping to hold on for a bit longer if i can.

That's my improvement plan for 2019, good luck with your prep

Cheers matey, battering myself for 120 minutes on the turbo tomorrow at 6am.
Also have my start time for RL now, setting off just after 7, which is reasonable I think, so hopefully completed by around 1pm.
Managed to secure a parking space a bit North of the Mall (And outside road closures) for £20 for the day, so my gf and daughter will drive there from our b&b at some point in the morning, have a mooch around Londinium, and then hopefully meet me at the finish, have a picnic if the weather is reasonable, and then walk back to the van to head back west.

itboffin

Good show don't let your bike out of sight ride London is prime bike theft territory

daniel_b

itboffin wrote:

Good show don't let your bike out of sight ride London is prime bike theft territory

I had heard that from several people - bit sh1t eh, but to be expected I guess.

I know several people who are going, but whether I bump into any of them is another matter, if I don't a toilet visit may become a luxury somewhat........
Worst case I take the front wheel in with me I guess, and hope the rest of the bike remains :?

Still not decided between CR1 or Foil - will decide a few days prior, Foil is favourite so far.