AppState Cycling Forum

CERA

Rode to Walmart to get Groceries today, I think that helped a bit. Thanks

When recovery after a really long and hard ride, time is your enemy.  The body has about 30-45 minutes past ride to get as much energy back in to it as possible.  After that time only about half of what you eat will go towards muscle recovery, until about two hours post workout.  After two hours, the body will return to normal functioning and the recovery window is closed.

#1  So, directly after you finish a really hard ride (not as easy ride, in which case scale back the amounts) you want  to consume about 50 grams of protein and 100 grams of carbs.  This can be achieved through Endurox and other similar products.  But, I recommend buying a big bay of whey protein and another big bag of maltrodextrin (complex carbs) and mixing the proper amounts in a blender and adding what ever flavoring you desire to make it taste good i.e... fruits or chocolate syrup.  Because after a ride, whatever you eat will be directly used to repair muscles and this is the "window" to eat whatever you want.

#2  Another trick for good recovery is taking an ice bath.  I like to use this during hard stage races, but this can be also used post-workouts and in between race days.  What you do is fill the tub up with water as cold as you can make it.  This may include stealing ice from a hotel ice machine or just using the cold water out of the tap in the tub.  Anyway, after the tub is filled near the top, GET IN.  The water should be high enough so that your legs are completely submerged up to your waist.  Sit in there for about 15 minutes.  Don't go past 20 minutes because after that you are getting diminishing return for sitting in a giant tub of freezing water.  IT will be cold when you get in, but after about 4 minutes your body will go numb and it wont be as back.  Also wear a hat and a sweatshirt if possible to try and keep your upper body as warm as possible.  The point of this is to flush out all the free radicals that have built up in your muscles from the days efforts.  This is done by getting all teh bllod from your body to flow through your legs in an effort to try and warm them up, in doing so the legs get flushed out and you feel a million times better the next day.  It may sound painful, but i promise it works.

#3  Self massage and sitting with the legs up.  after a race it is good to sit when your legs straight up against the wall and  massage your legs to try and get the blood flowing through them and to flush them out.

#4  Train more!!!  The more you ride the more your body gets used to really hard days and the easier it will be to do it all over again the next day.

If any of this didn't make sense let me know and I can try and clarify.

That's all for now,  enjoy your ice bath

did she tell you you were a smaller rider?

I dont like cold baths so not looking forward to trying it, but would give it a go someday.
Travis where can I get a big bay of whey protein and another big bag of maltrodextrin?
Thanks Guy

walmart probably has the cheapest whey protein out there and just to add, I read in my "eat this, not that" book that chocolate milk hydrates you faster than water and a sports drink.  it also helps muscles recover 40% faster than regular milk.

Recovery
1. there have been studies showing that choclate milk has the same recovery benefits as many of the higher priced "RECOVERY DRINKS" Key is that is has about a 4:1 ratio of carbs and proteins. 
2. A contrast shower can also have equal to or better effects on recovery than a cold bath.  Best down with removeable shower head. 
Go about 1 minute on hot and 1 minute of cold and continue for about 10 minutes. Causes blood to move through the legs without the boys being pushed to the turtle shell for us males. If you have a massage shower head even better.

maybe that's what I'm going for
could have used some of that this weekend
nick knows what I'm talking about
let's wrestle