Lactic what a *****

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

Mr H. I thought better of you. Most of that is a load of nonsense

 

[Frood42]

I'm no medical or fitness expert, but it sounds like you just over did it a little, and went a bit too quickly.

I can only suggest that you try and pace yourself, go slower until you are comfortable with the distance, and only then think about how quickly you can go after you are comfortable with the distance.

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/lactic-acid-101

41 miles at 15mph is not bad, is it a road bike or a different type of bike?

I have recently started doing 30 miles into work on my hybrid in the morning (min 4 days a week, avg 200miles a week commute), my average started at around 12mph and I have gone up to around 13-14mph (depending on the weather), and I will slowly be increasing that speed as I get more used to doing that sort of distance in the morning (05:00am start, I do it before breakfast, so I do it fasted, a steady pace is better for me).

I am looking at an N+1 for the roads so I can have the heavy hybrid as a backup commute bike.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hello all, hope your ok
, I set off quite quickly ....

Hi
This in itself may be the answer.
One thing I've learned as I've gotten older (am 50 now and 90kg) is that it takes much longer to get warmed-up on the bike, that is to get the muscles and the cardio-vascular system working in harmony. If I try and go away with the young whippets I suffer for it in much the same way as you describe (and overall I'm a pretty reasonable ability club cyclist). If you're trying to build mileage and stamina than warming-up becomes very important (as does warming down as you age). You might be right that it was a gradual build-up of lactic acid and that you didn't slow-up enough to properly remove. If it happens again, drop a few gears and gently spin-along until you recover. It's much the same effect if you hammer-over a steep climb.

Time-wise take at least the first 15 to 20 minutes (5 miles) of the ride gently, low gear and spin-away, gradually increasing the effort as your body acclimatises, same for the last 5 miles too before you stop.
As long as you keep eating and drinking you'll be fine.
Bear in mind that as the weatehr gets colder, getting warmed-up before hard effort becomes even more crucial.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Mr H. I thought better of you. Most of that is a load of nonsense

Agreed.

 

[Sittingduck]

Something doesn't sound quite right about this, to me at least.

OP - did you experience any heartburn-like sensation before you were struck down with this pain? Were you pushing a lot, just before it hit you or climbing a hill quite hard or something?

 

[ColinJ]

Are you sure it wasn't muscle cramps? They can come on quickly and be horribly painful.

 

[michaelcycle]

Are you sure it wasn't muscle cramps? They can come on quickly and be horribly painful.

Fatigue + electrolyte deficiency = likely.

 

[michaelcycle]

ps: see here if you want to make your own homemade sports drinks in the future to help with this issue if it reoccurs:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/health_and_fitness/4289704.stm

 

[Frood42]

ps: see here if you want to make your own homemade sports drinks in the future to help with this issue if it reoccurs:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/health_and_fitness/4289704.stm

I don't mind the High 5 electrolyte tabs
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/high5-zero-electrolyte-drink-20-tabs/

A bottle of plain old water, and a bottle with one of these tabs in does me fine over 30 miles or more.

 

[Born2die]

http://thefitnessgrail.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/lactic-acid-training-for-fat-loss/

http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/...nning/training/lactate-threshold-training.htm

Have fun and love the burn. Ok cheesy time ' if it isn't hurting you it isn't changing you ,or see rule #5

 

[ayceejay]

It is hard to say from so little information but it is possible that you went out too fast. I also note that the discomfort was limited to the muscles in your legs so, as you had been in the saddle more than two hours when the pain started it is likely to be a blood circulation problem. Perhaps a stop to stretch halfway might help. Remember too that the passage between heart and legs is restricted in a cycling position so even standing up on the pedals briefly could help. When you get home massage will also help and if you want to be experimental try some compression tights.

 

[Sully]

Hi all, thanks so much for your interest, I really appreciate it, it did feel kind of like a very nasty cramp, a scary feeling of agony I've never had before and don't want again, I couldn't rid myself at all, I was out of my saddle, you'd never believe the positions I was getting into to alleviate the pain, just call me sting ! I slowed considerably and just kept spinning in the granny, I have to be honest at this point, please don't fall out with me as I know it was stupid but I didn't take anywhere near enough liquid with me, see I'd only planned on doing half that mileage and as it was such a nice day I got a little carried away, I've been told by someone in the know however that lactic acid buildup is not due to dehydration, this was my furthest ride to date as I'm generally up- to 30-35 miles, no feeling of illness or upper body pain at all, hang on, could this be something more sinister ?

 

[Crackle]

By itself it doesn't sound sinister, sinister normally has other symptoms too which you might be experiencing elsewhere and if you aren't then it's probably a one-off, maybe muscles decided to cramp up for some reason, maybe the cold, maybe, maybe, maybe, lots of maybe's.

Odd rides happen. I got cold last week and ended up grovelling home, like I was at the end of a 100 miles instead of 30.

 

[Sully]

Thanks for your advice Crackle

 

[Fab Foodie]

Thanks for your advice Crackle

Crackle (as usual) speaks sense!

When I started Time-Trialing some 10 years or so ago, I used to go like a bullet out of a gun, sometimes I'd make it around the 10 miler other times I'd collapse part way round with intense cramp (or at the finish once in utter agony). I was simply not fit enough for the effort I was trying to do and often not properly warmed-up either. I got fitter and better and cramped less.
I'd agree with Crackle in that if you have no other symptoms, chances are you were just pushing a bit hard, or your legs may have been colder due to the weather change. It's winter, get in good solid miles and take care of yourself ... then go mental in the spring!
Regarding water, the effects of 'dehydration' are often (but not always) exaggerated on these pages, but it doesn't hurt on any ride to have a drink with you, or an emergency quid to buy a can of coke. Free water can be blagged at many places.

And finally, you do get crap days on the bike. Mid summer I did a lumpy 150 miler on a stonking hot day in good style, a few weeks back in more clement weather I did the 100 mile shorter version round similar terrain and by half way was completely shot. I'd walked 3 hills whereas on the 150 miler I'd ridden them all. I stopped at a pub to call the Mrs to come and get me, though I had a pint of coke and a bag of crisps with my mates before I did so. Amazingly, it was just the tonic! as we approached the 100, I was getting quicker as others struggled. You never know how you'll go on a bike until you get out there.