The post-exercise stupor

After many training rides, during which I'm fast and fresh, I feel in somewhat of a stupor and mentally drained a few minutes after I step off the bike.

This happens after both short and long rides, and happens after shorter rides where I know I have enough 'fuel on board' to ride at a pretty high level another hour or so (let's say after carb-loading the night before).

Pretty much regardless of the duration or intensity of the ride, five minutes after I'm off the bike, the fog rolls in and hangs over me until I eat real food, including a hefty chunk of protien. Cramming carbs during cooldown and having a recovery drink (4:1 carbs to protien) the second I'm off the bike helps only slightly.

It seems to me my body is not handling the metabolic shift from exertion to recovery well. Anyone with a clue as to what's happening on a metabolic level? I haven't heard many others describe this sort of post-bike brain bonk which requires eating a hunk of steak (or chicken or tuna) to feel normal again. Thanks.

Hi, I dont know if this is related but I used to suffer quite alot after any ride from an hour to five hours in duration. It always felt like dehydration but I used to drink more water than anyone I knew. Then I read something about it not matering how much water you drank if you didnt have a good diet as water wouldnt be absorbed into your cells and therefore you would get dehydrated. Basically I started eating alot more tuna fish and the problem has slowly gone away. I see you say you eat tuna fish but I incorporated it into a daily diet. Dunno if this is of any use to you and im sure the local tuna fish wont be happy but there you go!!!

You need to warm down at the end of the ride (or run).

My cardio training schedule:
Row 10' Hr 110-120
Cycle 15' Hr 110-120
Run 12' Hr 130-135
Walk 7' Hr reducing to 100, then
Rest 10' Hr 75-85 (eat a piece of fruit)
Walk 7' Hr 100

Then contunue in the gym, weights program. I carry water all the time, little sips, often, about 250ml over the hour.

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Cheers,
George.

Cool down isn't an issue for me, I think. I try to be good about that. I do the last few miles at a very leisurely pace and check to see my HR is down to at most ~110 (my L2 aerobic zone is around 140bpm) before stepping off the bike.

Hydration could be part of the problem but I don't think it's the entire story. I do tend to sweat more than most, as does my brother. Usually have two bottles with me, one with carb drink, one with water. I make a point of downing all the carb juice every ride but sometimes the water goes untouched. I do know better.

My hunch is that part of it's age (now 41) and part is nutrition. Not sure exactly where missing it on the nutrition front tho.

Have you tried a recovery drink? that helped me quite a bit.

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CannonChick
'06 Cannondale Six13
'05 Quintana Roo Lucero

Do or do not, there is no try.

yes, i've tried 4:1 recovery drinks. and killer custom smoothies . they help some. this past weekend i went with two bottles of carb drink rather than one water and one carb. that was better. i've concluded i need to eat/drink more on the bike and never let blood sugar get too high or to low.