Why do I feel really ill after a long bike ride?

[MrsT]

Hi,
I am new to this site and also quite new to cycling. I bought a cyclocross bike about 5 months ago with an aim to find a new hobby and become fit in the process. I general commute a few days a week which is an 8 mile round trip and then go for a long ride on Sunday's (weather permitting)

My Sunday rides started out at 12 mile and each week I have gone a little further, with today's ride being 50.1 miles. The only problem I am having is when I get back I stretch out has a protein shake and then feel like I am about to die. Which then means sleeping for a couple of hours. When I say die I mean, bad headache, very tired and a uncoordinated, very hot and sometimes quite shaky and sick. Obviously my body feels like it's just been put throught the mill.

The first time this happened someone suggested I take sugery snacks and plenty of water. Which I do, I eat a little every hour or so, and sip little and often. Before I vo out for a ride I have a couple of slices of toast and a drink.

Any thoughts?

 

[marzjennings]

Looks like you're not eating or drinking enough while or before you ride and by the time you get home you're spent. For 50 miles, depending on a whole bunch of factors (mass, speed, aerodynamics), you may be burning through 1000 to 2000 calories. Possibly a days worth of food. How much are you eating? Also you may be dehydrated by the time you get home, hence the feeling hot and headache. You may need to be drinking a water bottle full every hour.

Do you have two water bottles on your bike?
Don't just eat surgery foods, take something a bit more complex.
To be clear, you don't need to eat 1000 calories of food while you ride, but you do need to be fueled before you leave the house. Maybe a full breakfast in the morning or something filling the night before.

 

[User6179]

Sounds like low blood sugar (Hypoglycaemia) , you could need tested for diabetes http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hypoglycaemia/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

 

[MrsT]

Thanks I kind of suspected the water in take would have some involvement. Food wise though, I believe I eat quite a lot and mostly of the right things too. I will just have to get into the habit of drinking more as I often don't feel the need to drink so half an hour 40 minutes can go by without realising. Then I consciously make the effort to drink, I don't believe I drink anywhere near 2 bottles though.

 

[MrsT]

Sounds like low blood sugar (Hypoglycaemia) , you could need tested for diabetes http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hypoglycaemia/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

Thank you for this. This actually describes the symptoms perfectly and also symptoms when I am not cycling too. Strange though as I have had tests previously. I will go for another test.

 

[raleighnut]

Try slowing down about 3-4 miles before you get home so you're not getting back with your heart still racing and your system still trying to remove the toxins left behind by exercise in the muscles. Cruise the last bit as a 'warmdown'.

 

[cyberknight]

As above,
I went on the fast club run last week and ran out of energy 11 miles from home, got dropped and had stomach ache/felt rough till my sunday tea had gone down , today i ate more and took it steadier and i felt fine .

 

[marzjennings]

Sounds like low blood sugar (Hypoglycaemia) , you could need tested for diabetes http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hypoglycaemia/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

No need to jump straight to diabetes. I think she just "hit the wall" or "bonked" after her ride...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitting_the_wall

 

[User6179]

No need to jump straight to diabetes. I think she just "hit the wall" or "bonked" after her ride...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitting_the_wall

Possibly nothing to worry about but going by the origin post I thought it was a recurring problem , I have bonked a couple of times but would be worried if it was recurring after every long ride ,

 

[MrsT]

It does happen after most long rides. I am definitely doing something wrong!

 

[Big Dave laaa]

What are you drinking on your way around on your 50 miler? You want at least 2 500 ml water bottles preferably with a carbohydrate solution to keep your stores topped up. That way you aren't just reliant on eating your banana etc as you go but definitely want to be taking food as well for that distance. Some riders can manage without but it sounds like you are depleting your glycogen stores and bonking. You'll burn masses of calories on a 50 miler and they need replacing as does your fluid so may as well kill 2 birds with one stone. You'll feel better and your performance will improve as well. Try High5 or SIS products to see how you get on. Good luck.

 

[Katherine]

If you are planning a long ride, load up with carbs the night before eg pasta, rice, pizza etc. Before the ride you need to eat enough as well. Peanut butter on toast, porridge, flapjacks plus a banana before you go. A half hour stop for an energy bar and a rest, in the middle of a 50 mile ride is a good idea, lots of people stop at coffee shops for cake. Rehydration drinks might be better than water. Have a look at the High 5 website. There's a section about what you need.

 

[Big Dave laaa]

If you are planning a long ride, load up with carbs the night before eg pasta, rice, pizza etc. Before the ride you need to eat enough as well. Peanut butter on toast, porridge, flapjacks plus a banana before you go. A half hour stop for an energy bar and a rest, in the middle of a 50 mile ride is a good idea, lots of people stop at coffee shops for cake. Rehydration drinks might be better than water. Have a look at the High 5 website. There's a section about what you need.

Halfords did have High5 race packs half price last week I think. Has a selection of gells and carb drinks to try.

 

[ayceejay]

When you start to cycle 50 miles you have moved into a different area from a 4 mile commute and you need to build slowly to this distance, part of what you are training is your body's ability to fuel itself from what it has stored away. You will build cardio vascular capability slowly as well and this is all part of getting fit. If you miss out on the slow, gradual improvements and acclimatising and suddenly up your mileage or speed you will experience what you have described above which is commonly known as the Bonk and is much the same as hypoglycemia in how it effects your body. The symptoms of diabetes are the opposite of this i.e hyperglycemia, a diabetic will go hypo when insulin injections are not properly managed so I think you can forget that.
To avoid the Bonk you should assess your diet generally and not try to fix it on the bike as it is happening, if you are caught out, as all of have been you need to carry something that will get into your blood stream and therefore your brain, quickly and that would be a simple sugar like glucose tabs (4), and wash them down with water. If you take anything else like a complex carb or a protein drink this will slow the effect of the glucose and recovery will take longer.

 

[mjr]

How fast are you going and what sort of terrain? I probably drank 250ml while riding 45mi today and a litre with lunch (two thirds of the way round) but I'm not fast and I have no truck with over-processed foods like gels and powders. I'm riding a tour, not Le Tour.