How long to recover from a really tiring day out?

[Globalti]

Went out yesterday dodging the showers for a quickie with my regular road cycling buddy. 34 miles and 2000 ft of climbing but unlike our last ride together ten days ago I felt terrible, no strength in my legs. He's usually stronger than me but ten days ago I was going well and I beat him up the local hill, the Nick of Pendle and was able to equal him on the flat. However yesterday I was on his wheel all the way, suffering.

Now six days ago I went to The Lakes with my MTB club and we carried the bikes 2000 ft up High Street, riding 25 MTB miles with total 5500 ft of climbing and an extremely arduous push/carry along the rocky sections of the shore of Ullswater. I felt tired for three days after that but am wondering if it took more out of me than I realised - I didn't really eat very well during the week after that MTB ride.

I'm beginning to get a better understanding of this business of tiredness and conserving strength and I reckon that after a big event the body takes a couple of weeks to rebuild the damage done and the reserves lost, especially as one ages (I'm 55).

What do others think?

.

 

[Bluebell72]

I'm beginning to get a better understanding of this business of tiredness and conserving strength and I reckon that after a big event the body takes a couple of weeks to rebuild the damage done and the reserves lost, especially as one ages (I'm 55).

I woke up yesterday with a pounding headache, sore throat and aching shoulders - a sign for me that a cold/throat infection is looming.
It took me almost three hours to do a commute that is usually 2hrs 10.

Today, I cycled the same distance in a strong headwind - it's gusting 30mph, and after a shower I feel as though I could crawl into bed and sleep for a week. Usually, I'd be hopping about and full of beans.
Feeling even a bit off is really affecting.

Off for a hot Ribena - a sure sign of poorliness in this house

 

[Fiona N]

I wonder if the combination of walking+ and hard cycling on the mtb trip was the problem.

I know that, nowadays, for me a day on foot in the hills leaves me with more aches and pains and 'dead legs' on the bike than a moderate 200km Audax. I suspect this is because I don't do as much hillwalking etc. due to shonky knees as I have done in the past when I used to keep cycling / running / mountaineering going pretty much all year round. Certainly, if I go out on the bike the day after a decent hill walk it's only for a leg stretcher and it will be at least a week before my legs feel as strong as usual on the hills.

 

[Globalti]

Good point. I'm increasingly aware that getting all my fitness from cycling means that only certain very specific muscles are trained while the rest do little work. Walking up a mountain is easy enough but coming back down absolutely murders my legs and they ache for several days afterwards. I may be fit but I'm certainly no longer mountain fit.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Went out yesterday dodging............

I read your opening sentence completely wrong, is it bad that I instantly read it as 'dogging' instead of 'dodging'?

 

[fossyant]

It will be the walking ! Stupid activity. Stay on the bike.

 

[marzjennings]

How much do eat after the ride? I find I suffer the most when I've not replenished enough water, carbs and protein after a ride. Protein seems to be the key to rapid muscle recovery and I try and consume at least a 100 grams on heavy riding days.

 

[sheddy]

Eat a pasta based dish in a hot bath ?