Any tips for tiredness?

[dodd82]

It's 6 months in now - I know I could have a better bike (and will get one in the Spring), but my legs are still suffering when I try to commute 3 days in a row.

Problem is, I'm back playing sports at the weekend - thanks to cycling - which rules out Monday cycling most weeks, so consecutive days are important to keep up the frequency.

But even though I've been doing it regularly, my legs are still becoming ever so tired.

The main cause of the tiredness is a large hill to and from work, that even now leaves me gasping for air. The flat parts seem to be okay on the legs.

Any tips?!

I'd like to up it to 4 or 5 days a week as the weather and light improves.

Cheers

 

[Theseus]

You don't have to go at full tilt all the time, so ...

Set a pace that is sustainable for the whole commute.
When you get to hills, drop down a (few) gear(s).
Enjoy the scenery

 

[Hip Priest]

How far is your communte? My advice would be to vary your effort. Ride hard on Tuesdays & Thursdays, then ride easy Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

 

[HLaB]

As above and a rest day may help too

 

[dodd82]

Thanks all.

It's an 8 mile ride each way.

I take your point about slowing down, but I feel absolutely fine on the flat part of it - it really is just the hills that cause me the problem, and if I slowed down on those, I'd probably fall off!

 

[cloggsy]

Early nights help, as do drinking the right amount of water.

As everyone else has said, it isn't a race, it's a commute - pace yourself and throw a rest day in here and there

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Can you change your route to avoid the hill until you are more cycle fit? Or walk up it?

 

[dodd82]

Can you change your route to avoid the hill until you are more cycle fit? Or walk up it?

Unfortunately not... there are lots of different ways (some more dangerous than others), but they all involve a big b****** hill!

 

[campbellab]

It's 6 months in now - I know I could have a better bike (and will get one in the Spring), but my legs are still suffering when I try to commute 3 days in a row.

Problem is, I'm back playing sports at the weekend - thanks to cycling - which rules out Monday cycling most weeks, so consecutive days are important to keep up the frequency.

But even though I've been doing it regularly, my legs are still becoming ever so tired.

The main cause of the tiredness is a large hill to and from work, that even now leaves me gasping for air. The flat parts seem to be okay on the legs.

Any tips?!

I'd like to up it to 4 or 5 days a week as the weather and light improves.

Cheers

Imo if your legs feel tight and tired at the start of the climb they may do with a day or two to recover. Maybe try and get some more protein in diet for recovery? Out of breath just need to keep doing it or try and slow it down a little if possible.

Generally you feel just as tired at the end of the big hill even after you been at it a while - you dont notice that you do it quicker though!

 

[Boris Bajic]

I was a 3-day-a-week commuter, 22 miles each way on a hilly rural route.

The other two days I drove and carried clean shirts, underwear and towels and the occasional cleaned suit.

What the others say makes a lot of sense. I don't know what distances you're doing, but get a gentle pace you're happy with and buld from there.

I was known at work for still being a little breathy at 10:00, despite arriving most days just after 8:00 and having a nice, hot shower.

Fluids are important as is solid fuel before the ride. The right kind of fuel... Porridge did it for me.

I was often gasping for breath on the first climb, but as fresh as a daisy when pulling into the car park an hour later.

The hills will come with time. They will never be easy (Greg LeMond quote needed here) but they will wipe you out less.

Don't be too ambitious and enjoy the fact that you're in a win-win-win situation: Getting fitter, getting some riding in, saving money.

Keep at it!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Thanks all.
It's an 8 mile ride each way.
I take your point about slowing down, but I feel absolutely fine on the flat part of it - it really is just the hills that cause me the problem, and if I slowed down on those, I'd probably fall off!

It took me much longer than that to do the 5 days a week commute and feel fine (& cycle one day at the weekend) and I was doing roughly the same distance each way and my work was at the top of a hill that used to kill me until I changed my route. I still had to do the climb, in fact the new climb was actually higher but the gradient was kinder... just take it easy - and let it happen naturally. Don't over do it and make sure you get plenty of sleep. A stressful day at work will kill the next morning's ride IME, so don't compare times unless they are like for like - so for me that was Mondays with Mondays, Tuesdays with Tuesdays because I very quickly worked out that by Friday my commute was taking me an extra 5 mins each way and that was demoralising as hell until I took into account that I had a very stressful job, and had cycled 6 days in a row by that point. (I was also swimming at lunchtime but that was escape from the office rather than exercise). I imposed a mandatory rest day - Saturdays where I did not exercise at all which helped considerably.

 

[dodd82]

Thanks for all of your input guys - it's encouraging.

I'm going to ride tonight, even though I'm tired, but will take an evening off tomorrow.

I'm doing a charity ride this year that will involve 60 miles a day for three days, so I need to get used to it!

 

[BlackPanther]

I'm a 5 day a week commuter. I take it steady on the way to work so as to arrive sweat free, and then go home like a bat out of Hell. The secret (on the way in) is to put exactly the same effort in, whether on the flat, uphill, or downhill. Unless you have some severely steep hills, the 1st granny gear should climb up without breaking sweat. I regularly see cyclists grinding their way uphill in way too high a gear whilst I spin past with ease. I sometimes feel like telling them that they're doing it all wrong......but I never do.

You don't say what kind of bike you ride, but a road bike is faaaaaaaaaar easier than a mountain/hybrid bike to ride if your commute doesn't involve off road. And make sure your tyres are pumped to the max.

 

[Moodyman]

Get good sleep. I moved from a comfortable 7 hours night sleep to 9 hours when I started commuting by bicycle.

Also do stretches pre and post ride

 

[cyberknight]

Get good sleep. I moved from a comfortable 7 hours night sleep to 9 hours when I started commuting by bicycle.

Also do stretches pre and post ride

+1 on the stretches