Aching/heavy legs

I’m commuting to and from work daily, 24 mile round trip. I’m finding my legs are really heavy daily and get worse towards the end of the week,
I’ve been commuting for a while now but recently got a new job and doubled the mileage of my commute, normally ride on a weekend to.
Are there any tips to reduce this?
I’ve read that a rest period during the week would help but this is not an option.

Any help would be great fully received!

Protein (lots of it) and a good rub down/stretch. Why no rest? Can’t you get the train or something one day?

Perhaps just not enough fuel for the miles? Eating carbs helps me recover well, but of course if you’re trying to lose weight that might be counter productive. However, if you’re riding enough, it might have the opposite effect – eating more carbs might help you ride faster, and end up losing more weight.

Simple carbs immediately after your ride (something sugary or a recovery drink) will help recovery. Also try not eating before your ride or within the first 45 mins, this will help you burn fat during your ride which is less fatiguing for your legs. So ride before breakfast and have it at work, then don’t eat anything after lunch until you get home from work.

All of the above. But you really need to have a couple recovery days a week.

I do 20 miles each way usually 5 days a week. Sore legs are part of the deal but a protein shake when I get home helps a lot. Heavy legs usually go once I start pedalling and go into auto pilot.

Wednesday ride home and Thursday ride in are usually the tired leg days, after that they get better.

More water, more protein and a hot shower or bath did me right when I was doing a fair commute daily.

im on the side of a cold bath actually, after ive competed when I get home I run a bath just deep enough to cover my legs with cold water and sit in it for 20minutes ive herd the first 10minutes helps reduce any swelling and the second 10 help with the healing process, it stops me getting stiff muscles the day after, however I only have to face the prospect of it once a month not every day , the first 30seconds you’ll question your life and wonder what the hell your doing in there, after that its fine an plenty tolerable ….try it you might like it 🙂

rhayter – Member
All of the above. But you really need to have a couple recovery days a week.

You what, it’s 12 miles each way. Unless the OP is doing TT pace each way 5 days a week that’s pretty unlikely.

Yeah, don’t do TT pace every day (unless you want to accept the pain), eat what you feel like, eat as soon as you get to work and as soon as you get home to aid recovery.

Oh and I recently read that the whole ice baths thing doesn’t work – the inflammation and pain are all part of your body adapting, so reducing the pain will reduce the training gains.

I have a similar commute and it took months to really be able to press on on Monday/Tuesdays without the fear of very slow days later in the week, but much better now (except when it’s really windy).

(edited as I’d waffled quite a lot)

I start early and my place of work is no where near a train station, so it’s def no rest days inbetween, I’m no froome, just ride a hybrid and average around the 18-20mph mark.
I’ll start having breakfast at work and see if that helps, I’ll also start drinking the protein shakes after the ride.
I’ve heard chocolate milk is really good for recovery!? Is this true? If so how much do I need to drink each time?

Cheers for all the help

Coco pops. One huge bowl with loads of milk on.

I’ve heard chocolate milk is really good for recovery!? Is this true? If so how much do I need to drink each time?

Protein shakes do the same job and they’re cheaper if you buy powder.

It is only 120 miles a week though so you don’t really need to do that much to deal with it surely. Just wait till winter comes and you’re riding in the dark for 4 months, things get a bit tougher then.

I’ve started using protein shakes after long rides or races and found it really does help the legs from feeling heavy the next day.

The heavy feeling is muscle bulk building up. Muscle weighs twice as much as fat. Get used to it; it will soon fade away when winter comes and you ride less.

If the rest, protein shakes, massages etc. don’t work, get along to your GP for a blood test. I had similar and it turned out I was low on iron and calcium due to coeliac disease (gluten intolerance), fixed by a gluten free diet.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/heavy-legs-between-rides

Simple carbs immediately after your ride (something sugary or a recovery drink) will help recovery. Also try not eating before your ride or within the first 45 mins, this will help you burn fat during your ride which is less fatiguing for your legs. So ride before breakfast and have it at work, then don’t eat anything after lunch until you get home from work.

Disagree totally on that. Simple carbs may make you feel a bit better in the moment, but won’t actually help your legs as much as some protein. Riding on fat is far harder than glycogen too, the body isn’t good at burning it, so you feel awful. Will help you lose weight, but it’s a miserable way to do it.

Um. Ride slower. 2x1hr ride 5 days in a row really shouldnt hurt much for a regular rider. Food wise i wouldnt say eat anything special. Keep your heart rate in z2 and this wont be an issue and your journey will be 10mins or so longer. Averaging 18-20 on a hybrid is pretty fast.

Averaging 18-20 on a hybrid is pretty fast.

Depends on the profile of the route I guess, if there’s traffic lights etc.

Averaging that through a city with loads of traffic lights is fast, flat cycle path or open road then it’s average.

Simple carbs may make you feel a bit better in the moment, but won’t actually help your legs as much as some protein.

Simple carbs after exercise is a very well known to help recovery. After all, you deplete your glycogen stores, you need to replenish them. If I do a hard effort I won’t recover until I do eat simple carbs. I know the difference between feeling a bit better for a short time and actual recovery!

Obviously, depending on how old you are and how much basic fitness you have, but averaging 18-20mph is fast, especially on a hybrid. Especially every day. I think what nobody has said so far is that you are tired. It is actually pretty obvious & it doesn’t need any sort of expert analysis. Your legs aching is known as fatigue. Slow down and you will feel better. Take a HRM & make 4 out of the 5 rides zone 2. Simples

Simple carbs after exercise is a very well known to help recovery. After all, you deplete your glycogen stores, you need to replenish them. If I do a hard effort I won’t recover until I do eat simple carbs. I know the difference between feeling a bit better for a short time and actual recovery!

I was taking more issue with the other bit to be fair (although I’d still bias recovery fuel toward protein rather than simple sugar), So called bonk training will not make your legs feel fresher!

similar commute here, but i rarely do it more than 3 times a week, plus an evening night ride and a longer road ride at weekends. I find that riding 4 days in a row makes the legs go dead.

Whether the effect is real or imagined, I find a protein drink or bar after a ride helps stop heavy legs, not every ride, but feeding and stretching seems to help.

But a rest day break however you squeeze it in would help most.

Just read through again, you need to slow down on some of the rides as well, give your legs 2-3 easy spinning rides as a form of semi-rest if you can’t have a day off.