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trekster
Joined: 04 Apr 2010
Posts: 279
Location: carterton,oxfordshire
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 Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:27 pm Post subject: How long to get fitness back? |
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So after not having cycled for the last 3 months I decided to see how long it would take me to get to my new place of work 17 miles away. It took 1hr 10 mins which I was happy with, so after a short rest off I set to come home. After about another 7 miles though my legs or more specifically that muscle on the front of your thighs just wanted to give up. I did make it home but. Erg slowly and when I got off the bike I just seized up lol.
So Wednesday comes around I think I'll cycle to work so off I go. And 1hr 10 mins I'm there so quite chuffed again, do a days work and home time comes around and off I cycle and yet again about 7 miles in to it the ol' muscles want to give up, I crawled along at 10mph on the flats with the muscles burning away and did eventually make it home.
So is this normal? Will I eventually be able to do the return journey with out the legs giving up? And do you think these energy gel things would make a difference?
I'd like to cycle everyday but there's no way I could do it at the minute. |
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dannyisnow
Joined: 22 Jan 2012
Posts: 189
Location: East Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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| A protein shake on a morning and just before you set off home might help with the muscle troubles, although the more time you spend on the bike the easier it will get. |
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GunBalina
Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Posts: 515
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Are you stretching when you get off the bike in the morning? If not, start with that. Also take it a bit easier when riding back, and let your legs get up to speed slowly. |
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mortonminiman
Joined: 06 Apr 2010
Posts: 1090
Location: Middlesbrough
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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It will go away soon. Dont worry about it. You will adapt 
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Riding a Canyon Nerve AM 7.0
Full suspension is the future...
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trekster
Joined: 04 Apr 2010
Posts: 279
Location: carterton,oxfordshire
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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| phew if it just means taking a bit of time to get the legs used to doing 17 miles each way i can put up with that! |
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dannyisnow
Joined: 22 Jan 2012
Posts: 189
Location: East Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| trekster wrote: | | phew if it just means taking a bit of time to get the legs used to doing 17 miles each way i can put up with that! |
34 mile on the bike and a hard days graft a day, Not bad going at all i'd say ! |
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Rigga
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
Posts: 186
Location: Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| I'd be interested to hear about your progress mate. I've been thinking about commuting to work for some time now (15 miles each way). The only trouble is i work 12hr shifts and start at 6.30 so it would mean setting off about 5.15 in a morning! I also work 12hr night shifts and am not sure how i'd feel pedalling home at 6.30am after 12hrs graft! |
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stevewestern
Joined: 10 Jan 2012
Posts: 66
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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| dannyisnow wrote: | | A protein shake on a morning and just before you set off home might help with the muscle troubles, although the more time you spend on the bike the easier it will get. |
So does a protein shake really make a big difference ?
I am totally ignorant about this sort of thing - if I go to the gym for an hour on the cross-trainer or on my bike would it make it easier for me to work harder or does it help me feel less sore after ?
Can anyone help explain how they actually help ?
Sorry if this is way off topic btw ! |
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dannyisnow
Joined: 22 Jan 2012
Posts: 189
Location: East Yorkshire
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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| stevewestern wrote: | | dannyisnow wrote: | | A protein shake on a morning and just before you set off home might help with the muscle troubles, although the more time you spend on the bike the easier it will get. |
So does a protein shake really make a big difference ?
I am totally ignorant about this sort of thing - if I go to the gym for an hour on the cross-trainer or on my bike would it make it easier for me to work harder or does it help me feel less sore after ?
Can anyone help explain how they actually help ?
Sorry if this is way off topic btw ! |
I'm no expert so correct me if im wrong anyone.
But i'd say a bit of both, you'll feel less sore afterwards and for not as long, plus as a result of that quicker recovery it will also help speed up your progress a little bit.
I know that if i push myself on a long ride one with a pre/and post protein shake and the same ride without, the ride with the shake helps towards less muscle ache/ or cramp ( for me personally at least ).
When your working your muscles hard your basically making tiny tears in the muscle fiber, and your body takes protein to fix those tears. You can get the same effect with a high protein diet, but shakes just give you a high amount of protein to help things along when you need it.
I dont believe it will give you any form of energy boost. |
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stevewestern
Joined: 10 Jan 2012
Posts: 66
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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A great reply - many thanks for taking the time to explain to me.
I have been trying a banana milkshake after a workout over the last few days but am not up to training really hard so cannot tell if it is helping much yet but will try one before as well ! |
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trekster
Joined: 04 Apr 2010
Posts: 279
Location: carterton,oxfordshire
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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well bit of an update.....
cycled it again on monday but started brekkie which i don't normally have with a porridge pot thing, you just add hot water and wait a couple of mins and it's ready to eat.
done the cycle to work no probs but then this journey has always been ok, when i got to work i had 1 small banana.
about 10 o clock i had a tin of tuna and 2 small bananas
then at lunch i had one of those dolmio pasta vita things (quite nice) and 2 more small bananas.
then at 5 o clock i had another porridge pot
left work at 5.30 and about 10 miles in had another small banana.
made it home knocking 15 mins off my previous time and no issues with leg muscles giving up!!
don't know if it was the food or just my legs getting used to it but i'm doing it again tomorrow lol |
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the last starfighter
Joined: 17 Dec 2011
Posts: 841
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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You'll be sick of bananas!
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stevewestern
Joined: 10 Jan 2012
Posts: 66
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:18 am Post subject: |
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Well that certainly makes it look like they help..!
How are your legs today ?
..and how does tuna with bananas taste ?? |
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Darbo
Joined: 25 Nov 2011
Posts: 20
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:40 am Post subject: |
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| Sure you not a monkey ? Might explain sore legs riding a bike |
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trekster
Joined: 04 Apr 2010
Posts: 279
Location: carterton,oxfordshire
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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lol good job i like bananas! but tuna and banana is a bit of a rare thing i wouldn't want to serve it up at a do but you get used to it!!
so done it again today with same food regime although i had large bananas this time lol, again no muscle ache which i was glad about but did get a bout of cramp in my right calf that made me pull up as i couldn't pedal! took about 10 mins for it to go and i made it home but my body knows i've done a fair bit of riding as it aches and my calf is still sore from the cramp.
thats it anyway now until monday if it's dry time to let the body recover lol |
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