Recovery after a big ride for older cyclists.

[BSRU]

I take a recovery formula, as soon as I can after a long ride, follow that up with a good meal sometime later and a good nights sleep.
following day a recovery ride, which for me is an hour on a Watt bike at around 120 watts at 80rpm which takes my heart rate no higher than 110 bpm.
I find a recovery ride in the real outdoors realy difficult to keep to and end up overtraining if I'm not careful.
Seems to loosen everything up and keeps at bay any delayed muscle soreness.

I've recently started doing active recovery(on a turbo), it seems to get rid of any leg muscle soreness and improves my next days ride.

 

[Dave 123]

I'm very young (ok,45)after a big ride I will have a low carb protein shake with milk. Seems to do the trick. No aches etc.

Myprotein has 20% off on their flavoured protein shakes at the moment. Double chocolate tastes great!

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Globalti, have you come across this stuff...

http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=Cr3Vmpf0zVbmKLoSU7gb9yYCYCYy5juAF5KXIvaoBrNme4pcCCAYQAigEYLvGmoPQCqABjJjM3gPIAQepAprzpj-PGrk-qgQnT9AYPbt5EZrR_A_qvt23LnFQ-JfMaGmY_FauW5WkPSRMHjX6vyTEwAUFiAYBoAYmgAfc57MhkAcDqAemvhvYBwHgEoXVz9iowI6HXw&ohost=www.google.co.uk&cid=5GioYuCMliCVy1ejJ0O_r74T6FivPIXKl0eKzfWMxD0bRA&sig=AOD64_145ywJo6XNt1U9LmepgbHIC9qqFg&ctype=5&rct=j&q=&ved=0CH0Q9A4&adurl=http://clickserve.dartsearch.net/link/click?lid=92700005547311176&ds_s_kwgid=58700000353067020&ds_e_adid=45672350476&ds_e_product_group_id=75099516076&ds_e_product_id=442997UK&ds_e_product_merchant_id=2353430&ds_e_product_country=GB&ds_e_product_language=en&ds_e_product_channel=online&ds_e_product_store_id=&ds_e_ad_type=pla&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000000003542&ds_url_v=2&ds_dest_url=http://click.pump.to/fm-d0151/PY49a8MwEIb~irghk~ztxEjQZggdSiBDSDcvQlZsgW2JsxITSv97Tgl0ObjnXu55f-GGI0gYQvCyzdpsXddUD8rOaJQO1s36oUezpNpNbWZGe1eYoNHubjARed63GfrEo-uKsqrzfN8vHwVwuIIstgUHC7LZVRw87Rw0zZLDDFIQwoPrDLnruhSi-TlCZCc1Rfb1MrHz28Si6XW2mq5Vk4r3AxUoe7oFtLEq27ALUnU79-yT~eNYx1P0u6Mw~D0B

I'm only 42 but use this as it is designed for the older athlete and first impressions are that it's very good.

Weightlessness in a bath or in the jacuzzi at the gym always helps my legs too and a roller if you haven't got one already. I'm sure you've thought of some of these things already...

 

[HertzvanRental]

I'm just coming up to my 59th birthday and am finding that recovery from a big ride is taking much longer than even a couple of years ago. Three days ago I did a 52 miler with 4000 ft of climb at touring pace (it was windy and I had two teenage riders with me) and when I nipped out last night for a leg-stretcher I felt tired. I've considered using whey protein to help with muscle recovery in between rides.

What do other older cyclists do about this chronic spring/summer muscle tiredness? Any experiences to share?

I happened upon a reference in a GCN video to foam rollers. Did some research (loads on YouTube) , bought one (inexpensive), and find that after a ride a couple of sessions seems to get my legs back into nick far quicker.

 

[Globalti]

Globalti, have you come across this stuff...

http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=Cr3Vmpf0zVbmKLoSU7gb9yYCYCYy5juAF5KXIvaoBrNme4pcCCAYQAigEYLvGmoPQCqABjJjM3gPIAQepAprzpj-PGrk-qgQnT9AYPbt5EZrR_A_qvt23LnFQ-JfMaGmY_FauW5WkPSRMHjX6vyTEwAUFiAYBoAYmgAfc57MhkAcDqAemvhvYBwHgEoXVz9iowI6HXw&ohost=www.google.co.uk&cid=5GioYuCMliCVy1ejJ0O_r74T6FivPIXKl0eKzfWMxD0bRA&sig=AOD64_145ywJo6XNt1U9LmepgbHIC9qqFg&ctype=5&rct=j&q=&ved=0CH0Q9A4&adurl=http://clickserve.dartsearch.net/link/click?lid=92700005547311176&ds_s_kwgid=58700000353067020&ds_e_adid=45672350476&ds_e_product_group_id=75099516076&ds_e_product_id=442997UK&ds_e_product_merchant_id=2353430&ds_e_product_country=GB&ds_e_product_language=en&ds_e_product_channel=online&ds_e_product_store_id=&ds_e_ad_type=pla&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000000003542&ds_url_v=2&ds_dest_url=http://click.pump.to/fm-d0151/PY49a8MwEIb~irghk~ztxEjQZggdSiBDSDcvQlZsgW2JsxITSv97Tgl0ObjnXu55f-GGI0gYQvCyzdpsXddUD8rOaJQO1s36oUezpNpNbWZGe1eYoNHubjARed63GfrEo-uKsqrzfN8vHwVwuIIstgUHC7LZVRw87Rw0zZLDDFIQwoPrDLnruhSi-TlCZCc1Rfb1MrHz28Si6XW2mq5Vk4r3AxUoe7oFtLEq27ALUnU79-yT~eNYx1P0u6Mw~D0B

I'm only 42 but use this as it is designed for the older athlete and first impressions are that it's very good.

Weightlessness in a bath or in the jacuzzi at the gym always helps my legs too and a roller if you haven't got one already. I'm sure you've thought of some of these things already...

Damn me, that's expensive! I reckon you'd get the same benefit from a pint of cow's milk. Calves don't do too badly on it, after all!

 

[madpensioner]

Can anyone tell me the merits of sitting in a cold bath after a hard ride - ive just completed the Cambridge 100 and due to very strong winds over the last 25 miles my legs are generaly sore ?

 

[Ian H]

I rode a wet and windy 400k on fixed at the weekend. Legs were somewhat tired. Spinning on Tuesday and a ride to the pub on Wednesday seems to have sorted them out.

I've found walking helps recovery – nothing too serious, 5 miles or so. Then a shortish ride, not too hard.

 

[madpensioner]

can anyone tell me the merits of sitting in a cold bath to recover after a hard ride !!!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

can anyone tell me the merits of sitting in a cold bath to recover after a hard ride !!!

Well, ice pack are recommended for injured muscles by my physio, so maybe a cold bath if you are sore allover?
Mind, not in our climate

 

[Bazzer]

As an older rider myself, the sad reality is recovery takes longer than it did when I was younger. I have tried a different things such milk and protein drinks after long steady rides, or shorter hard rides, but what seems to work for me is electrolite powder such as SIS, in about 500 ml of water, taken as soon as I can after the ride. I'll drink that even if I have had it in one, or both of my bike bottles.
At the same time I make a triple egg omelette and fold into it a slice of uncooked or smoked salmon or other meat and put the omelette between a couple of pieces of wholemeal bread. Washed down with what remains of the drink. Then go for a shower.
I also have a pilates roller. Useful, but can on occasion be bloody excrutiating.

 

[Ian H]

can anyone tell me the merits of sitting in a cold bath to recover after a hard ride !!!

A quick internet browse yields: "Of the studies that have looked at the effects of ice baths, cold water immersion and contrast water therapy on exercise recovery and muscle soreness, most offer inconclusive or contradictory findings."

So it's probably bollocks.

 

[slowmotion]

A quick internet browse yields: "Of the studies that have looked at the effects of ice baths, cold water immersion and contrast water therapy on exercise recovery and muscle soreness, most offer inconclusive or contradictory findings."

So it's probably bollocks.

I don't do very long rides, maybe half a dozen between 55 and 80 miles a year. I have conclusive evidence that five pints of yellow beer, a hot bath and some sleep lead to overwhelming feelings of well-being.