Commute recovery
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- Teslik
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Commute recovery
Postby Teslik » Mon Jul 13, 2015 3:12 pm
From experience does anyone use protein shakes or anything else to assist in recovery for the afternoon ride? and can you even get such recovery in a short space of time where the ride home is easier for that day?
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby Robinho » Mon Jul 13, 2015 4:50 pm
I'm on a 27km each way, and up to riding 5 days a week now. The ride home is always a bit more of a struggle, but I find I eat loads (just to maintain the same weight) and I do have a shake with my breakfast when I get to work. Mine is a protein/carb mix for endurance athletes, as I can use the extra energy, but if you're trying to lose any weight go straight protein (low carbs).Teslik wrote:I commute 3 times a week and it's 25km each way. In the morning I feel fine riding in but the afternoon ride I tend to struggle home. Muscles are aching and I tend to feel completely burnt out.
From experience does anyone use protein shakes or anything else to assist in recovery for the afternoon ride? and can you even get such recovery in a short space of time where the ride home is easier for that day?
I am finding it easier now, it's just a matter of pacing yourself through the week and gradually getting stronger.
The shake I use is Musashi protein carb matrix. You can get them online for about $50 a tub delivered, and that lasts me a month, 5 days a week
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby Robinho » Mon Jul 13, 2015 4:56 pm
- Teslik
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby Teslik » Mon Jul 13, 2015 5:08 pm
I'm 113kg so I might look at more of a protein mix. I am 6'5" though but I could lose a bit of weight
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby vbap_commuter » Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:36 am
...with Weetbix and honey...Robinho wrote:Also a banana before you leave works wonders
- Derny Driver
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby Derny Driver » Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:47 am
If your muscles are aching and you feel burnt out I doubt food will fix it, or that nutrition is the problem.Teslik wrote:I commute 3 times a week and it's 25km each way. In the morning I feel fine riding in but the afternoon ride I tend to struggle home. Muscles are aching and I tend to feel completely burnt out.
From experience does anyone use protein shakes or anything else to assist in recovery for the afternoon ride? and can you even get such recovery in a short space of time where the ride home is easier for that day?
If you are riding 50km 3 times a week you should not be feeling like that.
I suspect you are either a) pedalling too hard a gear b) riding too fast c) exerting too much energy
Nutrition and plenty of sleep are important.
But think about how you are riding.
- Thoglette
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby Thoglette » Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:56 am
If it's just "burnt out", a biscuit & water before the ride will help - I used to have a 36km commute and the trip home often was late, meaning dinner was over due -> BONK about 10km from home. The other thing I found was I was getting low on Mg and cramping.Teslik wrote:.. but the afternoon ride I tend to struggle home. Muscles are aching and I tend to feel completely burnt out.
+1 for what Derny says. If you're killing it on the way in, you're going to hurt later. Do you have any idea how hard you are going? Likewise if there's issues with you style/bike set up.
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby Robinho » Tue Jul 14, 2015 10:15 am
banana is before the ride, weetbix when I get to workvbap_commuter wrote:...with Weetbix and honey...Robinho wrote:Also a banana before you leave works wonders
- piston9
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby piston9 » Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:12 pm
The advice above to watch your speed is key - I ride with a heart rate monitor to 'force' me to keep the speed down. I have found for me that keeping it under 150BPM means I can ride all week - if I do an average of 150+, that usually means (for me) that I lose a day at the end of the week. I am 6'2", and now weight 109KG (I was 127). It took me 2 years to work up to this level, though I am close to 5 days now.
The second is ensure you are getting enough calories - I am trying to lose a few kg's, but make sure I top up. I do the quick and easy 'upngo', protein choc version after a ride - and another before I leave if I am feeling low. Since I burn 1200-1500 cals a ride, the 150 of the drink really just helps me along.
The key for me to gain distance though has been keeping the intensity down - don't ride to how you feel, or at the start of the week you burn more than you can handle for the end of the week\day.
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby cancan64 » Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:21 pm
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby Bartek » Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:49 pm
KMX Viper
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- ValleyForge
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby ValleyForge » Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:50 pm
I suspect you'll get more benefit with a bike service, attention to cadence and HR zone and good sleep. Shakes will make a tiny difference.
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby HappyHumber » Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:34 pm
Makes you wonder how the human race ever evolved to the way it has before the invention and mass marketing of <insert product name/category here> doesn't it?ValleyForge wrote:I suspect you'll get more benefit with a bike service, attention to cadence and HR zone and good sleep. Shakes will make a tiny difference.
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby kb » Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:43 pm
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby queequeg » Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:48 pm
You can't hammer yourself silly twice a day all week and expect it to not hurt.
I generally have a few commutes a week where I focus on keeping the HR in Z1/Z2. Ignore the speed and ride only to HR, don't get sucked into Commuter Cup Racing.
I usually do another 80 to 100km on Saturday or Sunday, and go fairly hard as this is my group ride on the fast bike. Sunday is usually no riding if I ride Saturday, but I am ramping up training for Fitz's Epic in October, so it will be lots of hills, but again setting a HR target and trying to stick to it.
- ComradeSpear
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby ComradeSpear » Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:01 pm
Nutrition is important but I doubt eating will address your issue. From my experience, it took me 6 months before I can comfortably commute taking into account wind, route profile and building fitness. I put that to building muscle and physiological changes due to bike riding. I also learnt to pace myself and then followed a Nutrition plan during the day Inc pre-rides.
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby tez001 » Tue Jul 14, 2015 8:00 pm
The key for me is just listening to your body, and if you feel lethargic, go down a few gears, roll down hills and enjoy the scenery. Commuting IMHO should not be hard work
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby fat and old » Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:20 am
- Teslik
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Re: Commute recovery
Postby Teslik » Wed Jul 15, 2015 1:34 pm
Pushing too hard on the way in makes more sense from your opinions. At least twice a week I would do a 30+km/h avg on the way in. Although I feel good during and after it must have an effect for the ride home.
I've been having a think about when I eat and I tend to run out the door with no food. So as Robinho has suggested I'm at least having a banana before I take off. It seemed to work on Monday as I followed the afternoon ride with a bball game that night with no burn out. I rode in today with a pre-ride banana and a 26km/h avg so I'll see how the ride home is.
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