How long does it take you to recover froma tough 100 miler?

[BigonaBianchi]

If been lucky enough to get in a few 100 milers recently and each one has had me taking longer to recover afterwards...the opposite of what Iwould have expected. The last one 3 days ago into a foul cold headwind is still affecting me....I felt really hungry afterwards and was careful to eat healthy food not junk, I also bought some whey protien and tried that, as well as drinking plenty etc. My legs dont hurt, but I feel nausius, which i dont recall feeling on a bike since I first started riding to lose weight several years ago.

Im sure its all totally normal , but what do you all do to recover faster, and is it normal to take 3-4 days after a ride like that to get back out there?

Only a year ago I was riding these kind of rides almost daily back to back on the le jog and felt fine....and was eating crap lol!

 

[compo]

After this years Dunwich I lost interest in cycling for a fair while. I have only just got a bit of motivation back to go out for some gentle rides. Physically I could have ridden after a couple of days, it was mental motivation I lost. I am putting it down to age (67) against an element of over training, as I did do a lot of miles in the couple of months building up to the event.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Regular 100+ mile rides does take some getting used too. It's a totally different ball game as you've moved up into extreme endurance riding. To me it felt like being a novice again whilst my body adapted - but it did and I'm usually only trashed for a day or so after. And I ride a Brompton which can take 13 hours to do 100 miles where I live due to the hills.

 

[ayceejay]

When I was a runner the day after a marathon was the entry to recovery for me, if the next day I could force myself out to amble around for a few miles I recovered much quicker.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I find stopping for more than a day makes it harder to start again, so after big rides I make a point of going for a slow ride and enjoying a coffee. Then base next ride off how I feel

 

[montage]

3-4 days after a tough 100 miler is pretty normal, I wouldn't be concerned about that.
Easy spins beat days off the bike hands down - the difference this makes to recovery (for myself and for most people I talk to) is significant.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Thanks....the easy ride after makes sense...iv ejust done one and my legs feel better....and i feel less zonked.....i want to get into the 100 mile rides twice or so a week or more soon.....even though I am slow compared to most I can pace myself ove rdistance pretty well. I was just wondering how my recovery period compares to others , as i see th etour riders doing this every day and feeling ok...

 

[RAYMOND]

I read that when pro cyclists finish a race they try to keep off there feet as much as possible ... ie lie down most of the time.
Obviously during a tour they have to ride every day but have physios and massage, water therapies on hand.

 

[albion]

100 miles of headwind is likely far far worse than 150+ miles of smooth running.

Well, I've just eaten healthy after a smooth 100 or so miler. But to top I'm about to have a massive plate of chips

 

[Ian H]

It depends on how hard you're riding. 100 miles in 12+ hours is touring. 8 hours or so is a hard ride. 5 hours or less is racing.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

105,40 miles
7.22 Hours
14.3 mph ave speed
Calories 9,636
Elevation Gain 1,925m

 

[Pale Rider]

When I volunteered on London Edinburgh London I was told some of the fast guys take weeks, if not a couple of months, to fully recover.

I saw the Dutch guy who was quickest on his way up at Barnard Castle and again on the way back.

Quite a difference, he looked fine the first time, but looked dreadful the second.

Some of us wondered if he was OK, but it didn't stop him completing the 1,400km in 66 hours, or whatever it was.

 

[MrPie]

Completed the Hotter 'n' Hell 100 miles endurance ride on Saturday - Wichita Falls, Texas. Was flying for the first 86 miles (~22mpg average speed) when it all went pear shaped. A mixture of quad cramp, dehydration, running out of fuel (wasn't the full bonk) and a very hot 15mph head wind (109F) put paid to a decent time. Think i'll need more than a couple of days to recover from this one. Left foremost quad muscle is still painful......anyone else suffered from that sort of cramp and share recovery tips? A cheeky spin tonight sounds good....but must resist anything heavy.

 

[Ian H]

When I volunteered on London Edinburgh London I was told some of the fast guys take weeks, if not a couple of months, to fully recover.

I saw the Dutch guy who was quickest on his way up at Barnard Castle and again on the way back.

Quite a difference, he looked fine the first time, but looked dreadful the second.

Some of us wondered if he was OK, but it didn't stop him completing the 1,400km in 66 hours, or whatever it was.

He didn't look too bad at the finish - I mean only the normal 'dreadful' you might expect after 1400 km.

 

[Ian H]

105,40 miles
7.22 Hours
14.3 mph ave speed
Calories 9,636
Elevation Gain 1,925m

Okay. 100 in 8 is a standard reliability trial offering. You'd expect to know you'd done a ride afterwards. Gentle riding will help you recover quicker than either more hard rides or no riding at all.