Tips for faster recovery?

OK, this year I seem to be recovering a lot slower after my ride compared to last year. :confused: I usually end the ride feeling strong but it seems to take me several days to want to ride again. My legs are just on the verge of feeling heavy and I am giving it more time between rides. I was the strongest in late February and then my performance hasn't felt right since. Is there a supplement or something you guys recommend for faster recovery. As it stands, I'm riding maybe 2 times a week now. :(

You could hit up a GNC or other supplement-vitamin-type store. They have post-workout recovery things you can take.

chocolate milk

+1 to chocolate milk. and then recovery rides. easy and slow. or swimming.

have you tried masage deep tissue, sports masage then there is Rolfing (I like to be in pain) but I can ride pain free the very next day. I usually mix hill climb reps with distance the day before rolfing and wipe myself out. Then I get Rolfed and go for easy spin day and feels great. Day after the Rolfing I'm back at my regular workout.

Ice your legs after the ride? it helps.

Then what about your diet and sleep? Sleep is very important. And so is your diet.

And also think about your rides and how you train. doing hill repeats every day will get you no where. Doing endurance workout every day will also lead to no where.

smilingcat

Don't neglect recover rides - rather than giving more time between rides, do a very easy, fairly short (1 -1.5 hour) ride the day after a harder one.

Be sure to eat after a harder ride too - preferably within a half hour of stopping. You don't have to use a special recovery drink, just be sure to get some carbs with a bit of protein.

I've got nothing new but just want to emphasize what others have already said.

Dont' forget the recovery rides, eating within' 20 min of stopping a hard ride, I do like chocolate milk as well and setting up a massage sched like the one SC has is ideal.

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Originally Posted by smilingcat

I usually mix hill climb reps with distance the day before rolfing and wipe myself out. Then I get Rolfed and go for easy spin day and feels great. Day after the Rolfing I'm back at my regular workout.

Ice your legs after the ride? it helps.

Then what about your diet and sleep? Sleep is very important. And so is your diet.

And also think about your rides and how you train. doing hill repeats every day will get you no where. Doing endurance workout every day will also lead to no where.

smilingcat

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Thanks for the tips everyone. As it stands, here's my routine:

exercise the dogs on my mtb--very easy ride on my street, about 5 miles or so and going at a super easy pace. Try to do this daily.

sleep--I'm usually in bed no later than 9:00. Sometimes as early as 8:30. Get up about 7:30 a.m. or so. Sometimes a little earlier, sometimes later.

nutrition--I eat a sandwich (turkey on whole wheat bread) and cycle 2 1/2 hrs later. Get home and drink a Boost (similar to chocolate milk but dairy free). Then eat a carb/protein rich meal afterwards, usually for supper.

I cycle mostly flats or rolling hills (20-30 miles) but Sunday I tackled some pretty steep hills and I was wiped out the next day. Even had to sleep in. My legs aren't sore after the rides. I hate not getting into the swing of things because this is peak cycling season. :rolleyes:

I'm not an experienced rider, but your symptoms trigger my brain to think "electrolyte issues". February it is cooler. Now it is hotter. You are expending alot more fluid via sweat, etc. If you are low on sodium, potassium, etc., you will feel it, for sure. That is why, maybe, your body is telling you "Don't ride! Fix me!" Are you drinking something other than plain water before you start your ride and during your ride and recover from your ride?

Is that normal for you to sleep 11 hours a day??? Or are you sleeping much more than usual?

Hammer Recoverite within 30 minutes after the ride and 30 minutes of recovery yoga works great for me. I have a Cyclo-Core dvd set

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Is that normal for you to sleep 11 hours a day??? Or are you sleeping much more than usual?

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Well, I'm battling allergies and increased miles on the bike, so I guess my body needs the extra rest for now. :o

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Originally Posted by sundial

Well, I'm battling allergies and increased miles on the bike, so I guess my body needs the extra rest for now. :o

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I have to admit that your sleep pattern caught my eye, too. Do you wake up feeling rested after 11 hours? Over the years, has 10 to 11 hours been typical for you? Most researchers say that seven to eight hours should be sufficient. Much less or much more than that can be unhealthy or a sign of another health problem. The fact that your body is "asking" for much more than that makes me wonder whether you're getting enough quality or restful sleep. Do you wake up repeatedly during the night? Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you wake up naturally or with an alarm clock?

Also, are you eating breakfast? A turkey sandwich for lunch isn't a whole lot of food during the day for an active person. Are there any other changes in your life that might be affecting motivation, sleep, drug side effects, etc?

You wrote:

nutrition--I eat a sandwich (turkey on whole wheat bread) and cycle 2 1/2 hrs later. Get home and drink a Boost (similar to chocolate milk but dairy free). Then eat a carb/protein rich meal afterwards, usually for supper.


Turkey on whole wheat bread, probably about 240 calories.
Boost drink 240 calories

A full meal....maybe you are getting as much as 500 calories (but I doubt it from the way you are eating the rest of the day)

That is a total of 980 calories. An average woman needs about 1200 calories a day to have the energy to lay on the couche and whine.

If that is really all you are eating, then there is a good chance you are starving your body, no wonder you have no energy. Too few calories and you burn off all your nice strong muscle, slow down your metabolism, and risk anemia, bone loss and other scary things.

I feel my healthiest, and most able to tackle any activity, when I have six small meals a day, appox 250 calories each, made up of healthy protein, carb and fat....yes fat. I follow the Body for Life eating plan that breaks it up 40% carbs, 40% protein, 20% fat. One day a week I eat anything (and everything) I want.

Barbara

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Do you wake up feeling rested after 11 hours? Over the years, has 10 to 11 hours been typical for you? Do you wake up repeatedly during the night? Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you wake up naturally or with an alarm clock?

Also, are you eating breakfast? A turkey sandwich for lunch isn't a whole lot of food during the day for an active person. Are there any other changes in your life that might be affecting motivation, sleep, drug side effects, etc?

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You asked some very provoking questions so I'll share my thoughts on this. I didn't give you a complete picture in the OP, so here it is.

I do eat breakfast--sometimes it's an egg with toast, sometimes it's peanut butter on an English muffin and Peet's coffee. ;) Then I eat a mid-morning snack. Then lunch and dinner as well. My caloric intake is about 2200 or so per day. I do sleep through most of the night but lately I've had more intense hot flashes during the night so I do wake up briefly to kick off the covers. The humidity is also higher so it's not as comfortable at bedtime. I do wake up naturally, say around 6:30 or 7 to let the dogs out. Then I'm up making coffee. If I had a pretty strenuous workout the night before, I may sleep in until 8 or so. After a big ride I do take a nap.


I do battle arthritis and I have some arthritic changes in my bad knee. :( At times, my joints felt like sandpaper. For anyone that has arthritis, the joint pain and stiffness can wear you down and make you fatigued. I am also a painter and so I stand on my feet most of the day. And after a ride, I am stiff sometimes in my hip and knee on the affected side. I have seen orthos and they all shake their head when they see my x-rays and surgical notes. The only remaining solution for me is a total knee replacement. But I'm planning on keeping my original equipment for as long as I can.

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Originally Posted by sundial

You asked some very provoking questions so I'll share my thoughts on this. I didn't give you a complete picture in the OP, so here it is.

I do eat breakfast--sometimes it's an egg with toast, sometimes it's peanut butter on an English muffin and Peet's coffee. ;) Then I eat a mid-morning snack. Then lunch and dinner as well. My caloric intake is about 2200 or so per day. I do sleep through most of the night but lately I've had more intense hot flashes during the night so I do wake up briefly to kick off the covers. The humidity is also higher so it's not as comfortable at bedtime. I do wake up naturally, say around 6:30 or 7 to let the dogs out. Then I'm up making coffee. If I had a pretty strenuous workout the night before, I may sleep in until 8 or so. After a big ride I do take a nap.


I do battle arthritis and I have some arthritic changes in my bad knee. :( At times, my joints felt like sandpaper. For anyone that has arthritis, the joint pain and stiffness can wear you down and make you fatigued. I am also a painter and so I stand on my feet most of the day. And after a ride, I am stiff sometimes in my hip and knee on the affected side. I have seen orthos and they all shake their head when they see my x-rays and surgical notes. The only remaining solution for me is a total knee replacement. But I'm planning on keeping my original equipment for as long as I can.

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Sundial, it sounds like you've got a variety of things of things going, all of which could be affecting your energy level, motivation, and your body's ability to repair and recover. I'd suggest that you to talk to your doctor about it, but I don't always trust that they look at medical issues (and their resulting emotional issues) holistically. Otherwise, I might suggest talking to a PT. Massage is a good suggestion, too.

Over the past two years, my sleep patterns have gotten completely wonky, so I know how much that issue alone can affect things.

I hope you feel more like yourself again real soon. Here's a big hug in the meantime!

What she said. And extra hugs, too. Pain is exhausting all by itself, sometimes even when you don't realize how much pain you're in.

One thing to tuck in your memory bank for the far future: Don't put off the knee replacement TOO long. My mom had bilateral TKA last fall. One thing the therapists said over and over again was how well she was doing because she had preserved decent muscle strength. They kept saying that most people wait too long for their joint replacements, to the point where it's simply too painful for them to move at all; and they wind up with a lot of muscle atrophy, a very hard time in rehab, and probably never return to full function.

Obviously you're nowhere close to that yet. But something to remember next time you're seriously considering the surgery.

In the meantime, take good care.

Having just read your other post and knowing that you're suffering from both chronic pain and (given the hotflashes) presumably menopause or perimenopause, have you considered that you might be depressed? I hate to throw that out there because I know that word is rather loaded for some people, but it might explain a few things. If you feel persistently down, lethargic, weepy, irritable, not like yourself, etc., please consider talking to your doctor or another mental health provider. Hormones alone are enough to upset our normal balance. Add pain to the equation and it's more than understandable.

More hugs, Sundial. Be good to yourself.

Aww, thank you Indysteel and Oakleaf. I already feel better. It's nice to know that there are people who really care and are concerned. But then, would we expect any less from TE'ers? http://bestsmileys.com/hugging/4.gif

Melatonin to sleep is great. Its a hormone your body naturally produces so its non habit forming. Also, about an hour before a bike ride try a fiber one bar, they are amazingly good and keep you full and fueled for your bike ride!

Has anyone tried the Sportlegs supplement? Just wondering if it helps move the lactic acid out quicker.

Update: I'm sleeping less and I'm cycling more. :)

Sundial,

I think there was a thread last summer regarding Sportlegs. You might want to read it before you purchase a bottle.

The pendulum has swung the other way and I'm sleeping 7 hours now. :rolleyes: I've found that taking 800 mg ibuprofen with a Boost right after a ride seems to help me recover quicker. Also, will probably add CoQ10 to help relieve muscle fatigue. With the warmer days my arthritis is better and I'm riding LOTS. Just wanted to say thank you for the well wishes. I'm feeling better. :)

Glad you're feeling better :) and doing some pretty impressive riding too! You go girl!

That's great news Sundial!! I happy to hear it.:D:D