For the last 3 months almost every bike ride I’ve been on my legs have been utterly lifeless – felt very heavy and struggled to do anything other than just turn the pedals – no power, no speed…climbs are brutally painful (in the sense it takes an age to get up them when 6 months back I’d be up them in a 1/4-1/2 the time – along the terrain the pedals turn but any chance of speed and the legs become lifeless again – descents seem to be ok as I don’t pedal much.

My diet has improved (those that know me will no doubt be shocked at that but it has!) – I’m feeling like I’m getting enough sleep but the last 3 weeks I’ve been feeling real tired in the afternoons – then get a second wind around 6pm and I’m fine.

Like I said last 3 months have been real grim…I can count the ‘felt real good’ bike rides on 1 hand in the time, the rest I’ve enjoyed being out on my bike but the lack of any speed has really hit home hard as I’m not liking making my riding mates wait – so I’m now doing more riding on my own.

Any suggestions? I’d happily accept MTFU as a solution – I’m doing that but it’s not having much affect just now.

Cheers.

Have you changed anything else? Been working more? More stress in the job? Had an illness?

How often do you ride?

Are you eating enough carbs? Your not on the idave diet are you?

Otherwise, get to a doctors for a checkup. Could be something serious

As far as I know nothing has changed on the bike (I did drop the saddle about 5mm but it’s back to proper height – 3 rides and it wasn’t working).

Over the last 3 months the stress levels haven’t changed…last 4 weeks have risen but last week they have gone back down again.

Eating plenty carbs – I’m diabetic so have a reasonable idea of what I’m needing to eat (also take a pack of Jelly Babies along on each ride and I tend to chew on 1 every 15 minutes).

Otherwise, get to a doctors for a checkup.

Probably the best thing to do.

We need more info;

how many times per week do you train?
What does your food intake consist of…truth pls?

Any 24hr patterns re pain, headaches, pins needles, loss of sensation, night pain (that awakens you).

Meds, what u taking, any other ‘supplements’ ur not telling us about.

Any Low back pain, knumbness, have you changed seating at work, physical job or desk type work.

feel free to email me, or go straight to by-pass your GP and get checked over.

Email me if you like.

Hmm – wondering what advice a physio student can give in this situation. Intrigued even.

Not enough insulin – not converting the jelly babies into energy?

How’s your blood sugars – I get tired in the afternoon when I’m high.

Low lying virus is my guess

Ride my bike twice a week – Tuesday night and most Saturdays…and I think I’m about to do Friday lunchtimes…if I’m lucky I also get out on a Monday night for an hour or so…but it’s riding my bike not training…

Food intake is pretty consistent – either Weetabix or a roll and bacon/egg for breakfast and a fruit scone, couple of rolls for my lunch then a meal of some sort at night – chicken/steak/meat, veg and spuds or pizza or pasta.

I seem to have an unhealthy addiction to Diet Cola (but have had that for at least 10 years…

Insulin and other diabetes-related stuff (for a good few decades!) but about 3 months ago I started some Tribunafrin (or something) to sort of fungal infection in my toe – was my second course of it (previous one was a year prior) – I’ve had a few blood tests taken and all of them are showing no side effects to the medication – I’ve a very regular check up with my health centre and/or diabetes unit.

No pain in the body, no pain whilst riding or afterwards, but the legs do feel dead…once I’m off the bike they feel fine.

I’ll get a check-up with the docs as after your post asking about meds and the like I’ve just realised that this fungal tablet thing started very shortly before my leg symptoms started appearing…thanks for the prompts…

Blood sugars seem to be better than I’m expecting…I did think it was a virus or something but my bloods haven’t been high like I’d expect…they certainly haven’t been the best – 2nd last HBA1c was 7.3 and my last one was 8.6 – both decent results for me but room for improvement…I don’t check my bloods much whilst riding but do check them before and after and there are fluctuations but nothing that I wouldn’t expect.

racing ralph is bang on “Low lying virus is my guess”. you just need a couple of months for it leave the body.