Overnight Recovery - Supplement Advice

waxb18

Hi All,

I've been off the bike for about 2 years and now getting back on it as i commute to new work 10km away so in total doing 20km per day.
I've been eating small and often, getting the right mix nutrients and diet, but I'm finding the recovery is never complete and by Weds/Thurs Im struggling maintaining form and pace.

This leads me to think that i need some supplements to speed up recovery.

I was thinking of hitting up some BCAA's but is there anything anyone else can recommend?

Thanks

joey54321

I'd say there is a very, very small chance you need supplements. 10km is not that far and if you are careful with your diet you'd be getting everything you need.

My advice
1) Vary your pace, if you do each commute at absolutely 100% then, of course, you'd be tired by the end of the week. Have some days where you go easier, some days where you go harder.
2) Make sure you are eating enough to eat, its easy to under eat if you are being careful with your diet, this will have a far bigger impact than BCAA or anything else you'd be taking.
3) How long have you been doing this commute? Might just take some time if you have gone from doing very little to this every day.
4) You could look at other stresses you encounter which may have an impact if work is particularly stressful or you aren't getting enough sleep then by the end of the working week it would be natural to feel more run down.

imposter2.0

You don't need supplements for a 20km daily commute. You just need to improve your fitness, which in turn will improve your recovery. Both of which you will do if you keep doing the commute.

MiddleRinger

Imposter wrote:

You don't need supplements for a 20km daily commute. You just need to improve your fitness, which in turn will improve your recovery. Both of which you will do if you keep doing the commute.

^ This. Eat well and get a good nights sleep.

Unless you're busting out full gas each way, it's stupidly hilly or your job is very physically taxing, you should be able to maintain your endurance over that small amount of riding each day. Keep at it and your bike fitness will increase.

Matthewfalle

you're doing 14 miles a day. you don't need supplements.

eat well as you are doing, sleep well, hydrate and get fitter - it'll be fine in a couple of months.

#noneedtoworry

cougie

12 miles of cycling isn't a lot per day.

Don't go full gas every ride. Steady is what you want.

Matthewfalle

yup - those 10 miles a day shouldn't affect you that much at all. don't overthink it.

#tranquillo

fenix

#Matthewscalculatorisbust

homers_double

5318008

kingstongraham

waxb18 wrote:

Hi All,

I've been off the bike for about 2 years and now getting back on it as i commute to new work 10km away so in total doing 20km per day.
I've been eating small and often, getting the right mix nutrients and diet, but I'm finding the recovery is never complete and by Weds/Thurs Im struggling maintaining form and pace.

This leads me to think that i need some supplements to speed up recovery.

I was thinking of hitting up some BCAA's but is there anything anyone else can recommend?

Thanks

I commute 25km a day total and it is the best thing for fitness I have ever had. If you are struggling to maintain pace by Thursday, go slower on Tuesday. If I try to do 10 half hour rides rides a week as fast as possible, it does feel hard.

You don't need supplements.

smudgerii

Eat, sleep, repeat.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

If the commuting is your only cycling everyday and you are pushing your FTP and/or LTHR envelope, then I'm not surprised you get fatigued towards the end of the week.

If you do a physical job and/or other exercise where you push your limits, they will also effect your fatigue levels and your recovery.

If you ride in hard, take it easy on the way home, or vice versa. Even without a power meter, on a flat route that could simply be achieved by sticking to the small chainring one way and the big ring the other way using the same cassette sprocket range.

If you don't do much exercise over the weekend, maybe ride hard in both directions and extend the route home a little (to no more than ~15Km given the normal 10Km route to begin with). You might suffer some DOMS over the weekend for the first few weeks of the same effort, but your body will adapt, that same effort level will begin to feel easier or you will be able to increase the effort level.

dannbodge

I do similar mileage for my commute (19km 200m elevation there and 16km 100m elevation home) and by Thursday I definitely feel it.
My issue is that I tend to ride all but full gas all the time.

haydenm

I'd be pretty knackered doing two 10km TTs a day. I'd listen to your body and if you get on the bike feeling dreadful then just spin there and back. It should be short enough distance to get there at an easier pace without putting yourself further into it, but long enough that if you go max hr you'll feel it. Not sure what supplements would help but something might help, even if it's just for the placebo

daniel_b

The OP posted this over a week ago, and hasn't visited the forum since. Bizarre.

keef66

He's only posted twice and the other one was in 2016, so don't hold your breath...

essex-commuter

Leave him alone. He's recovering.

david7m

homers double wrote:

5318008

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