Five mile uncomfortableness

[rosscbrown]

Howdy all,

I'm finding the first 5 or so miles of my rides absolutely unbearable. I feel like I'm lacking energy and stamina and the experience is altogether unpleasant. After the first five miles the rest of the ride (a further 10 to 15miles) is pleasant and hardly taxing.

Anyone else have this issue or a similar one? Its quite annoying as I use my bike for urban commuting and pottering about - rides that are typically less than this 5 mile barrier I seem to be up against.

The only way around it, that I have found so far, is to cycle very gently (8 to 10mph, easyish gears, middle of the road cadence) for around 15 minutes, then take a 15 break off the bike continuing my ride.

Any pointers?

 

[Steve H]

How fast are you starting off Ross?

Generally speaking, I try and ensure the first 2 or 3 miles are always done quite steadily. It does take a bit of time for your heart and muscles to get "warmed up". Push too hard before this takes place and mind and body want to resist. I try to plan my rides so the first 2 or 3 miles are on the flat or not too steep a slope up or down, go fairly steady and then after that I can build up the effort / pace depending on how far the total distance of the ride is going to be.

 

[summerdays]

What are you eating or not eating beforehand? I experience something vaguely similar after eating my lunch - which is a pain as I sometimes change location at lunchtime. For me if I can manage it (not too starving), I eat at my destination or only eat part of my lunch before I set off. If not I just have to ride through sludge with legs of lead for the first 1 or 2 miles.

 

[the_mikey]

You need to warm up before putting any real effort into it, when I go swimming for example, I need to swim gently for about 100 metres before swimming a bit harder, otherwise I just crash, feels like running out of energy, it feels really uncomfortable or could cause a muscle injury.. When warmed up I can put myself much harder.

 

[byegad]

If this has just started and you were OK at longer rides, say 15 miles plus, without this feeling. Then it sounds like you have a virus. I had Epstein-Barr 25 years ago and felt like shoot if I did anything, I felt really worn out and occasionally turned pale according to my then other half. Get it checked out or, like me you'll go into chronic fatigue syndrome even after you lose the virus.

 

[rosscbrown]

I try to start off gently and allow some time to warm up - this is not always possible as a typical ride starts into the wind and up a fairly steep hill. I've had manflu (poor me) for two and a bit weeks so I've been walking up the hill to make life a little easier. My 5 mile issues predates my flu but is noticeably worse.

What are you eating or not eating beforehand?

Varies from day to day but I have noticed that having a substantial meal before a ride often leads to me feeling pretty unwell.
I'll try putting more effort into warming up and see if that helps. :-)

 

[marmalade400]

I have the exact same thing. I have ridden 400 miles and felt less knackered at the end than I did after 5 miles. Often I need to stop to get my breath back after a few miles, but once I'm over that hump it's absolutely fine.
You do seem to have it slightly worse than me but I imagine starting off uphill could be the cause of that!

Have you tried doing some warm up exercise before getting on the bike?

It might be worth keeping a diary to help work out if it is getting worse or not, just in case there is some other cause behind it.

 

[yello]

I've often found the first 30 or 40 minutes to be quite difficult; both physically and mentally. After that, body and mind are tuned to being on the bike and all is fine.

I've never thought there was anything 'wrong' with me, just the way it is. I'd say that if you're coming right after that initial uncomfortable phase then there's not a lot wrong with you either!

 

[Klaus]

I've often found the first 30 or 40 minutes to be quite difficult; both physically and mentally. After that, body and mind are tuned to being on the bike and all is fine.

I've never thought there was anything 'wrong' with me, just the way it is. I'd say that if you're coming right after that initial uncomfortable phase then there's not a lot wrong with you either!

I must say I sometimes have a sort of mental block before starting a ride - like the little man in your head saying "you can't do it". But then when I start with the first bit downhill and the wind in my face I am not really bothered how many miles I will be doing. Maybe it all comes down to "mind over matter" ???

 

[L.E.D.]

I've often found the first 30 or 40 minutes to be quite difficult;

Ditto I have it down to a fine art now that i can sense the difference in my body and when i check the time it's nearly always 40 minutes into a ride.

L.E.D. secret :

I have to take the long way to the start of the club ride because if i went directly it's only 5 miles and I'd be exhausted by the time i get there ! ! !

 

[MessenJah]

I sometimes feel like utter s hit for the first ten miles of a long ride. Depends what time of day though, really.

 

[Banjo]

I get a similar feeling for about the first 3 or 4 miles sometimes.second wind kicks in then and it gets more enjoyable. I dont think you could have a virus or anyother problem or you would be fatigued right through your ride.

 

[Paul.G.]

Ive always has this and just thought it was normal and all cyclists, runners experienced it

First 10 miles of any ride I do is always quite hard work. After that I'm sorted, almost as if my body accepts the fact were going riding and just stops complaining and gets on with it!

 

[buggi]

I try to start off gently and allow some time to warm up - this is not always possible as a typical ride starts into the wind and up a fairly steep hill. I've had manflu (poor me) for two and a bit weeks so I've been walking up the hill to make life a little easier. My 5 mile issues predates my flu but is noticeably worse.

Varies from day to day but I have noticed that having a substantial meal before a ride often leads to me feeling pretty unwell.
I'll try putting more effort into warming up and see if that helps. :-)

i think that's your main problem. First the wind and steep hill when you're not warmed up. I too take a good 10 or 15 minutes to settle into a ride (except when i'm morning commuting for some strange reason???). When out with friends especially, i struggle for the first few miles and i think you're heart just needs to get into a rythym.

And there's the other bit of your problem. Your man flu may have taken it out on your heart. Flu is not a cold and can have quite an impact on the body. But a serious cold (man flu) can have an impact too.

I once had [what i thought was] a head cold for 3 weeks and couldn't shift it. I heard you're not supposed to train with a cold but after 3 weeks i got bored of driving to work so decided to cycle the 17 miles, as the cold didn't seem that bad. Got to work feeling fine, got in the shower and after about 30 seconds started to feel really ill. got out the shower and got dressed and felt absolutely dreadful, it was such an effort to pull my clothes on, like they weighed 10 tonne or like gravity was really bad. Ending up phoning my mate at her desk to come and get me. It took her 20 mins to walk me up the stairs (50 yards away) because i had to keep stopping for a rest. It was like my legs weighed a tonne. She plonked me in the canteen and went to go and get my boss, by which time i was almost on the floor. I wasn't faint, i just couldn't stand up and felt really sick with effort everytime i tried. i was adamant they shouldn't call me an ambulance (i admit I did look like shoot by this time!) so they got me a taxi home and i spent 3 days in bed.

My dad took me to the doctor on 3rd day and he told me that i actually had a severe chest infection. He nearly fell off his chair when i told him how far i cycled. He said he was amazed that i was even able to cycle 17 miles without keeling off the bike because even by just sitting i was only taking in half the oxygen i needed, a bit like breathing through a straw. He told me that my body had used all it's oxygen stores and so had basically re-routed all remaining oxygen to my heart, lungs, brain and other organs, there was nothing left in my limbs/muscles and that's why i couldn't stand up.

He said, as my heart was muscle, i was lucky i hadn't permanently damaged it.

i went to work on the 4th day feeling a bit better, but got sent home within 2 hours because i went weak again. Spent a whole week off work in the end and felt shoot for another week after. My brother, who is a nurse, backed up what the doctor said and told me i was prat, but also made the observation that the body was an amazing mechanism that will take drastic action against itself in order to survive. Hmmm you don't say!

So if i were you, i would take it easy when you've just recovered from man flu. I've never ridden when i've had a cold again (well, not 17 miles anyway ).

 

[Gerry Attrick]

I raised the same question on the forum last year. I felt completely crackered after the first two or three miles but in the warmer weather I had no problem. I eventually rode my way through it. I have no idea as to the cause, but it was scary whilst it lasted. I put it down to age!