Elbow hurting!

I know this might be a weird question but I did my longest ride today of 30 miles (only second week with bike) and my left elbow started to really hurt especially when I would bend it (to wipe my face or what not). I am left handing and don't know why this is happening. ANyone have any ideas?

THanks bunches,
Kila

I posted a question like this a while back when I first got my road bike (I was riding my more upright hybrid before that). Both my elbows were hurting after about 30/40 miles. Just getting stiff and sore in that position and hard to bend. I knew I wasn't "locking" them in a fully extended position, so I checked with the LBS where I bought the bike and they suggested a shorter stem (so did my helpful friends here at the forum ;) ). I ended up putting an adjustable MTB stem on so I could get a shorter reach and a higher position. That helped tremedously but there was an element of my arm muscles getting stronger to hold me in that position as well. They feel fine now!

Same thing here. (I think I added a couple of cents to Nuthatch's discussion at the time - early June if I remember correctly).

My elbow was hurting like hell, especially when extended. Tendinitis was my doctor-friend diagnosis. Although according to the charts my stem was already too short, it obviously felt like that was the problem. I wanted to get an even shorter one but the LBS didn't have them on stock, so we ended up just turning the stem upside down so I gained about 1 cm, certainly not more. No more elbow problem from that point! I am not as comfortable as I was when riding in the drops, though, and I feel that my thumb can get very slightly numb in the new position. So sometime in the next year I'll probably get that measured again and get a new stem.

Other suggestions: change position often, try and see if riding on the tops or in the drops make a difference... But DO fix the problem, it can lead to worse hands/elbows problems quite fast...