Winded, in my legs?

[ACG]

Oh TE knowers of all, your help is needed. Sometimes when I'm riding I get the feeling of being winded, but in my legs. What is that?

[mimitabby]

tired legs?

When i had not developed my muscles yet, I would get to a point where I felt like I had no more strength. I would wear out my puny muscles.
This was noticeable because others that i rode with did not have this trouble.
Now I can pedal for a long long time without my legs giving out.
Perhaps you are just getting into shape?

[indysteel]

I get that too. Some days I just feel better than others. I think some of it comes from riding when I'm not fully recovered from a prior ride/workout. My legs are just tired. I just ease back and do a recovery ride when I feel that way.

Putting that issue aside, there are some stretches of road that just slow me down. I assume it's the road surface. I thought it was just me at first but then I started noticing a pattern on my usual routes. There's one stretch of road in particular that makes me feel like I'm riding in quicksand everytime I'm on it. Beyond that, wind, cold and terrain can make your legs feel tired and slow you down.

[mimitabby]

good point, INDY
nothing like a slight headwind to make you think your legs just got puny..
then you turn and go the other way. SUPERWOMAN!

[Eden]

The biological explanation is lactic acid. As your muscles use carbohydrates they produce a waste product called lactic acid. Your body can clear it away, but when you are working harder and creating more lactic acid than you can get rid of your muscles start to feel sore and/or heavy.

[aicabsolut]

The biological explanation is lactic acid. As your muscles use carbohydrates they produce a waste product called lactic acid. Your body can clear it away, but when you are working harder and creating more lactic acid than you can get rid of your muscles start to feel sore and/or heavy.

Not so. http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness.php?id=fitness/2004/lactic_frederick

[Eden]

hmmm all very interesting, but that heavy feeling may still be related to lactic acid, but of course in conjuction with other things too. Hydration, nutrition and fitness all are factors in how fast you will tire.

"the accumulation of lactic acid during exercise can interfere with muscle contraction, nerve conduction and energy production, leading to acute fatigue. That’s one reason you tire during a training session. Yet lactic acid isn’t just a useless byproduct of energy metabolism — it is an important energy source."
from http://tkdtutor.com/11Training/LacticAcid.htm

It does seem to be universally agreed on that soreness after training is not caused by lactic acid, but by micro tears in your muscles.

more interesting information on lactic acid http://www.lagrange.org/articles/Y05M05/a-lacticacid-rf.htm

[velogirl]

If dehydrated or glycogen deficient (ie you don't have enough glycogen in your muscles), your legs will feel empty.

Does this happen frequently ACG? At what point in your ride? How long have you been riding?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I felt suddenly "winded" in my legs going uphill as I began biking again when I was recovering from my really bad recent cold. The winded/exhausted leg feeling is now fading away as I feel a bit better and stronger each day. It's quite a dramatic feeling- very sudden, right in the main leg muscles.

[spokewench]

After I do a long and hard ride and I've had an hour or two to recover, rehydrate, etc., I will have a beer. I can immediately feel that beer in my quads like I'm winded in the legs. It is the weirdest thing

[IFjane]

Putting that issue aside, there are some stretches of road that just slow me down. I assume it's the road surface. I thought it was just me at first but then I started noticing a pattern on my usual routes. There's one stretch of road in particular that makes me feel like I'm riding in quicksand everytime I'm on it. Beyond that, wind, cold and terrain can make your legs feel tired and slow you down.


I had the same issue, Indy, and had no idea what it was until I really paid attention. Some road surfaces LOOK smooth but make you feel like you're slogging through mud. It's a strange feeling. I have even stopped and checked to see if my rear brake was rubbing because it was so hard to pedal!

[indysteel]

Interesting information about lactic acid. As a former middle distance runner--800 and 1600 meters--I'm very familiar with the feeling that comes after a really hard effort both on the track on on the road. When I climb, I definitely get that can't-move-my-legs-for-another second feeling. The "winded" feeling is something different, at least I think so. My legs just feel just a little less "enthusiastic" about spinning. It's usually temporary, which makes me think it's really more a function of the road surface, wind, terrain, etc. Some roads have an almost imperceptible incline and that slows me down. Of course, dehydration/hunger/inadequate recovery could also play a role.

[RoadRaven]

Like Eden, my first thought was lactate build-up...

But also, what is your recovery between rides like?

Sometimes if I have ridden hard the day before and then gone out for another challenging ride the following day, my legs have not fully recovered and they feel a range of things... sometimes one, sometimes several...

- like mud
- crampy
- empty and hollow
- unresponsive
- "hungry"

With me, these are caused by one of two things (and probably sometimes both at the same time)... insufficient recovery (which includes rest, liquid and fuel) or accumulated lactic acid...

Good luck with identifying the cause and "managing" your legs
:)