# how to improve overnight recovery?



## al78 (4 Feb 2010)

I have a 19 mile round trip to work, with about 300 meters of climbing in total (all rural). Whenever I cycle to work, I get the usual fatigue but when I get up the next morning, I always wake up tired and I still have residual fatigue in my legs, as though I haven't recovered properly. I can usually cycle three days in a row but by the fourth day I am often so tired that I have to take the car. After this "rest day" I am fresh, and the whole thing starts all over again. A similar thing happens with the Sunday morning club ride in that if I go out with my normal group I often experience severe fatigue an hour or two after the ride and I will feel too tired on Monday morning to cycle to work. This fatigue seems to be independant of when or how much I eat, and taking energy drinks seems to have little effect. I feel that at the age of 32 and having cycled regularly for the last three years I ought to be able to cope with 100-150 miles of cycling per week (I'm sure there are people on here that do far more). Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to go about improving my recovery ability?


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## ttcycle (4 Feb 2010)

listen to your body. 
If you need the rest, it's needed - unless you're looking to push your overall ability to do some high end training which it doesn't sound like.

Is it possible to do the cycle at a reduced intensity (slower etc) until you're a bit stronger? Don't punish yourself for needing to have a rest- we're all different with the workloads we can cope with. What rate are you increasing your cycling distances? It sounds like the clubrun may be pushing you too far past what's useful for you. Is it possible to get out on some less strenuos long rides? It may just be a general base fitness issue and that takes a while to build and also varies with each person. 

Another thing is are you eating regularly and often? What are you eating? Are you sleeping enough and do you have some easy weeks with more rest? Is there a source of stress in your life?

There may be some underlying health issue- have you had things checked out at the docs? This includes blood tests. Could be something simple.

Good luck and remember even pro athletes can't be at the peak of their fitness all year round- they train to peak and be at their best for certain races etc. So don't worry if you're having an off moment- sometimes a bit of time to rest is just what's needed.


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## chap (4 Feb 2010)

Eat yer eggs! 

To be honest I understand where you are coming from, if I cycle t workk daily then by the end of the week I am less efficient. I normally find that walking instead helps, obviously if you're going down the rural route then the option of multi-modal transportation may not be a reality.

I would recommend you cycle 2 days, break a day, so the next, before calling it quits until the weekend ride. From weight-lifting, you are supposed to do 1 or 2 sessions on the same muscles before having a break to let them recover. After a while, your muscles will probably adapt and the cycle can then be a 5 day a week thing.

Although, I am far from expert on these matters.


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## ttcycle (4 Feb 2010)

chap said:


> After a while, your muscles will probably adapt and the cycle can then be a 5 day a week thing.



Technically and very loosely yes this will happen but it's a complex process where rest and varying/planned workloads need to be sorted out to build up carefully. The one or two days cycling in and a break is a good starting point though.


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## marzjennings (4 Feb 2010)

Make sure you are eating enough and the right kinds of food. An average size guy plus about 40 miles cycling a day may need more than 4000 calories a day.

Plus add enough protein to your diet. I always make sure to take on some protein after my rides 20 miles on more. Sometimes just a large glass of milk, sometimes 30 grams of protein in a powerbar.

Do you ride pretty hard over the 19 miles? If so you should cool down over the last mile, spin it out and work out any lactate acid and fully stretch after each leg of your commute.

There's some interesting info here...http://www.howtobefit.com/reduce-exercise-muscle-soreness.htm


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## Bill Gates (4 Feb 2010)

Agree with all the above and if it was me I'd get my blood checked out. You shouldn't get fatigued like that after riding for many months.


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## trio25 (4 Feb 2010)

How much sleep do you get? That is when most recovery occurs. As others say look at what you are eating, it may not be enough for the activity levels. Stretching is the other thing, do you do it?


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## ASC1951 (4 Feb 2010)

al78 said:


> I have a 19 mile round trip to work, with about 300 meters of climbing in total (all rural). Whenever I cycle to work, I get the usual fatigue but when I get up the next morning, I always wake up tired


Well you shouldn't, not after a relatively short ride like that when you are only 32. Without knowing what you eat and your general lifestyle it's difficult to say, but IMO there is something there that needs investigating.


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## al78 (4 Feb 2010)

ttcycle said:


> listen to your body.
> If you need the rest, it's needed - unless you're looking to push your overall ability to do some high end training which it doesn't sound like.
> 
> Is it possible to do the cycle at a reduced intensity (slower etc) until you're a bit stronger? Don't punish yourself for needing to have a rest- we're all different with the workloads we can cope with. What rate are you increasing your cycling distances? It sounds like the clubrun may be pushing you too far past what's useful for you. Is it possible to get out on some less strenuos long rides? It may just be a general base fitness issue and that takes a while to build and also varies with each person.
> ...



Difficult to reduce the intensity on the way in to work, firstly because the first two miles is on the main Horsham to Guildford road, a fairly narrow NSL road which has a fair bit of traffic and one nuisance little climb; I feel compelled to get a move on on this stretch of road so as to avoid causing a queue behind. That and the first hill take a fair bit out onf me. The next six miles undulate and I can recover, but the last mile and a half is almost continuously uphill, climbing about 90 meters in that distance. Coming home I can take it easy though.

As far as rest goes, I had three weeks of very little cycling over Christmas and New Year, and have had to reduce it since then because of snow and ice, so I ought to be fully rested by now. Unfortunately what seems to have happened is that I have lost some fitness and now need to get back up to cycling to work four days a week which is where I was before.

Yes I could do a less strenuous club ride. May have to restrict myself to that ultimately. Club rides are usually 35-50 miles of varying difficulty.

Eating - have porridge in the morning, flapjack mid morning, lunch, tea and cake mid afternoon, banana before leaving work, evening meal when I get home (meat & two veg style), another flapjack/cheese & biscuits & an apple before bed.

Sleeping - no I don't sleep very well as a rule. Usually takes an hour or so to get off and usually wake up groggy in the morning, no matter what time that is. Tend to feel tired early/mid afternoon as well.

Stress - show me someone in the UK who isn't stressed . Yes there are things on my mind that worry me but generally I don't feel I have a stressful lifestyle.

I have been to the doctor, I have had blood tests which have all come back negative, she suggested it is just the way I am and that some people can recover from exercise better than others.

Someone mentioned stretching, that is something I don't do. Does that help with muscle recovery?

My ultimate aim would be to be able to cycle to work daily and do all the other things I normally do without feeling like I have had the life blood sucked out of me. This would mean I coould finally claim independance from the car .


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## Brahan (4 Feb 2010)

al78 said:


> This would mean I could finally claim independance from the car .


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## Rockus (4 Feb 2010)

Hi al78

Interesting one this. i think it might be one of those 'common sense' type things (no offence BTW) so changing habits may help.

Eat more carbs, if your intensity is high then your legs are burning glycogen, and those carbs need replaced

Porridge is good, dont change that

eat less protein, fills you up but increases the acidity in your body, and takes longer and more energy to digest.

Try spinning a lower gear, rather than pushing a big one - as such you burn fat and spare glycogen and carbs.

Rest is important also - take time off the bike (i know, i hate this part too)

Remember to warm up, stretch and warm down.

If its cold wrap up well, if your cold. You have to work harder.


Hope some of these points help.


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## Coco (4 Feb 2010)

A big caveat for this one, as I'm no scientist or athlete and have been cycling for less time that you.

I read somewhere that chocolate milk shakes were a good recovery drink and since it gave me the chance to enjoy two of my favourite tastes, I regularly had one when I got home.

I've been a bit erratic of late with my commutes and got out of the milk shake habit last week. I seemed to be much more tired during the eveing and next morning. This week I'm back on the shakes and feeling a lot more lively.

As I said before, probably no scientific basis for the correlation, but taking a milk shake after your ride should do too much harm


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## Rockus (4 Feb 2010)

Hey Coco

I usually take milk after a ride to rehydrate. I read somewhere thats its the best stuff; and that sort of 'fits' if you get me if you consider it has water, fats, minerals, vitamins, sugars and a little protein.

The only thing i would say about milkshakes (sorry, i dont want to sound like some kinda smart-arsed kill-joy, but i guess i will) is the sugar content may be a little high. im sure some nutritionist somewhere might tick you off...


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## Coco (4 Feb 2010)

No such thing as too much sugar 


edit: Found the article  I was looking for.


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## al78 (4 Feb 2010)

Thanks for all the suggestions.

What I think I will do is start making my own protein shakes and taking one when I get home from work. This will provide me with some extra calories, protein and carbs straight after my ride home. I'll also try and fit some stretching in and see if that helps.


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## ttcycle (5 Feb 2010)

al78 definitely agree with the protein - milk/milkshakes after riding- maybe have one when you get into work.

To reduce the intensity, spin up the hills, granny gear it if you need to or even so, walk it if needs be (I know, I know...)

We all have stress in our lives but when life hots up, sometimes if necessary it may be worth taking a break from the bike.

Re the food - make sure you're getting enough food and carbs, also importantly get some good fats into your diet - they're a fantastic energy source. Do you drink plenty of water as well? Maybe consider a multi vitamin and possibly sea kelp (natural source of iodine) is good for the metabolism and digestion - this may help with the recovery.

It's natural to have the fitness drop off when there's been an extended break- seems so cruel that it takes so much time to build it and virtually no time to lose it. Ease into it, it will take a bit of time to get your fitness back up to 4days a week.

I think the sleeping may be a big factor here- have you addressed this via GP? It's important to get at least 8 hours of sleep for decent repair and recovery- I needed 9-10 hours when I was training fully - I've got a sachet of nocte protein recovery milkshake mix that aids sleep which my friend who competes in swimming swears by - I have yet to try it.


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## GrasB (5 Feb 2010)

+1 to what's already been said by ttcycle.

In addition to that you may not be having your rest day early enough. I'd say if you feel you consistently can't commute on the 4th day I'd rest up on 3rd day & then build up to resting up on the 4th day again. As for reducing the intensity is there an alternative route going via roads with lighter traffic levels? Even if you do more miles by at a lower intensity it'll be easier on your legs also maybe consider re-gearing your bike so you have more 'bail out' gears.


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## trio25 (5 Feb 2010)

Yes stretching does help! So if you don't do it build it in!

But sleep sounds like the problem. Might be worth talking to your GP about it. I go through periods when I don't sleep well. When it was really bad I took sleeping tablets for a week, which got me into the habit of sleeping. It worked! You recover most in your sleep!


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## Crimmey (5 Feb 2010)

I feel your pain. I can do 2-3 hrs of exercise a 5-6 days a week, swim,row,run,cycle anything and feel fine the day after but when I cycle to work 4 days a week on top of that I get more fatigued as the week goes on until I dont want to cycle in. I think the common factor must be sleep as the others have said as I do tend to get less on work days. I dont find stretching helps but others do and intensity wise just do what ever you can do, if on the last day you can only go at snails pace then set off a little earlier and do that but I wouldn't drop intensity just to feel a little better the next day. I admit to doing the chocolate shake thing after a big workout.


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## Crankarm (6 Feb 2010)

I think with the level of cycling you are doing sleeping should not be a problem - you should be asleep before your head hits the pillow.

So what could be causing your poor sleep?

Diet or possibly spending a few hours on tinternet before you go to bed???? 

If tinternet this is a bad as late at night your brain should be winding down ready for sleep instead you are asking it to boot up again even if you are tired.

Diet - yes you need to make sure you are eating enough, but the right stuff. For breakfast porridge is good but not too much alternatively All Bran with nuts and fresh fruit yoghurt and bananas. Lunch try and eat your main meal at lunch time. Not always possible. Then evening meal, do not eat it late as you WILL NOT sleep as your stomach will still be digesting it as you are trying to or sleeping. So best not to eat after 7.30 - 8pm. Have lots of protein in your evening meal as when your are winding down asleep your body can use this protein to repair and strengthen damaged or tired muscles. And don't forget your veg and greens for minerals, vitamins and irons - pile on the sprouts, carrots, broccoli, suede, watercress, beetroot, beans and also potatos for good carbs.

As an experiement eat a large bowl of pasta and pesto one evening. It should send you to sleep within the hour as the refined carbs if white pasta make your feel really full and sleepy.

Don't forget to keep drinking water all day small aounts regularly. If you have a balanced diet with all the food groups they should contain enough salt, minerals, vitamins and iron so you shouldn't need to take supplements. I don't and cycle further than you and also run.

If you feel hunger pangs 20 mins after you get home stick down some toast of WHOLEMEAL bread and jam or Marmite until tea is ready or neck a few bananas. Do not eat chocolate as this is the surest way to end up with diabetes as your blood sugar will rocket and your thyroid will be working over time to control your blood sugar level.

I recognise your general symptoms of lethargy and lack of energy as I had similar several tears ago. I got like this when I was still trying to remain vegetarian having kept it up for 11 years. But a few years ago I really upped my sporting activities, but in doing so I ended up feeling always exceesively knackered and got quite a few muscle injuries. So I started eating chicken and very occasionally darker meat pork/lamb butnot often though. I eat a fair anount of quality ham now as it is very cheap at the local supermarket as it is reduced. If you are regularly exercising hard such as cycling or running, swimming, etc you need a substantial intake of good protein. Some one mentioned eggs, lots of eggs, but take the yolks out of 2 if you use 3 for making an omlette to reduce cholesterol. The yolks are rich in it.

Hope some of this helps. It has worked for me. Now feel a lot more sprightly and can easily manage 60-65 mile club rides on the weekend in top of my 30 mile commute each day.

Also have a stash of bananas/apples/pears/peaches/apricots/dried fruit - sultanas, raisins, currants, figs, dates (care sugar) for mid morning at work when your body is calling for carbs. Avoid the so called sports or healthy oatmeal bars as they are just stuffed full of refined sugars. You are better off makimg your own flapjacks or nothaving them at all. You should most of the time being eating complex carbs and sugars NOT refined sh1t. If you eat sandwiches choose wholemeal bread far better than white crap.

And don't eat late at night. Have a small glass of water before you turn in as well to stop you getting dehydrated.

Also just had another thought. Are you using clipless pedals or cleats? If not why not! Get some as this will make our cycling so much more efficient. You can develope more power and stamina and obviously cycle a lot further and more quickly. Relatively short distances that you are riding at the moment shouldn't trouble you.


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## al78 (9 Feb 2010)

Crankarm said:


> Diet or possibly spending a few hours on tinternet before you go to bed????



Yes I do use the internet before bed. I do occasionally get absorbed in forums like this and then lose track of time.



Crankarm said:


> Also just had another thought. Are you using clipless pedals or cleats? If not why not! Get some as this will make our cycling so much more efficient. You can develope more power and stamina and obviously cycle a lot further and more quickly. Relatively short distances that you are riding at the moment shouldn't trouble you.



Yes I have clipless pedals.


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## plank (12 Feb 2010)

Log a weeks diet on http://www.foodfocus.co.uk/ and then post it up. Don't be lazy or cheat, either with what you log or what you eat while your doing it. Lots of 'healthy' foods are not actually good for you!

I would view lots of crankarms advice as wrong (sorry crankarm!) eg sugar from fruit is just as bad(if not worse!!) as any other sugar. In some cases branflakes are just as bad as table sugar. Yougurt is often full of sugar and even if not can still give a large insulin response. Some foods, particularly starchy ones eg potatoes are quickly broken down the same way as sugar and has the same effect.

this webpage is interesting http://www.sugarstacks.com/fruits.htm


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## Garz (13 Feb 2010)

For now I would go with eating quality foods and lots of small portions as others have pointed out that you need alot more calories. Try mon, tue, drive, thur, fri then dont cycle on the weekend club rides till you feel strong enough.

It may be a case of sacrificing a fridays commute to include a club run. Also as pointed out get checked over at the quacks in case there is an underlying problem.


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## Ashtrayhead (14 Feb 2010)

al78 said:


> Difficult to reduce the intensity on the way in to work, firstly because the first two miles is on the main Horsham to Guildford road, a fairly narrow NSL road which has a fair bit of traffic and one nuisance little climb; I feel compelled to get a move on on this stretch of road so as to avoid causing a queue behind. That and the first hill take a fair bit out onf me. The next six miles undulate and I can recover, but the last mile and a half is almost continuously uphill, climbing about 90 meters in that distance. Coming home I can take it easy though.
> 
> As far as rest goes, I had three weeks of very little cycling over Christmas and New Year, and have had to reduce it since then because of snow and ice, so I ought to be fully rested by now. Unfortunately what seems to have happened is that I have lost some fitness and now need to get back up to cycling to work four days a week which is where I was before.
> 
> ...




Too many flapjacks, and eating at the wrong time!


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## WimbledonCyclist (15 Feb 2010)

Exposure to bright light lowers the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you fall asleep. It may be worth trying to avoid the bright light from your computer screen (or TV) from about an hour or an hour and a half before your normal bed time for a week to see if that makes any difference.

If you're not clocking up enough sleep, doing an afternoon power nap on weekends can give you the opportunity to catch up a bit. Wear an eye mask if your bedroom is not dark enough, set an alarm (at 30 minutes - doze off for longer and you'll probably fall into a deeper sleep, which may cause you to feel groggy for the rest of the day). Have a refreshing shower upon waking and you'll feel much more energetic for the rest of the day - plus your body will get some much-needed extra recovery time.


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## Sysagent (13 Mar 2010)

I have similar symptoms I think I need to sleep more, I am currently just averaging over seven hours a day sleep and I am doing a thirty five mile round commute, the problem with me is the journeys homeward bound, I am just lethargic and have little energy to get home sometimes...


Muesli for breakfast and a cup of instant coffee (1 sugar milk) before 17.5 mile commute

Drink chocolate milkshake (Mars refuel) and a banana on arriving at work
Drink well over a litre of water through the day, with perhaps two brews at most extra
For dinner will have packet of crisps, noodles or a tin of something like spag bol, ravioli, curry, then I will have a Geobar for afters
During afternoon might snack on dried fruit trail mix
Twenty mins before commute home will have a banana and more fluids
Arrive home have more chocolate milkshake drink and evening meal which can be anything

Head for bed around 11'ish

I am 42 and the commute is mostly flat at the moment http://gb.mapometer.com/en/cycling/route_422879.html 

I am doing the commute three days a week and sometimes get a hilly ride in on Sundays, but I want to increase the commute to at least four times a week or five eventually.

Thing is before the enforced Winter break (three weeks or so) due to the weather I was managing it better than I am now.


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## Kirstie (13 Mar 2010)

How much caffeine do you drink? That might be something which is affecting your sleep. Also does your bike fit you properly? If not it could be causing you disproportionate amounts of muscle pain. 

From what you describe might you be riding too intensively too often ie going anaerobic for short intense periods on consecutive days? This will definitely do you in. Usually keep interval/ anaerobic sessions to two per week with recovery sessions in between. So is it possible to do your commute less intensively on alternate days? If you wore an HRM you might get an idea of how much you are pushing yourself.


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## palinurus (13 Mar 2010)

al78 said:


> Difficult to reduce the intensity on the way in to work, firstly because the first two miles is on the main Horsham to Guildford road, a fairly narrow NSL road which has a fair bit of traffic and one nuisance little climb; I feel compelled to get a move on on this stretch of road so as to avoid causing a queue behind.



I know what you mean. I found it hard to go really easy on my "active recovery" commutes (basically riding really embarrassingly slowly, even when another cyclist on a Tescos bike overtakes you). First few times I had to concentrate hard to maintain the low effort.


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## al78 (14 Mar 2010)

Kirstie said:


> How much caffeine do you drink? That might be something which is affecting your sleep. Also does your bike fit you properly? If not it could be causing you disproportionate amounts of muscle pain.
> 
> From what you describe might you be riding too intensively too often ie going anaerobic for short intense periods on consecutive days? This will definitely do you in. Usually keep interval/ anaerobic sessions to two per week with recovery sessions in between. So is it possible to do your commute less intensively on alternate days? If you wore an HRM you might get an idea of how much you are pushing yourself.



I don't drink much caffeine, I am aware of the issue of drinking tea/coffee too close to bed time so will revert to drinking hot chocolate in the evenings if I want a hot drink.

I think the intensity thing is one contributory factor, problem is it is very difficult to keep in the aerobic zone due to the climbs. They are not steep but they are long (a mile or more). I find my legs burning occasionally one or two times on the way in to work, despite the speed being in the single digits. I did have a go with a heart rate monitor for a while, at typical cruising speed it was around 140 peaking in the high 160's on the uphill sections.


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