# Advice for tired legs



## murraywalker82 (6 Aug 2012)

Afternoon Folks

Just a bit of advice really if you can give some. Ive recently caught the bike bug big time. (Manchester - Blackpool , Manchester - Chester for the big ones) Its really all i think about is getting on the bike and away i go. Im pretty much covering 25-30 miles per night. Recently this is becoming more and more hard work the legs are giving up. Im clearly over cooking the riding and to try and combat this ive just purchased some sis whey - protein shake to take after the ride - repair / build the muscles up. (this hasnt arrived yet so cant say if this works or not) 

Is this the way to go i.e. the shakes or is there more i can be doing? I dont really want to have to take "rest" days away from the bike because i will miss this too much or is this really what i need to be doing?


Thanks Guys


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## User16625 (6 Aug 2012)

Sounds like you need a rest. Try a couple of days no riding and start again.


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## Jon Baines (6 Aug 2012)

Id say take atleast 2 rest days a week, you wont want to do it but you will notice the difference after you've done if for a few weeks and your muscles have time to repair


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## SoloCyclist (6 Aug 2012)

As far as I'm aware your body is telling you what you don't want to hear. Rest days are essential. You will also need to eat more of the correct foods. Nutrition is important, as well as proper sleep.

I am interested to hear what others have to say as I'm in a similar boat but I think it's because I'm pushing too hard at the moment. I was starting to get back to the mentality that it wasn't a good ride unless I was pushing hard. I plan on using this whole week commuting soft pedalling.


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## Andrew_Culture (6 Aug 2012)

I'm in the same boat, well bike...

I've been peddling faster but in an easier gear for a few weeks and am a LOT better for it!


__________________________________________________________________________________
Sent from.... Ippo Rock City


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## lulubel (6 Aug 2012)

Rest.

If you never take rest days, you will eventually start to suffer from overtraining, which is really bad and could force you to take weeks or even months off the bike to recover.


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## Sittingduck (6 Aug 2012)

You need to build it up slowly, until you are used to it. I don't think you need protein shakes, after 30 mile rides, personally. Just re-hydrate.


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## Cheshire Celt (6 Aug 2012)

I just park my asre in my hot tub sorted lol


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## boydj (6 Aug 2012)

If you find it difficult to stay off the bike, then make at least a couple of your rides 'recovery' rides, where you stay off the big ring and keep the pulse rate down. As the others have said, your body needs time to recover and build the muscles and capillaries that will help you improve. When I did a lot of running, I worked on the 'hard day / easy day' principle and always had the day off before a race.

Take a day off and see how fresh you feel the following day. If you carry on as you are, you'll lose your enthusiasm because you need to recharge the batteries mentally as well as physically.


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## oldfatfool (6 Aug 2012)

Take a week off, maybe go swimming a couple of nights, you will be amazed how much stronger you come back. Anyone will be buggered riding to their limit day in day out, even the TdeF take rest days.


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## byegad (6 Aug 2012)

I've been riding for years and still need an odd day or two off the bike to avoid what you're describing.


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## defy-one (7 Aug 2012)

I'm a fair weather rider. Automatic rest days


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## black'n'yellow (7 Aug 2012)

murraywalker82 said:


> Afternoon Folks
> 
> Just a bit of advice really if you can give some. Ive recently caught the bike bug big time. (Manchester - Blackpool , Manchester - Chester for the big ones) Its really all i think about is getting on the bike and away i go. Im pretty much covering 25-30 miles per night. Recently this is becoming more and more hard work the legs are giving up. Im clearly over cooking the riding and to try and combat this ive just purchased some sis whey - protein shake to take after the ride - repair / build the muscles up. (this hasnt arrived yet so cant say if this works or not)
> 
> ...


 
Forget the whey protein/recovery shakes - you don't need them and probably never will. A normal diet will be sufficient. But, if you are riding at the same (presumably) high effort every night, then of course tiredness will catch up with you. You say you 'don't want to miss it' - but you will miss an awful lot more of it if you don't take some recovery time every few days, as you will get sick. or injured, or both. Mix up the hard rides with a shorter, easy spin every 2-3 days and give your fitness the time it needs to improve.


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## dave r (7 Aug 2012)

As others have said you need to build in rest days, if you keep pushing your body you'll stop enjoying the pedalling and find you have stopped wanting to cycle. I commute 13 miles a day five days a week and do a long ride on a Sunday, normally between 50 and 70 miles. I normally don't cycle on a Saturday, treat that day as a rest day, and I don't ride every Sunday, I look to do 2 or 3 Sundays out then have one of.


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## Broughtonblue (7 Aug 2012)

I started cycling again in feb after a long lay off on doctors orders. I went hell for leather when I was let loose again but soon felt tired after a couple of weeks. I've since settled into a routine that suits my shifts at work. Sat/sun rides I do distance (was 20+ miles at start but now 50+ and increasing) then mondays off, tues, wed, thurs either 15 mile sprint if on a late shift or 25-30 mile hard ride if on earlies then Friday off before the weekend rides again. I've gone from averaging 14 mph to 18 and the distance rides are getting easier with a 100 mile on the cards for this summer


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## lukesdad (7 Aug 2012)

Iced bath and a pair of compression tights. Recovery is the key. protein and carbs within 20 mins of riding, you won t need specialist protein shakes save the dosh and get yourself a pair of 'Skins'


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