By Phil Astrachan - CTS Senior Coach
Apr 27, 2006, 10:47
For most people, riding
a century is a landmark endeavor that takes consistent training and thoughtful
preparation. However, your attention to training detail doesn’t stop once your
ride is over; efficient recovery from a century requires planning equal to that
needed to complete the ride in the first place. The arduous nature of repeating
any physical action for over five hours is sure to cause some post-exercise
fatigue and muscle soreness. In addition, there are likely to be nutritional
repercussions such as depleted carbohydrate stores and dehydration. Taking time
to address these issues will speed your recovery and get you feeling strong and
energetic again sooner.
There are a number of
ways to reduce post-exercise soreness and accelerate the recovery process, such
as recovery rides, massage, stretching, nutrition, and appropriate use of pain
relievers. Let’s take a quick look at each:
Recovery
rides
can take place on the days following a century ride. These rides should be done
at a low intensity with very light resistance. Cadence should be slightly lower
than normal (usually around 75-85 rpms), and duration should be anywhere from 30
to 120 minutes. It is best to do these rides on flat terrain, or you can even do
them on an indoor trainer or spin bike in a gym. If you encounter hills, gear
down or slow your cadence to keep the pedal pressure light. The key for recovery
rides is to allow the muscle to become warm and loose, without building fatigue.
This will stimulate blood flow, help in muscle repair, and decrease the
perception of muscle soreness.
Massage has been demonstrated
to be effective in improving well-being after a long, hard ride. While research
in this area is inconclusive, subjects consistently report decreased levels of
fatigue when treated with massage following exercise. Possible explanations
include improved sleep patterns, heightened endorphin and serotonin levels, and
decreased levels of stress hormones following treatment. While the positive
impact of massage may be more psychological than physical, if it makes you feel
better, then take advantage of it. You can also perform self massage on
reachable parts of your body, such as your legs, to aid in
relaxation.
Stretching can help to relax
muscles and decrease post-exercise soreness. Post-exercise stretching should be
light for the first 24-48 hours following a century. Research indicates that
stretching with excessive force after an intense workout is likely to add to
muscle damage and delay the recovery process, so be gentle. Based on current
research, the best time to stretch in order to reduce post-exercise soreness is
after a brief warmup and before your actual workout (so, say, a mile
or two into your recovery ride). Hold each stretch for approximately 20
seconds, performing three sets for each major muscle group. Stretching to
increase flexibility should be done at the end of a recovery ride or a moderate
intensity workout, when the muscles are warm but not overly
fatigued.
Nutrition following a century
ride can dramatically affect recovery. Even the best pre-exercise and
during-exercise sports nutrition plans will result in a dramatic net decrease
in carbohydrate stores. The amount and timeliness of carbohydrate intake
following exercise should be well planned in order to maximize metabolic and
musculoskeletal recovery. You should plan on eating about .75 grams of carbohydrates
per pound of body weight within 15-30 minutes following exercise. For example, a
165-pound individual should plan to ingest around 124 grams of carbohydrates
immediately following exercise. Continue to ingest this amount every two hours
for four to six hours after exercise.
The meal in that first
half-hour is crucial due to the increased glycogen absorption rates immediately
following exercise. In addition, some research has demonstrated increased
absorption rates and improved muscle recovery when adding a modest amount of
protein to a carbohydrate-rich post-exercise meal. A carbohydrate recovery drink
like High5 Protein Recovery or PowerBar Recovery provides a lot of
carbohydrate and enough protein to give you the accelerated carbohydrate
replenishment. Having a couple of bottles of recovery drink pre-made for after a
ride will assure that you get the necessary nutrition and all the benefits of a
quick recovery. In addition, by drinking, rather than eating, your calories,
you’ll also assist in the re-hydration process.
Pain
Relievers can help make your recovery time
more comfortable, which means you feel better moving around. This is important
because walking, short rides, and other forms of light exercise all hasten the
recovery process. There are many pain relievers out there, and you should
consult your physician about which one is right for you. NOTE: Roadcycling.com
does not endorse or recommend the use of pain relievers.
Recovery is an integral
part of every training plan; in fact, some would argue that your level of
fitness lies more in your ability to recover than it does in your ability to
exercise. A good recovery plan will not only make the post-century experience
more tolerable, but it will help you get back on the bike sooner to start
training for your next big event.
Phil Astrachan is a
Senior Coach for Carmichael Training
Systems, Inc. (CTS) and a licensed physical therapist
working in San Francisco, California. To find out what CTS can do for you,
visit http://www.trainright.com.
