# Why do I feel really ill after a long bike ride?



## MrsT (17 May 2015)

Hi,
I am new to this site and also quite new to cycling. I bought a cyclocross bike about 5 months ago with an aim to find a new hobby and become fit in the process. I general commute a few days a week which is an 8 mile round trip and then go for a long ride on Sunday's (weather permitting) 

My Sunday rides started out at 12 mile and each week I have gone a little further, with today's ride being 50.1 miles. The only problem I am having is when I get back I stretch out has a protein shake and then feel like I am about to die. Which then means sleeping for a couple of hours. When I say die I mean, bad headache, very tired and a uncoordinated, very hot and sometimes quite shaky and sick. Obviously my body feels like it's just been put throught the mill.

The first time this happened someone suggested I take sugery snacks and plenty of water. Which I do, I eat a little every hour or so, and sip little and often. Before I vo out for a ride I have a couple of slices of toast and a drink.

Any thoughts?


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## marzjennings (17 May 2015)

Looks like you're not eating or drinking enough while or before you ride and by the time you get home you're spent. For 50 miles, depending on a whole bunch of factors (mass, speed, aerodynamics), you may be burning through 1000 to 2000 calories. Possibly a days worth of food. How much are you eating? Also you may be dehydrated by the time you get home, hence the feeling hot and headache. You may need to be drinking a water bottle full every hour. 

Do you have two water bottles on your bike?
Don't just eat surgery foods, take something a bit more complex. 
To be clear, you don't need to eat 1000 calories of food while you ride, but you do need to be fueled before you leave the house. Maybe a full breakfast in the morning or something filling the night before.


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## User6179 (17 May 2015)

Sounds like low blood sugar (Hypoglycaemia) , you could need tested for diabetes http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hypoglycaemia/Pages/Symptoms.aspx


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## MrsT (17 May 2015)

Thanks I kind of suspected the water in take would have some involvement. Food wise though, I believe I eat quite a lot and mostly of the right things too. I will just have to get into the habit of drinking more as I often don't feel the need to drink so half an hour 40 minutes can go by without realising. Then I consciously make the effort to drink, I don't believe I drink anywhere near 2 bottles though.


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## MrsT (17 May 2015)

Eddy said:


> Sounds like low blood sugar (Hypoglycaemia) , you could need tested for diabetes http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hypoglycaemia/Pages/Symptoms.aspx


Thank you for this. This actually describes the symptoms perfectly and also symptoms when I am not cycling too. Strange though as I have had tests previously. I will go for another test.


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## raleighnut (17 May 2015)

Try slowing down about 3-4 miles before you get home so you're not getting back with your heart still racing and your system still trying to remove the toxins left behind by exercise in the muscles. Cruise the last bit as a 'warmdown'.


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## cyberknight (17 May 2015)

As above,
I went on the fast club run last week and ran out of energy 11 miles from home, got dropped and had stomach ache/felt rough till my sunday tea had gone down , today i ate more and took it steadier and i felt fine .


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## marzjennings (17 May 2015)

Eddy said:


> Sounds like low blood sugar (Hypoglycaemia) , you could need tested for diabetes http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hypoglycaemia/Pages/Symptoms.aspx



No need to jump straight to diabetes. I think she just "hit the wall" or "bonked" after her ride...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitting_the_wall


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## User6179 (17 May 2015)

marzjennings said:


> No need to jump straight to diabetes. I think she just "hit the wall" or "bonked" after her ride...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitting_the_wall



Possibly nothing to worry about but going by the origin post I thought it was a recurring problem , I have bonked a couple of times but would be worried if it was recurring after every long ride ,


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## MrsT (17 May 2015)

It does happen after most long rides. I am definitely doing something wrong!


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## Big Dave laaa (17 May 2015)

What are you drinking on your way around on your 50 miler? You want at least 2 500 ml water bottles preferably with a carbohydrate solution to keep your stores topped up. That way you aren't just reliant on eating your banana etc as you go but definitely want to be taking food as well for that distance. Some riders can manage without but it sounds like you are depleting your glycogen stores and bonking. You'll burn masses of calories on a 50 miler and they need replacing as does your fluid so may as well kill 2 birds with one stone. You'll feel better and your performance will improve as well. Try High5 or SIS products to see how you get on. Good luck.


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## Katherine (17 May 2015)

If you are planning a long ride, load up with carbs the night before eg pasta, rice, pizza etc. Before the ride you need to eat enough as well. Peanut butter on toast, porridge, flapjacks plus a banana before you go. A half hour stop for an energy bar and a rest, in the middle of a 50 mile ride is a good idea, lots of people stop at coffee shops for cake. Rehydration drinks might be better than water. Have a look at the High 5 website. There's a section about what you need.


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## Big Dave laaa (17 May 2015)

Katherine said:


> If you are planning a long ride, load up with carbs the night before eg pasta, rice, pizza etc. Before the ride you need to eat enough as well. Peanut butter on toast, porridge, flapjacks plus a banana before you go. A half hour stop for an energy bar and a rest, in the middle of a 50 mile ride is a good idea, lots of people stop at coffee shops for cake. Rehydration drinks might be better than water. Have a look at the High 5 website. There's a section about what you need.



Halfords did have High5 race packs half price last week I think. Has a selection of gells and carb drinks to try.


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## ayceejay (17 May 2015)

When you start to cycle 50 miles you have moved into a different area from a 4 mile commute and you need to build slowly to this distance, part of what you are training is your body's ability to fuel itself from what it has stored away. You will build cardio vascular capability slowly as well and this is all part of getting fit. If you miss out on the slow, gradual improvements and acclimatising and suddenly up your mileage or speed you will experience what you have described above which is commonly known as the Bonk and is much the same as hypoglycemia in how it effects your body. The symptoms of diabetes are the opposite of this i.e hyperglycemia, a diabetic will go hypo when insulin injections are not properly managed so I think you can forget that.
To avoid the Bonk you should assess your diet generally and not try to fix it on the bike as it is happening, if you are caught out, as all of have been you need to carry something that will get into your blood stream and therefore your brain, quickly and that would be a simple sugar like glucose tabs (4), and wash them down with water. If you take anything else like a complex carb or a protein drink this will slow the effect of the glucose and recovery will take longer.


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## mjr (17 May 2015)

How fast are you going and what sort of terrain? I probably drank 250ml while riding 45mi today and a litre with lunch (two thirds of the way round) but I'm not fast and I have no truck with over-processed foods like gels and powders. I'm riding a tour, not Le Tour.


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## Big Dave laaa (17 May 2015)

mjray said:


> How fast are you going and what sort of terrain? I probably drank 250ml while riding 45mi today and a litre with lunch (two thirds of the way round) but I'm not fast and I have no truck with over-processed foods like gels and powders. I'm riding a tour, not Le Tour.



Well the OP is struggling as she stated, so perhaps we aren't all the same. Horses for courses and you can eat mung beans or something out of the lab as long as it helps.


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## bikingdad90 (17 May 2015)

I went out with the lads last week to do 45 miles, averaging about 21mph on the flat. I buried myself on the hills and got dropped, ended up spinning the last 10 miles home at about 10mph as I was knackered and kept cramping up.

I ramped it up trying to keep up. I normally travel along about 15mph and spin up hills, I was out my depth and afterwards was weak, tired hungry and shaking.

I was under prepared, should have brought more food and drink so I suspect like me you bonked due to lack of energy.


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## Crackle (17 May 2015)

If you cycle less distance i.e. go back a few months, do you still get this. If no, perhaps you are still adapting. As said, 8 miles a few times a week to 50 at the wknd is a big step up, perhaps too much. I might think about reducing my wknd distance and increasing the weekday distance. Extend your commute home in the summer (nearly) evenings and/or increase your frequency. A few weeks of that will give you some answers.

The other thing that occurs to me is your bike setup, that could certainly cause headaches and general fatigue. Wrong height handlebars or wrong length stem will increase strain on your neck and shoulders which might trigger the headaches is one example.


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## vickster (17 May 2015)

Coffee/tea and cake stop half way round  Porridge before you ride and water regularly as you go. What sort of sugary snacks? Go with flapjack or fig rolls, not choc or energy gels. Jelly babies every so often or just because they are yum


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## mjr (17 May 2015)

Big Dave laaa said:


> Well the OP is struggling as she stated, so perhaps we aren't all the same. Horses for courses and you can eat mung beans or something out of the lab as long as it helps.


Exactly. That's why distance alone isn't enough for good guesses. 50 miles of moderate hills in 2 hours is a whole different thing to 50 miles on the flat in 5 hours.


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## buggi (17 May 2015)

I had the same problem remembering to drink and would always have a banging headache and feel sick after anything longer than 40 miles. I solved it by using the alarm on my Garmin and set it to go of every 20 min and made sure I had a good drink. If your just sipping and then forgetting to even do that then I bet my bottom bracket you're dehydrated.


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## nickyboy (17 May 2015)

mjray said:


> Exactly. That's why distance alone isn't enough for good guesses. 50 miles of moderate hills in 2 hours is a whole different thing to 50 miles on the flat in 5 hours.



100% right. It's time on the bike and the effort you're putting in that matters. Even though I ride a fair distance every year I wouldn't dare do 4 hours very hilly hard miles (which would be 50 miles) without careful planning of food and hydration.

To the OP, eat a decent meal an hour before you set off, drink a litre of fluid during this hour. Drink plenty on the way around. Keep nibbling at food on the way round. You'll be fine


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## summerdays (18 May 2015)

I'm not doing that sort of distance but I don't drink enough when I'm doing 30 miles if it's water in my bottle I just take sips. I put diluted fruit juice in and find that I drink far more. I found in winter it was too cold, and in summer I didn't like the taste of warm plastic flavoured water.


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## mjr (18 May 2015)

summerdays said:


> I found in winter it was too cold, and in summer I didn't like the taste of warm plastic flavoured water.


Taint-free bottles (sigg or similar in metal - is cleanbottle a plastic one?) would avoid the taste problem, insulated bag would avoid the temperature one, but using a bag means it's not in a cage, which annoys some people.


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## John Shingler (18 May 2015)

Crackle said:


> 8 miles a few times a week to 50 at the wknd is a big step up


agree, that's a fair jump. back it off a bit and do some smaller rides see if you get the same problem.


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## martint235 (18 May 2015)

Apologies if you've thought of this already but it sounds like a lot of your distance rides are on Sunday. Do you partake of alcohol on a Saturday evening? An amount of alcohol not sufficient to give you a hangover per se is enough to significantly lower your blood sugar level before you start cycling.


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## summerdays (18 May 2015)

mjray said:


> Taint-free bottles (sigg or similar in metal - is cleanbottle a plastic one?) would avoid the taste problem, insulated bag would avoid the temperature one, but using a bag means it's not in a cage, which annoys some people.


The diluted juice thing seems to work for me, and I don't care how diluted it is, so I can just top up with more water as I need it. Today I accidently put my bottle in my pannier and couldn't be bothered to stop and get it out, and ended up downing two glasses of water as I came in the door, then drank my water bottle too.


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## Travs (19 May 2015)

vickster said:


> Jelly babies every so often or just because they are yum


I tried Jelly Babies for the first time on Saturday - damn good too. Open the packet before you leave, in a pocket, just reach in and snack every now and again. Worked brilliantly and so much better than fake gel taste.
Just need to find bigger packets of jelly babies now...

@MrsT - I can't really but echo what people have said. Fuel and Water - and sleep. Make sure you get a good night's sleep the night before.


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## DWiggy (19 May 2015)

Anything over a 25mile ride I take a sugary energy drink along with a separate electrolyte drink, 35+ a bit of grub to eat n the bike like a banana and or a jam sandwich (with lots of jam)


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## vickster (19 May 2015)

Travs said:


> I tried Jelly Babies for the first time on Saturday - damn good too. Open the packet before you leave, in a pocket, just reach in and snack every now and again. Worked brilliantly and so much better than fake gel taste.
> Just need to find bigger packets of jelly babies now...
> 
> @MrsT - I can't really but echo what people have said. Fuel and Water - and sleep. Make sure you get a good night's sleep the night before.



I much prefer the haribo ones from poundland. Smaller, less sweet and less powdery. Given them a try ;-)


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## andyfraser (19 May 2015)

Travs said:


> I tried Jelly Babies for the first time on Saturday - damn good too. Open the packet before you leave, in a pocket, just reach in and snack every now and again. Worked brilliantly and so much better than fake gel taste.
> Just need to find bigger packets of jelly babies now...


The problem with jelly babies is I'd have eaten them all before reaching the end of my road.


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## MrsT (21 May 2015)

mjray said:


> How fast are you going and what sort of terrain? I probably drank 250ml while riding 45mi today and a litre with lunch (two thirds of the way round) but I'm not fast and I have no truck with over-processed foods like gels and powders. I'm riding a tour, not Le Tour.


I average 16mph mostly flat, a few hills but nothing in manageable. I never struggle whilst out. I would just rather try sticking to good old fashioned fluids and a couple of snacks if I can. Rather than buying loads of supplements.



Crackle said:


> If you cycle less distance i.e. go back a few months, do you still get this. If no, perhaps you are still adapting. As said, 8 miles a few times a week to 50 at the wknd is a big step up, perhaps too much. I might think about reducing my wknd distance and increasing the weekday distance. Extend your commute home in the summer (nearly) evenings and/or increase your frequency. A few weeks of that will give you some answers.
> 
> The other thing that occurs to me is your bike setup, that could certainly cause headaches and general fatigue. Wrong height handlebars or wrong length stem will increase strain on your neck and shoulders which might trigger the headaches is one example.


I did gradually build up to the 50 miles, however I have considered increasing my weekday rides. That's easier said than done as I don't have set working hours so often I am straight home to bed haha. I am going to look at my riding position as I noticed a little strain on my knees too, so what you are saying also makes perfect sense.



martint235 said:


> Apologies if you've thought of this already but it sounds like a lot of your distance rides are on Sunday. Do you partake of alcohol on a Saturday evening? An amount of alcohol not sufficient to give you a hangover per se is enough to significantly lower your blood sugar level before you start cycling.


I tend to do my drinking on Fridays that's why I chose Sunday as my ride day. It seems pretty obvious from everyone's comments that my suffering is from my lack of understanding and poor planning. I have now invested in a couple of cages for my bike. As well as some energy drink and will ensure I eat sufficiently. Let's see what happens then? Thank you


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## windmiller (24 May 2015)

My experience is that eating foods with a high sugar content including energy bars just made me feel rotten during and after a long ride. They mess my digestion and health up big time and rot your teeth at the very least.
A full english breakfast has got me up more hills intact than any carb loading toxic regime..strange maybe...but true.


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## vickster (24 May 2015)

All that grease and volume would make me want to chuck at the top of a hill though! We're all different, trial and error


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## Tojo (25 May 2015)

EAT real food in between supplements and take on some carbs and protein as early you can before you go on a longer ride, it will pay dividends, and most important..keep hydrated...the only time I used to get headaches ( I never have had them all my life...even when hungover ) was when I was working in West Africa I did then and it was down to de-hydration.....It works for me but I cannot say its gonna be your saviour......


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