Bad Ride - Opinions?

[F8th637]

Still new at this so I wanted some more experienced opinions . . .

Yesterday, I went the furthest that I ever have at 21.4 miles. My last ride before this one was 5 days beforehand at 14 miles. Yeay for me, right? Well, it wasn't exactly a 'good' ride. On my two miles even before I got to the trail I already knew I was in trouble. I just didn't seem to have the energy that I have had in past rides. I typically ride later in the day after I've had a meal or two digested in me. I don't like to do any sort of cardio with a whole lot of food in my stomach since I'm one of those who will lose their meal if I've exerted myself a lot. I had an apple before hitting the road and a cereal bar while on the road but maybe I still didn't have enough fuel? I also had water and Gatorade on hand.

Secondly, after the ride I had a headache for a good remainder of the day. Was it possible that despite my efforts I was still dehydrated?

Thirdly, as I mentioned elsewhere on the board, I am/was recovering from some really bad allergies from last week. Is it possible that I got back on the saddle too soon? Should I have given myself more time to recuperate?

Appreciate any responses.

[mimitabby]

an apple and an energy bar are a terrible start. Eat a real breakfast if you plan to be out riding for hours.

I am not sure if you started this ride like others; after a day of normal eating or if this ride is a morning ride with just the apple and the energy bar later.

[salsabike]

Think we've had this discussion elsewhere. Food needs vary by rider. I eat very little before a ride. On the 50-60 mile rides we often do, I frequently eat nothing till mile 5. I eat half an energy bar about every 10-15 miles. It works very well for me. I hate having a full stomach while riding.

[KSH]

It was probably the nutrition. What did you eat the night before? How about the day before? Even if the apple and breakfast bar would have been OK (maybe around 200/250 calories?), if you didn't eat much the day before, that would affect you. Have you been a bit on the hungry side lately?

Then again, sometimes, you just have a bad day. There are days where I have gone out and feel like I'm going to die... and other days where I fly along.

You have to figure out what works for you nutrition wise. I will say that cardio on a bike is less jarring and thus easier to consume food before/during, without getting sick or cramps from it.

[DarcyInOregon]

It is good that you are asking for opinions, because analyzing your rides will make you a better cyclist and help you achieve your goals.

One thing I always do is if I feel funny or different is I will stop my bike at the nearest safe spot, and I will get off the saddle and think about my symptoms. Usually it is all related to fluid and food consumption, and so it is a learning process to figure out what type of fitness water or sports drink to bring, what type of fitness food, how many calories to eat per hour and so on. It takes a lot of rides to figure out which combination works best for you. For example, what works really well for other cyclists on this forum would not be effective for me.

When you get symtoms that you don't recognize, or that you don't understand, it really does help to stop, drink and eat, and think about it. All sorts of things can happen to a cyclist, and just because it has never happened to you, doesn't mean that it won't in the future, or that what you may be experiencing is really the preliminary warning signs of something more serious if you were to continue cycling for another few hours.

Then when the ride is over, analyze the ride so you know how to do better on the next ride, just like you are doing now by starting this thread.

Darcy

[bikerz]

I had a ride like that once, and I whined and complained to my riding buddy (and when she got tired of hearing about it, I whined to myself) the whole time about how sluggish I felt, and how little energy I had, blah, blah, and and it turned out I had accidentally let a huge amount of air out of my rear tire when I was using this new pump I had, which I didn't discover until mile 19 of a 25 mile ride Ahem. Now when I feel like I am really dragging, one of the things I do, in addition to considering the food/water intake, is to get off the bike and check tires pressure and brake (for rubbing).

Was it hot? That's the other thing that can pretty much do me in...

[I'm not suggesting this is what happened with you, but it was a lesson that I learned the hard way!]

[mimitabby]

Yah, BikerZ
underinflated tires can DEFINITELY make you feel like a wimp. Also brakes rubbing!

[F8th637]

Think we've had this discussion elsewhere. Food needs vary by rider. I eat very little before a ride. On the 50-60 mile rides we often do, I frequently eat nothing till mile 5. I eat half an energy bar about every 10-15 miles. It works very well for me. I hate having a full stomach while riding.

I'm glad I'm not alone and to hear that it is also possible to ride while not having a full stomach.

[F8th637]

It was probably the nutrition. What did you eat the night before? How about the day before? Even if the apple and breakfast bar would have been OK (maybe around 200/250 calories?), if you didn't eat much the day before, that would affect you. Have you been a bit on the hungry side lately?

Then again, sometimes, you just have a bad day. There are days where I have gone out and feel like I'm going to die... and other days where I fly along.

You have to figure out what works for you nutrition wise. I will say that cardio on a bike is less jarring and thus easier to consume food before/during, without getting sick or cramps from it.

Hmmm, the night before I had yummy Lebanese food consisting of beef, chicken, rice, and hummus. I don't think I've been on the hungry side lately.

You could be right. You don't always have 100% rides, right? It could have just been an off day. I know that nutrition is very important when it comes to cycling and I'll have to figure out what works for me. So much to learn!

[F8th637]

It is good that you are asking for opinions, because analyzing your rides will make you a better cyclist and help you achieve your goals.

One thing I always do is if I feel funny or different is I will stop my bike at the nearest safe spot, and I will get off the saddle and think about my symptoms. Usually it is all related to fluid and food consumption, and so it is a learning process to figure out what type of fitness water or sports drink to bring, what type of fitness food, how many calories to eat per hour and so on. It takes a lot of rides to figure out which combination works best for you. For example, what works really well for other cyclists on this forum would not be effective for me.

When you get symtoms that you don't recognize, or that you don't understand, it really does help to stop, drink and eat, and think about it. All sorts of things can happen to a cyclist, and just because it has never happened to you, doesn't mean that it won't in the future, or that what you may be experiencing is really the preliminary warning signs of something more serious if you were to continue cycling for another few hours.

Then when the ride is over, analyze the ride so you know how to do better on the next ride, just like you are doing now by starting this thread.

Darcy

Thank you, Darcy. Your post made me feel so much better. I know it'll be a lot of trial and error. I'm glad that I feel I can ask TE questions as a newb. I definitely did a lot of thinking while on the ride itself. That's what prompted me to ask the board. After I posted, I wasn't sure if I did the right thing but now I know I did. Thanks!

[F8th637]

I had a ride like that once, and I whined and complained to my riding buddy (and when she got tired of hearing about it, I whined to myself) the whole time about how sluggish I felt, and how little energy I had, blah, blah, and and it turned out I had accidentally let a huge amount of air out of my rear tire when I was using this new pump I had, which I didn't discover until mile 19 of a 25 mile ride Ahem. Now when I feel like I am really dragging, one of the things I do, in addition to considering the food/water intake, is to get off the bike and check tires pressure and brake (for rubbing).

Was it hot? That's the other thing that can pretty much do me in...

[I'm not suggesting this is what happened with you, but it was a lesson that I learned the hard way!]

Just checked the tires and they're a-ok.

It was quite warm and hotter than I've ridden but it could definitely have been a lot worse. Actually, the trail ended up having a big cloud over it which then proceeded to rain on just the trail on my way home, I swear.

[stacie13]

I don't like to eat too much before I ride, and I just CAN'T eat hardly anything on my early commutes in. It's enough to ask my body to leave by 6:30 for the 1.5hr ride, thinking about digesting food, coffee, whatever that early makes me almost want to hurl.

My ride home is a totally different beast. I get more energy as the day goes on and by 5:00, I'm ready more than ever to ride. I usually am able to eat a couple hours earlier and I always feel great riding home.

It could have been a combination of things for you, in addition to it being your longest ride. I suspect it'll all become easier as you keep it up. I'm hoping that one day I'll jump out of bed, totally awake and feeling alive! Ha!

[DarcyInOregon]

I had a ride like that once, and I whined and complained to my riding buddy (and when she got tired of hearing about it, I whined to myself) the whole time about how sluggish I felt, and how little energy I had, blah, blah, and and it turned out I had accidentally let a huge amount of air out of my rear tire when I was using this new pump I had, which I didn't discover until mile 19 of a 25 mile ride Ahem. Now when I feel like I am really dragging, one of the things I do, in addition to considering the food/water intake, is to get off the bike and check tires pressure and brake (for rubbing).

Gosh, that is funny. Thanks for sharing.

However it made me think of something else that I can contribute to this thread.

Last month I went on a ride with Suzie and Ellen, who are two other TE members. Part way through the ride Ellen starts to drag and is really trying hard to maintain her pace, and not understanding why her speed is going down and it is getting difficult. If Ellen is reading this thread, I hope I am telling the story correctly. Well, I think what happened is that Ellen's saddle pack started rubbing on her wheel, and she stopped, and she realized her saddle had been dropping on the post. Remember, the saddle pack fits under the saddle above the rear wheel, so if the saddle is rubbing the wheel, then the saddle is too low. Ellen raised her saddle, got out one of her little gizmo bike tools from her saddle pack, and with all of her arm strength tightened the saddle clamp. For the rest of the ride Ellen didn't have a fatigue problem.

So be sure to check and make sure your saddle is still at the correct height.

Darcy

[singletrackmind]

Last weekend's experience on a 23 mile ride: Breakfast, whole wheat cinnamon raisin bagel and a banana. Hydration pre-ride, not much. During ride no food as is usual for me and a 70 oz camelback. Hottest day of the year so far caught me off guard.....I didn't drink enough and ended up paying for it with a headache.


I've always got food on hand and will eat a little here and there if I need it. For me hydration or lack of it is what really affects me most.

[dingster1]

For me, I tend to be hypoglycemic, so food/hydrate is a must. I eat something lite before I ride, scared of puking, cereal/oatmeal ususally. THen I keep something like fig newtons or fruit on the bike plus Gatorade. Haven't gotten into the gel things I see at the bike shop yet. If I start feeling a little loopy, I'll stop and eat.