Recovery - What do you use or do?

[Jbr]

Sleep, a lot of water and a lot of nuts/peanut butter

 

I don't do shakes, it's a mission, I'd rather eat real food but make sure it's rich in protein

Edited November 13, 2020 by Jbr

[Kranswurm]

Yogurt vanilla ice cream and milo cant be beaten.

[Long Wheel Base]

I need some advice from the older guys here.

My toppie is 65y/o and currently training for his 32nd CTCT. He has asked me to ask the guys here if they have any advice. He is struggling to recover. He admits that as he gets older it does become harder but he is wondering id there is something else he can still do. But his legs are just taking a few days to recover.

His diet is good ito no junk food and sugary drinks etc but he currently doesn't add any sort of supplement. He currently tips the scales at a little over 70kg. He is about 176cm tall.

Here are some screenshots from his strava to show how much riding he is currently doing. He also adds 2/3 strength sessions a week with battle ropes and weights. He also walks their 2 staffies almost daily(although they take them to dog parks so it's off leash but they cover a fair amount of distance which he usually jogs).

He's been retired for 2 years so work stress and lack of sleep isn't an issue.

I must also add that hard training is not new to him and he has never really stopped riding for prolonged periods.

He more often than not does multiple sessions per day. On days where he does strength he will ride only once otherwise he rides twice a day.

So what are you guys adding to your diet to recover or anything you do to get the legs to recover faster.

[robbybzgo]

It sounds like he just isn't taking enough recovery time off. Does he use a watch/GPS unit to monitor his work load and then recovery time needed.

A good quality rehydration solution should be used after heavy sessions otherwise essential minerals are depleted. My 90 year old father works out on an indoor bike and a rower and he gets a rehydrate solution after each session.

Nobody likes to admit that they are getting older but scaling back on what you used to do is always something that we need to keep in mind...

[buckstopper]

As a 60 yo I have used Cadence Revive which makes a big difference in my ability to recover. How is he mixing his hard on the bike efforts with his strength training? Sounds like he's doing a lot. Not that 65 is old, ok. If he gets the right coaching input he will be guided to train within his ability to recover. Remember, fitness adaptations (getting stronger) happen during rest.  

[MudLark]

56 minutes ago, Long Wheel Base said:

I need some advice from the older guys here.

My toppie is 65y/o and currently training for his 32nd CTCT. He has asked me to ask the guys here if they have any advice. He is struggling to recover. He admits that as he gets older it does become harder but he is wondering id there is something else he can still do. But his legs are just taking a few days to recover.

His diet is good ito no junk food and sugary drinks etc but he currently doesn't add any sort of supplement. He currently tips the scales at a little over 70kg. He is about 176cm tall.

Here are some screenshots from his strava to show how much riding he is currently doing. He also adds 2/3 strength sessions a week with battle ropes and weights. He also walks their 2 staffies almost daily(although they take them to dog parks so it's off leash but they cover a fair amount of distance which he usually jogs).

He's been retired for 2 years so work stress and lack of sleep isn't an issue.

I must also add that hard training is not new to him and he has never really stopped riding for prolonged periods.

He more often than not does multiple sessions per day. On days where he does strength he will ride only once otherwise he rides twice a day.

So what are you guys adding to your diet to recover or anything you do to get the legs to recover faster.

So, I am a bit younger than your father but not by all that much either. If your father is doing his 32nd CTCT, he's a way more experienced cyclist than I am. But speaking for myself I find that a glass of USN Muscle Fuel helps a lot after a long ride. Then I have no stiffness at all the next day and can happily hit it again.

[bleedToWin]

Assuming he is also reporting from recent months (not just weeks) it looks like he is not incorporating recovery weeks or gradual progressive overload principles. He went from nothing to 5 weeks of 12h to 18h in March. Recently he went from 4h weeks straight into a 12h and a 14h week. Even young men might struggle with this.

Maybe look at some easy riding this weekend then start a block of 10h, 12h, 14h, 6h. Next block 12h, 14h, 16h, 8h. That leaves 5 weeks to do some race specific intensity plus a nice long taper (reduce volume, but keep intensity) before CTCT.

 

[Long Wheel Base]

1 hour ago, robbybzgo said:

It sounds like he just isn't taking enough recovery time off. Does he use a watch/GPS unit to monitor his work load and then recovery time needed.

A good quality rehydration solution should be used after heavy sessions otherwise essential minerals are depleted. My 90 year old father works out on an indoor bike and a rower and he gets a rehydrate solution after each session.

Nobody likes to admit that they are getting older but scaling back on what you used to do is always something that we need to keep in mind...

Yes, uses a garmin edge while riding and wears a garmin venu 24/7.

Scale back? Yeah I don't think he will do that, he still wants more sub 3 CTCTs????.

Thanks for the info.

[Long Wheel Base]

10 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

Assuming he is also reporting from recent months (not just weeks) it looks like he is not incorporating recovery weeks or gradual progressive overload principles. He went from nothing to 5 weeks of 12h to 18h in March. Recently he went from 4h weeks straight into a 12h and a 14h week. Even young men might struggle with this.

Maybe look at some easy riding this weekend then start a block of 10h, 12h, 14h, 6h. Next block 12h, 14h, 16h, 8h. That leaves 5 weeks to do some race specific intensity plus a nice long taper (reduce volume, but keep intensity) before CTCT.

 

Yeah so when the CTCT was first postponed he just maar rode to keep the legs ticking over. Then they announced the new date and he started training again, hence the heavy increase in hours. I will suggest the easy riding and more rest.

Thanks for the input.

[TNT1]

2 hours ago, Long Wheel Base said:

I need some advice from the older guys here.

My toppie is 65y/o and currently training for his 32nd CTCT. He has asked me to ask the guys here if they have any advice. He is struggling to recover. He admits that as he gets older it does become harder but he is wondering id there is something else he can still do. But his legs are just taking a few days to recover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Realistically?

 

Any doc will prescribe at you old man's age.

[Frosty]

4 hours ago, Long Wheel Base said:

I need some advice from the older guys here.

My toppie is 65y/o and currently training for his 32nd CTCT. He has asked me to ask the guys here if they have any advice. He is struggling to recover. He admits that as he gets older it does become harder but he is wondering id there is something else he can still do. But his legs are just taking a few days to recover.

His diet is good ito no junk food and sugary drinks etc but he currently doesn't add any sort of supplement. He currently tips the scales at a little over 70kg. He is about 176cm tall.

Here are some screenshots from his strava to show how much riding he is currently doing. He also adds 2/3 strength sessions a week with battle ropes and weights. He also walks their 2 staffies almost daily(although they take them to dog parks so it's off leash but they cover a fair amount of distance which he usually jogs).

He's been retired for 2 years so work stress and lack of sleep isn't an issue.

I must also add that hard training is not new to him and he has never really stopped riding for prolonged periods.

He more often than not does multiple sessions per day. On days where he does strength he will ride only once otherwise he rides twice a day.

So what are you guys adding to your diet to recover or anything you do to get the legs to recover faster.

One problem is the sudden increase in distance (end of June) compared to his previous weeks between April and mid-June. As some have said, it might be too much too quickly. With the exception of March/April, he's also coming off a very low base. Perhaps dial it back a bit and increase the load at lower increments. 

When is Argus? October. There should be sufficient time to build towards the event (more than 12 weeks). 

[dave303e]

Periodization and polarization might help a little?

Prediodization example- 4 week block where each week is more/harder than the last until the 4th week which is super easy.

Polarization - Easy days/rides must be easy, hard rides must be hard. Not too much in the middle.

This is from what my coach is doing for me and it has really helped. Actually a good coach monitoring the training load is also probably the best idea. Some weeks I think coach has my elastic band stretched to the breaking point but he still hasn't snapped it.

 

[Mike Mac]

As one ages, one needs more recovery time. Pushing two sessions a day is a lot. With training, often less is more. 
 

i

[madmarc]

Trying to beat your dad by getting him to reduce his training is just wrong - I think you should train harder ????

[Zebra]

6 hours ago, Long Wheel Base said:

I need some advice from the older guys here.

My toppie is 65y/o and currently training for his 32nd CTCT. He has asked me to ask the guys here if they have any advice. He is struggling to recover. He admits that as he gets older it does become harder but he is wondering id there is something else he can still do. But his legs are just taking a few days to recover.

His diet is good ito no junk food and sugary drinks etc but he currently doesn't add any sort of supplement. He currently tips the scales at a little over 70kg. He is about 176cm tall.

Here are some screenshots from his strava to show how much riding he is currently doing. He also adds 2/3 strength sessions a week with battle ropes and weights. He also walks their 2 staffies almost daily(although they take them to dog parks so it's off leash but they cover a fair amount of distance which he usually jogs).

He's been retired for 2 years so work stress and lack of sleep isn't an issue.

I must also add that hard training is not new to him and he has never really stopped riding for prolonged periods.

He more often than not does multiple sessions per day. On days where he does strength he will ride only once otherwise he rides twice a day.

So what are you guys adding to your diet to recover or anything you do to get the legs to recover faster.

Elevating his legs up against a wall, 30 minutes just before turning in for the nite, but on the bed, on his back, pillow under head, pillow under hips, legs up against the wall, at a 70-80 degree angle, seems to help some people get their legs to recover - this has worked for me, and I read it on a reputable (!) site, maybe worth a try, can even READ in that position, to pass the 20 - 30 minutes...

Cheers

Chris