Blown my thighs, twice!!!!

[Nick Stone]

Hi all

I've completed a sportive and a couple of longer rides the year, the last yesterday. The problem is that twice now I've come to big hills and got half way up and my thighs have blown, locked out and I feel unable to move them till I've had a few minutes. This is not what I want or happened in the past. After a rest of a couple of minutes still buggered.

Yesterday it was Roby Mil, half way and had to push the last bit. My last 10-12 miles of the ride was a drag and slowed the ride down no end, with the guys I was riding with having to slow and wait for me on a number of occasions, not what they wanted either.

Bit about me - not very svelte , but working on it and is great, I'm using few bits of High 5, and can tap out around 15-16 mph for 30ish miles with no massive hills. So my weight is coming down, I eat quite well and varied and now my wight=faster up hill is getting better.

Any advice or ideas would be great 24 hours later and I've still got some pain, other nutrition or supplements, stretches anything considered or I'm off to Holland.....

Thanks

 

[HLaB]

There's no magic pill, you just have to get out there and do longer/ hillier rides.

 

[rualexander]

lower gears?

 

[cyberknight]

lower gears?

What i was thinking too.

 

[Broadside]

Lots of stretches on your quads after every ride, Google to improve your understanding of the muscles in this area. Also may be worth getting getting a foam roller, I have occasional issues with my quads and the foam roller is the fix for me. There are some good foam roller massage videos on Youtube that show you how to do it.

I find that I can get away without stretches for a few rides but the problems subtly build up and then all of a sudden I have issues out on the road. Prevention is better than cure etc...

Also watch your nutrition, if you are riding in deficit this can but additonal strain on your muscles and that is when you will hurt them.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Lower gears and maybe ride on your own for a bit? This might ease some sub-conscious pressure on your part - however great your friends are - regarding having to do as well as them? Just a thought.

Make sure you use something for recovery too; protein to repair the small tears in the fibres of the muscles, caused by exercise.

And don't overdo it...

 

[Crankarm]

When you state "blown thighs" ...... what do you mean?

What weight are you, height and age? How much cycling do you actually do, just sportives once in a while? If so you need to be riding a lot more regularly to build up the miles.

Don't push heavy gears especially up hill.

 

[Nick Stone]

Cheers guys, I do most of the riding on my own, but not to hilly here so m going try some repeats on what I've got and add to some of my longer routes, touching nearly 30-40miles for a good spin out plus commute a couple of times a week.

Ill look at my blocks for the lower gears, was riding a ultegra compact with a 12-30 on the back, any ideas what I could try instead. I know on my Allez there would have been no chance I could have got so far.

I do try and fuel to ride, pasta before (most of the time) but as usual work, study, and family all have a part to play. Yes getting out more is a definite as the nights are still good and I don't mind getting wet n the rain either.

My pill is riding, to relax and unwind I push myself on my bike and don't have to think about anything else whilst I'm out.

 

[Nick Stone]

When you state "blown thighs" ...... what do you mean?

What weight are you, height and age? How much cycling do you actually do, just sportives once in a while? If so you need to be riding a lot more regularly to build up the miles.

Don't push heavy gears especially up hill.

I'm 36, 6ft and just under 18 3/4 stone now, I've rode mountain bikes most of the time, even in the alps so can get up hills. I also used to do 1-2 spinning classes a week and last few weeks have been 60 miles plus a week which is good for the time I've had available to me.

My thighs just lock up, I've been googling and something about oxygen starvation to muscles sounds like it, is this true? I've also got a massive vein on my leg that needs stripping so this could compound it.

I not that unhealthy, although you could question it, diet is good, nutrition is good, fuel well no idea at present

 

[mcshroom]

A compact with 30t on the back should be good enough for most stuff. I'm going to guess you are attacking hills too hard and your body can't sustain the effort. What sort of heart rate did you have when you 'blew'? If it was really racing then that might be a good sign.

I think the answer is just to keep riding up hills, especially sustained inclines if that is what you are struggling with. If there aren't any hills around then ride straight into a headwind for similarly demoralising effects.

 

[Crankarm]

I'm 36, 6ft and just under 18 3/4 stone now, I've rode mountain bikes most of the time, even in the alps so can get up hills. I also used to do 1-2 spinning classes a week and last few weeks have been 60 miles plus a week which is good for the time I've had available to me.

My thighs just lock up, I've been googling and something about oxygen starvation to muscles sounds like it, is this true? I've also got a massive vein on my leg that needs stripping so this could compound it.

I not that unhealthy, although you could question it, diet is good, nutrition is good, fuel well no idea at present

Sounds like you have low tolerance to lactic acid build up ie you are not as fit as you think. I would take it much easier and ignore the peer pressure your saddle companions are putting on you. Even for 6ft - 18 3/4 stone is still really rather heavy. You need to build up the miles in your legs. Try riding every day and cutting down on your calorie in take, but sensibly don't deprive yourself of essential food groups. Just eat a little less and cut out the crap in your diet. Drink lots, water not alcohol, to remain hydrated.

 

[Ningishzidda]

Don't worry.
My first Castleton Classic 200 BRM Audax was done walking up most of the hills. Completed sucessfully though.
The bike had a 42 x 28 lowest.
After some purpose hills on my ride home from work during the next winter season, I rode the same Audax and only walked up one hill.
On the third ride, I rode up every hill. Then the INFO points were changed and some steeper hills appeared in the route. So I fitted a new chainset with a 30 tooth inner ring.

 

[Rob3rt]

Drop 4-6 stone (which you are doing) and ride your bike more. 60 miles a week is not a lot in the grand scheme of things. I am guessing this is 405 hours worth of riding, you can achieve great things on that, but if sounds like you mostly need to ride more.

 

[Nick Stone]

Sweet I think it's a combination of everything everyone's said so ill be cracking on

 

[screenman]

To be fair if you loaded my bike with a 5 gallon container of water ( and this is only 3 stone ish) it would make my thighs sore up some hills. Sounds like there lies most of your problems, but I imagine you knew that already.

Keep it up, I did and still feel great many years later.