"Bruised" Muscle Pain

[JPT]

I am currently on a program where I ride hard on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. However lately I feel that my muscles have not recovered sufficiently to do the next hard ride.

My heart rate shows that I have recovered, and I have no trouble sleeping which normally tells me I am overtrained. But then when I start my warm-up for my hard ride, even riding over a bridge my legs feel sore, while my heart rate is low.

I have recently cut out dairy products from my diet, but are using calcium, magnesium, iron & multi vit. as supplements. My hard rides as usually followed with a high carbo drink and then within 30-40min a meal with lots of carbo and a large percentage protein.

Any ideas of what can help speed up my recovery as it seems my legs are not getting stronger.

 

[JPT]

Could eating a large bowl of Muesli each morning cause any problems?

 

[2LAP]

Originally posted by JPT
I am currently on a program where I ride hard on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. However lately I feel that my muscles have not recovered sufficiently to do the next hard ride.

My heart rate shows that I have recovered, and I have no trouble sleeping which normally tells me I am overtrained. But then when I start my warm-up for my hard ride, even riding over a bridge my legs feel sore, while my heart rate is low.

I have recently cut out dairy products from my diet, but are using calcium, magnesium, iron & multi vit. as supplements. My hard rides as usually followed with a high carbo drink and then within 30-40min a meal with lots of carbo and a large percentage protein.

Any ideas of what can help speed up my recovery as it seems my legs are not getting stronger.

Sounds like you are over trained, depite quite low training frequency; have you had a week off?

Also what is a 'hard ride' for you?

 

[2LAP]

Originally posted by JPT
Could eating a large bowl of Muesli each morning cause any problems?

Unlikely, but how much time elapses between eating any food and riding?

 

[JPT]

thanks for your reply, could possibly be overtraining but I have found in the past that when I am overtrained, my mental state shows that my mood is down, more miserable, and that I dream when I sleep. This is however not the case, as I feel ready for a cycle.

My hard rides consist of doing hard climbs, at or above AT, intervals, speed (standing start in large gear for 10s), normally a duration of 2 hours. Yesterday was a hard ride with intervals and a tough climb, however after 1h15 I felt as if I had been riding for 4 hours. This is after my last hard ride was on Sunday, so 4 days rest.

Why I ask if Muesli can cause my discomfort, is because I eat a bowl of Muesli dry! Without milk, yogurt or water. I wondered if this can inhibit some absorbtion of essential minerals. This morning I have decided to stop eating it, and will report back if I can feel a change. Need to do a race on Sunday, and hoping I will feel stronger by then.

cheers

 

[dhk]

I'll let the experts talk, but I think you're going way too hard 3 times a week. In the Chris Carmichael and Ed Burke books I've read recently, haven't seen any weekly training schedules this tough.

Dan