Legs just shut down

silkwood said:

Hi All,

Went for a ride last sunday for the first time in about 2 months. Had a back injury and couldn't ride. So my fitness is lacking to say the least.🙁

When i was riding two months ago it was about 80km at a fastish pace. Me being me, I jumped back on the bike as if i was fit as a fiddle and did the 80k's at a fastish pace.

When i got to about the 50k mark, my legs "stopped". I tried to push up a hill that i never had much problems with, my legs were numb and heavy........

What happened to my legs😕

Is it just lack of fitness and i will "ride it out"?

My riding partner said it could be lactic acid burning, could this be and how do i stop it from happening again😕

Thanks for any help,

Jay

2 mths off the bike is a long time!! Its sounds like you "bonked out" or run out of energy. Did you craving food at this point?? That how I feel when this happens not that I try to make a habit of pushing the energy store to this point its not kind on the body.

After 3 weeks your loosing condition rapidly your legs reduce the amout of gylcgen (I think thats the name) stored in the muscles. Conditioning is not just arobic capacity or power output it is also the bodies ability to fuel the activity. But dont get dishearted either ride for a shorter distance at that level and build up to that distance gradually over 2mths or back off the effort for the full distance and gradually incease the effort over 2mths. Or better still alternate each week over the 2mths.

Make a habit of eating a carb loaded snack in the first 1/2hr after a ride to help replenish the stores and incease their capacity.

Yep. I agree.

It sounds like you bonked out.

Two month recovery seems a long time from back injury. Did you have an operation? I ask because I also suffer fm back injury but usually when I "throw " my back I am usually back on my bike in less than a week. Actually biking seems to help my condition. I have degenerative discs on L3-L4 and L4-L5, but I believe my problem is more muscular related (scar tissue and muscular imbalances). When "it" happens I go into a aggresive recovery mode. My first day is pretty much staying in bed with ice. Second day is heat and a tremendous effort to get out of bed and move around. (little by little). Third day I tried to increase my mobility. By fourth day or fifth , I am usually healthy enough for a bike ride or spinning class. After the ride I feel around 90%. I then proceed with stretches. I also do core strengthening exercises and that helps a lot during recovery because you will depend on abdominal strength to support upper body during times of injury. Usually By the time I am back 100%, I haven't lost much fitness.

I hope this helps.

Bonk and or you just went over your threshold for more than you used to and your body just couldn't take it.

Lots of stuff on wither topic that can help you avoid/improve on it.

Nice post Induray. Long time no chat?

SolarEnergy said:

Nice post Induray. Long time no chat?

Greetings SolarEnergy. I have see your postings on several threads..always interesting and insightful. I've been reading more than I've been responding. I am becoming keyboard lazy!:eek: