Sudden Fatigue?

[Slick]

I'm fairly new to cycling since childhood. I'm now the wrong side of 40 trying to repair some of the damage my body has suffered.(better late than never) Starting at a very low level, I feel I have improved fairly steadily over the past 12 months or so. My problem started 2 weeks ago when I suddenly realised that I was going to struggle to get home, I just had next to know energy left with a definite weakness in my thigh. I decided to take a week off to recover but felt good to try a commute after 3 days off. It went okay, so I thought it was just a blip. I went out this morning and almost immediately felt a weakness in my legs, and really struggled to get back home tonight. I'm not entirely sure what to do next, more rest or try and push through it? Any advice would be welcome, thanks.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Need more detail -

History BMI, drinker, smoker etc?
How many miles.
Are you on a diet.

There could be many reasons for what you have, not all good, if its come on after all this time and nothing else has changed, it would be prudent to see your G.P.

[531colin]

how far are you riding
how hard are you riding
are you trying to lose weight at the same time
what are you eating
is it a weakness in one thigh
is it commuting, day rides, or both

[Tangled Metal]

Is there a change in your cycling, diet, level of overall activity? Any changes could give the people on here some ideas to help. Otherwise go to your gp. There's no harm in getting checked out by your doctor. Just make notes of as much stuff like diet, times you eat usually, level of activity, miles ridden, number of riding days/days of physical exertion, etc. You know even a food diary could offer insights. Resting heart rate trends, heart rate variability (some trackers can measure this I believe), etc could give insights.

Whatever it is a gp is better placed to help you IMHO.

[Vorpal]

I'm fairly new to cycling since childhood. I'm now the wrong side of 40 trying to repair some of the damage my body has suffered.(better late than never) Starting at a very low level, I feel I have improved fairly steadily over the past 12 months or so. My problem started 2 weeks ago when I suddenly realised that I was going to struggle to get home, I just had next to know energy left with a definite weakness in my thigh. I decided to take a week off to recover but felt good to try a commute after 3 days off. It went okay, so I thought it was just a blip. I went out this morning and almost immediately felt a weakness in my legs, and really struggled to get back home tonight. I'm not entirely sure what to do next, more rest or try and push through it? Any advice would be welcome, thanks.

Did you eat before you started out in the morning? Some people experience low blood sugar that way. Cyclists often call it 'the bonk'

Dieting at the same time as increasing exercise can make it more likely. If you ate well, and didn't make any diet changes, I would recommend seeing your GP. It may be a good idea, anyway, as it could be a symptom of a more serious problem.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

I actually had a similar problem, but have been active most of my life.
At my doctors there are several GPs and then tend to give different diagnosis at first.
I ended up self diagnosing it was a med problem and just stopped taking them, this was my BP dropping through the floor, on diuretics as well as other BP meds, exercise drops my BP as much as 25%, so don't need all meds when exercising.
I am not suggesting you stop any meds.
As others have also suggested, sudden onset of this should be investigated.
Good luck.

Thought I posted this but I did not.
http://patient.info/health/muscle-weakness

[Slick]

Wow, I was just looking for some training tips, now I reckon an appointment with my gp is in order.

I'll try and answer as many questions as I can and try and give you guys a fuller picture.

I haven't done any exercise since I joined the working world and realised that no work meant no money. I did a very physical job and that kept me in very good shape right up to 2 years ago when I took the easy option and I now work as an instructor in a construction college. I'm 5'10" and 15 stone, so way over weight. Probably the biggest single reason I bought the bike in the first place. I don't drink, but I did smoke for years but gave it up when I got the bike. In fact, it was probably the bike that finally allowed me to kick the habit. My rides are commutes, 12 miles each way with a couple of small climbs on the way. I wouldn't say that I ride hard, but I do try and make it a proper work out and get the blood pumping. When I started, everyone passed me, now I pass more than pass me. I only do this 3 times a week, and a similar jaunt at the weekend. I don't eat before I go, but I do take water with me, although probably not enough.

There you go, my life in 1 post.

[Slick]

I meant to add, I wear a fit bit, and have a resting heart rate of 57, but I rarely get above 160 on the biggest climb on the way to work.

Maybe fatigue was the wrong word, but my legs still feel like jelly today.

[Mick F]

I would suggest you take more time over your ride.
Relax and just pootle along and not worry about how long it takes you.
Leave earlier and enjoy the morning.

See how you feel.
If you're ok like that, keep doing it just the same.
Slowly but surely, you'll go faster without even thinking about it.

[Vorpal]

Try eating before you set out in the morning. A bowl of cereal or a couple of slices of toast and a banana are probably enough. If you have the time to cook, eggs are better.

It sounds like you need some food to get you going in the morning. I think if I rode 10 miles at an aerobic pace without breakfast, my legs would feel wobbly. I know some people can do it, but I can't.

[Slick]

Okay, thanks for all the replies. I'll try eating a bit and not pushing it too much on the way for a while to see what happens. Hopefully I'll get over this little blip without having to consult my gp. Thanks again.

[Tangled Metal]

It does sound like nutrition issue. I struggle to eat anything for about an hour after waking. In.fact that meant I never ate breakfast weekdays for a decade or more. Then my first ride into work I hit the wall. Next day I.got up earlier and ate a large bowl of cereal. I had a really fast ride in without any fatigue.

I once read scrambled eggs with a bit of paprika in it on a wholemeal toast Is a good starter. The paprika stimulates the body / mind or something like that. There's something in eggs that's good for helping endurance. The toast in wholemeal is obviously the carb fuel. Eat in time for it to get into your system before your ride.

Of course whatever you try eating breakfast about half hour or more before your ride could be the solution. Put it this way I used to find Wednesday commute home after two previous days commuting, would leave me halfway home shaking and weak. It kind of built up by Wednesday, always Wednesdays. I started to take malt loaf with butter on it, a little at 3pm, a little 15 minutes before I left work. I never had the issue since. Food is important to get right. I've learnt that the hard way over a few years. I go from performing well to dead on my feet or saddle very quickly without fuel.

[Slick]

That's interesting, and certainly worth a try. I can't remember where I read this but somewhere in my mind, I have it that males exercise better without eating and females really need to eat first. That and my desire to loose some weight meant that I was trying to increase my output without increasing my input. Hopefully where I have been going wrong.

[Tangled Metal]

You need fuel no matter what. I read somewhere that people going on a diet with exercise increase often make the mistake of reducing the intake drastically and increasing the level of exercise significantly then suffer for it. I guess if you changed one slowly or slightly whilst.changing the other a lot might help. Say drop calorie intake a little but increasing exercise to recommended levels is ok. Dropping calories a lot whilst increasing exercise drastically is asking for trouble.

Mind you I'm no expert. I've learnt from mistakes as bad as the OP's. I still make mistakes. Some rides home I hit the wall badly. I often think my metabolism is a fine line when I do a regular exercise at an energetic level over most days. I suspect it's that I'm not really replacing muscle glycogen stores fully so Wednesday, as my third working day and commuting day, is when it hits. It might not be that but it's a theory I have that could explain why it's a bad day on Wednesday.

You'll learn your body's needs too. I suspect it could he'll you to eat a little but over a few.more times. Little and often as I've read before as advice to people who are following a fitness/exercise regime.

[david7591]

Unless you understand the causes of your fatigue, particularly the muscle weakness, DO NOT 'try and just push through it'. You risk doing more damage. Experiment with diet and shorter rides. If the problem persists see a doctor.