Day rides are wiping me out.

[bigjim]

I know there is a post below on fatigue but I think my problem is different and I'd like to know if anybody else has experienced it. I ride a 25 mile mixed terrain loop about three times a week. When I get chance which is usually about once a month I go on a Sunday CTC run. Probably about 60 t0 70 miles. Different groups. fast paced sometimes and sometimes pretty relaxed. I ride fine on either and feel good. When I get home though I suddenly am very, very tired. not hungry at all I just want to go to sleep. The next day I am tired all day as though I have not slept though I have had a good seven hours. The day after I will be fine. I've had blood tests and heart/lung checks and have been found fine though they did say I had an ectopic heart beat which is pretty common. I'm 67, not overweight but the extreme tiredness after a long ride is getting me down as I can't find an answer. I've had recovery drinks etc but nothing is seeming to work. My 25 mile loops even when riding hard have no ill effects and i can follow these up with a hard 3 mile run later in the day and am still not tired. I'm thinking of giving up the day rides as I don't want to go on losing days after a day out.
Any ideas? Experience of same etc.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I am finding the same I am 57.

I have been on multiple meds for 30 odd years, some reduced me to a zombie.
I have come off a med recently and my GP doesn't know
Its taking me a day or so to recover recently.

Problem is that your GP frowns on doing excessive exercise, they do the tests just to tell you the first test was low now its normal, no medical / chemical reason.

A few years ago I could not ride for more that 50 mins without getting off bike, I was left to sort it out myself.

Today nearly three hours at 84% of max heart rate, but only my muscles ache for now.

[TrevA]

BigJim

You are trying to do 3 times as far as your body is used to. You need to increase the distance of at least one of your weekly rides so that it's not such a step up in distance.

We do a hilly ride in Derbyshire once a month and I find I'm more tired than normal after these, but I did much better on this month's ride than last month's as I've been doing more miles in between.

It could also be that you are using up all your glycogen on the long ride, but not on the short rides.

[531colin]

I'm a couple of years ahead of you guys, I'm 69 to-morrow, as it happens.
I pretty much agree with Trev., its all down to having enough miles "in your legs" to do a long ride.
End of May we do a 120 mile ride including Tan Hill, Buttertubs, Grinton Moor, and it was hard this year because I didn't get the miles in beforehand with a wet and windy spring, and some people in the group who are allergic to hills or a bit of rain, or like sitting in cafes more than riding bikes.
These days I'm no good unless I get in 3 decent rides a week, thats a Sunday full day ride every week, one social ride and one half day (or a bit longer).

So Jim, don't give up your Sundays, give up whatever it is thats stopping you doing at least one full day ride a week, and you will be fine.
If you have to go out on your own, get a variety of loops you can do so its not boring.
These days I'm looking for any advantage I can find....getting dropped (or knackered) is a great excuse for a new bike, and I'm looking at ten and a half stone rather than eleven and a half.....it makes a big difference.
(don't just go straight out and bomb a full day ride, work up from 25 miles in stages.....but you knew that already)
The 120 miler took 13 hours door to door, which I was pretty pleased with, for an old bloke. If you try to keep up with faster people, you will get wasted in short order.

But above all, keep turning the pedals, its what makes us who we are.

[Vorpal]

I agree with the above, but just wanted to add... sometimes when I ride with a group, it's easier to go a bit faster than I am used to. More than once, riding with a group, I've gone a little too fast to stick with that pace all day, but not realised it until it was too late. Also, it doesn't take much to be too fast for all day pace.

So, it could be the pace that is doing you in, rather than distance alone. I agree with the cure, though. Try a longer ride in the week. Or at least try one without being in a group, and see how you get on.

[mjr]

I don't rate recovery drinks. What are you eating during the ride? My requirement seems to be a cereal bar or flapjack or nut/fruit mix or lunch at 15 miles and every 10 thereafter and getting that too far wrong is what makes me suffer for days after.

Oh and most CTC rides are too fast for me.

[bigjim]

Morning all.
My recovery drink is full cream milk with maybe a spoon of protein powder. A milkshake really. I don't have any appetite after a long ride which I think is strange. I stop for a banana about 15 miles in and then egg on toast or some such at lunch. Being CTC they stop for cake somewhere on the way back so I don't think I'm short of nourishment. Today I feel fine and I'll be off to the gym later. Yesterday I was wiped out all day. I'm not on any meds at all so maybe it is the lack of miles in the legs. I've got an invite to a CTC ride tomorrow so I may do that but dread being wiped out all day Thursday. I'm strong on the bike and have no problem staying or sometimes leading the group. I've been told on more than one occassion to "knock one off" as I've been going too hard. I go out with my lad sometimes on the 25 and I,m struggling to stay on his wheel all the way round, in fact he drops me but it has no, after ride, tiring effect. The other CTC slow ride I go on is less miles but I am out longer, no real effort involved and I'm still wiped. Talk about confused.
Thanks for the advice.

[freeflow]

I've recently experienced something similar.

You may be 'under recovering' due to your age. Under recovering means that your diet isn't providing enough of the right ' stuff' to repair the wear and tear of your regular riding. So I'd be looking at what is in your diet, particularly the protein content and making adjustments. If the sudden tiredness is a recent change then also consider reducing your cycling volume and intensity for 3-4 months to allow your body to catch up with itself.

The change to your diet may be as simple as adding in a daily protein drink and/or shaping potatoes for green veg such as spinach or broccoli.

Upping the protein content is something we are supposed to do anyway as we get older and our bodies get less good at repairing damage.

[Vorpal]

Morning all.
My recovery drink is full cream milk with maybe a spoon of protein powder. A milkshake really. I don't have any appetite after a long ride which I think is strange. I stop for a banana about 15 miles in and then egg on toast or some such at lunch. Being CTC they stop for cake somewhere on the way back so I don't think I'm short of nourishment. Today I feel fine and I'll be off to the gym later. Yesterday I was wiped out all day. I'm not on any meds at all so maybe it is the lack of miles in the legs. I've got an invite to a CTC ride tomorrow so I may do that but dread being wiped out all day Thursday. I'm strong on the bike and have no problem staying or sometimes leading the group. I've been told on more than one occassion to "knock one off" as I've been going too hard. I go out with my lad sometimes on the 25 and I,m struggling to stay on his wheel all the way round, in fact he drops me but it has no, after ride, tiring effect. The other CTC slow ride I go on is less miles but I am out longer, no real effort involved and I'm still wiped. Talk about confused.
Thanks for the advice.

Not being hungry may be part of the problem. If I've exerted myself like that & got to the point where I'm not hungry, it's usually a danger sign for me. It may be worth trying to eat a bit more while you are out, or at least replacing the afternoon cake with a sandwich or omelette, and making sure that you have a meal after, as well, even if you feel too tired to eat.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Started typing then lost the page.
Sounds like after rereading your OP you are not eating enough whilst exercising.
And maybe not drinking enough but washing out the salt by not eating whilst drinking.
Also drinking the day before but not eating enough, this leads to lethargy.

A banana and egg on toast for a 60 -70 mile ride is to little? what else do you eat on a ctc ride

Try eating something every hour on a ctc ride.

If you are not hungry after a few hours cycling, you should be some.

Its easy to tell your body you don't need to eat, I have got into that habit at the moment BUT I only do that in training rides Never on a day ride.
You are not a small bloke ? so you would need more than your 10 stone mates.

On a 12 hr cycle a few years ago I started eating one hour into ride on bike, I continued that for the whole 75 miles without stopping, I then had to eat for ten mins solid before I could carry on with the next 90 + miles.

Most here would be surprised with their fitness and endurance if they just eat every hour or so on the bike, I was.

[bigjim]

No I'm not small. 14 stone 7llbs. I'm 6'2" but not fat. I'm the heaviest guy in the group. I do have an evening meal after the ride. My wife insists. I've read that eating too much while riding is a problem if the body has to digest food as well as produce energy for riding so I try not to stuff myself. I have a good appetite whilst out on the bike but tend to curb it as I don't want to struggle by overeating. I carry a malt loaf as emergency food but usually bring it home with me. It's a strange one. I go alone to Mallorca for a week. I have a hearty breakfast, ride a fast 50 miles and then return in time for a good late lunch[I'm not that fast]. Later a good evening meal. I tend to pig out there as I usually book all inclusive hotels. I never suffer fatigue though so maybe a food issue. I'm at an age where I worry about putting on weight. My wife weighs 10 stone at 5'9" and we tend to share the same diet. I never lose or gain weight more than a couple of pounds either way. To be honest it's getting me down as I love my cycling and the company of the lads. Whether it's worth it though needs thinking through as I'm bothered it may be damaging my health. I don't like golf.

[pwa]

If you are retired and don't have to be up and ready for work, just sleep when you need to and don't worry about it.

Milk (without additives) is the only recovery drink needed. Normal food and drink has all the protein we need.

[Vorpal]

No I'm not small. 14 stone 7llbs. I'm 6'2" but not fat. I'm the heaviest guy in the group. I do have an evening meal after the ride. My wife insists. I've read that eating too much while riding is a problem if the body has to digest food as well as produce energy for riding so I try not to stuff myself. I have a good appetite whilst out on the bike but tend to curb it as I don't want to struggle by overeating.

I think that's okay doing everyday activity, but when I am doing a bit more, I need to take in a bit more.

I think 'too much' is a fairly extreme case of completely stuffing oneself with a 5 course meal or something. If it really is a problem just don't eat too much in one sitting, but eat more frequently.

I'm rather smaller than you, and for a 70 mile ride, I would take in:
-a good breakfast (I like a double portion of porridge, and might also have a yogurt)
-a banana or sandwich a couple of hours in
-a good lunch (hot meal with salad or sandwich and chips at a pub/tea rooms, two sandwiches & fruit, if a take a packed lunch)
-another banana/falpjack or afternoon tea & cake about halfway home
-an evening meal similar size to lunch
-elctrolyte drops in at least one bottle of water or a drink with electrolytes (though I don't care for Powerade & things; they are too sweet, but I will drink them if I feel I need it)

If I am touring or riding long distances several days in a row, I eat more and still lose weight. If I am doing it day after day, I honestly have a hard time taking in enough food.

IMO, hunger is telling you something. Feed it

[bigjim]

I'm just back from the gym and I asked one of the instructors about my problem. he asked my mileage and what i was eating. His actual comment was "you are just farting in the wind on that diet". Evidently, IHO, I should be calorie loading the night before. Again at breakfast, repeat at lunch. plus the bananas in between. It's worth a shot I guess. I'm eating nothing like Vorpal.

[531colin]

At 69 (to-morrow) I eat a fraction of what I used to eat. I don't get anything like as hungry, I just eat what I fancy.
On the 120 miler I mentioned above, to the best of my recollection I ate.....
Toast for breakfast
Bacon sandwich at Leyburn, 10 o'clock ....first food since a 7 o'clock start
Late lunch in Swaledale (after Grinton Moor, Tan Hill, but before Buttertubs)...something like a sandwich or slice of quiche, i forget which, with salad and crisps......(place in Thwaite, highly recommended)
Couple of muesli bars in Middleham on the way home.
Probably a pasta ready meal for tea at home.

I wouldn't starve myself on a ride, but I certainly wouldn't force myself to feed, either.
Jim, I think you are missing miles in your legs, not calories in your belly. I am staggered by how much the youngsters eat, until i remember back what i used to eat, when the main difficulty involved in a CTC 24 hour standard ride was carrying enough food....