Recovery during 1200ks

[David Cramer]

I'm interested in people's strategies for recovery during 1200k rides. Most US events now use a staged approach, and so you may have four to eight hours between stages. Sleep is a priority, of course, but what else can help? Do people use a recovery drink before eating a meal? Self-massage? Any thoughts, or a description of what you do, would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave Cramer

[Mark W]

At a night stop I try to eat, get cleaned up if I have time and it's available, sleep, and then eat again before heading out.

Avoiding wasted time helps increase sleep time, so having a clear plan as you approach the stop really helps. A recovery drink as soon as you stop might help if available--I've done this sometimes. No large apparent effect but at worst it's a few more calories.

Mark W

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[Kole Kantner]

All you need is drink, food, and sleep and you will be fine.

Kole

On Jun 13, 2012 8:25 AM, "Mark W" <mdw...@yahoo.com> wrote:

At a night stop  I try to eat, get cleaned up if I have time and it's available, sleep, and then eat again before heading out.

Avoiding wasted time helps increase sleep time, so having a clear plan as you approach the stop really helps.  A recovery drink as soon as you stop might help if available--I've done this sometimes.  No large apparent effect but at worst it's a few more calories.

Mark W

On Jun 13, 2012, at 10:08 AM, David Cramer <dau...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I'm interested in people's ...

[Jan Heine]

As others have pointed out, making sure you spend your off-the-bike
time well is important. Don't stand if you can sit, don't sit if you
can lie down, and don't have your eyes open when you can close them.

Apart from that, I find I don't recover during the ride at all. It
takes me days to recover, which is why I tend to ride non-stop when
possible. A few rest breaks are great, but taking breaks with more
than an hour off the bike doesn't provide much benefit for me. All
that happens is that my legs get stiff, and it is harder to get back
into a rhythm on the bike.

Having ridden four PBPs, the slowest was the hardest. Sure, it was my
first 1200, but I was in better shape back then, never pushed the
pace, and had ridden many 600s. Still, the last few hundred
kilometers were a slog, as I was deeply fatigued even though I had
been sleeping every night, and even took an afternoon nap. My
recovery after the ride also took longer than it did after my other
PBPs.

For me, the total event time appears to determine the fatigue. Riding
with fewer, shorter stops means that my "total event time" is
shorter. I find that my limit for "total event time" is somewhere
around 55 hours. Thereafter, it gets a lot harder. So ideally, the
finish line is in sight at that point.

The alternative is touring at a sustainable pace for no more than
10-12 hours a day. I really enjoy that, but you cannot ride brevets
that way. A brevet is not sustainable for most randonneurs, myself
included, which is why we all slow down on a 1200 compared to a 600.
There is a reason the rules allow for 10 more hours for the 1200 than
they do for two 600s.

Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
http://www.bikequarterly.com

Follow our blog at http://janheine.wordpress.com/

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[Susan Otcenas]

>All you need is drink, food, and sleep and you will be fine.

Not me.  I NEED a shower.  Sweat, sunscreen, chamois butter and road grime are a brutal combination.   The extra 15 minutes required to shower and change clothes more than pay for themselves in better sleep, less chafing/skin irritations, and overall general comfort.

 

That said, the FIRST thing I do is eat.  Immediately after exercise, your body is primed to uptake nutrients and replenish glycogen stores to your muscles.  The sooner you get some calories in, the better you will "recover" during your rest break.   If I know I'll be stopped for a few hours, I try to eat at least 1000 calories, knowing that my body will be able to digest that while I rest for a few hours.  Make sure to include some protein, not just carbs. 

 

If I have access to a drop bag (usually do) I sleep in Zoot compression tights.  Legs always feel great when I wake up!

 

Susan

 

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From: ran...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ran...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Kole Kantner
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 9:05 AM
To: Mark W
Cc: ran...@googlegroups.com; David Cramer
Subject: Re: [Randon] Recovery during 1200ks

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[Bill Olsen]

My strategy for completing a 1200K might be a little different from others in that I ride for a good time rather than others who might ride for a good time.  This means a total ride time of 87 hours, although if I play my cards right, I'll make 88 hours.  (I messed up my schedule a little on Sunday and broke 86 hours - should have stopped off for another break along the way in.)

My rest at overnight controles is a function of how much time I have in the bank when I arrive into the controles.  I will generally take an hour to relax, eat, and then take a shower prior to getting to sleep.  My sleep time will be however much time I have available prior to getting up one hour prior to the controle closing as that is the time I will plan to leave the controle.  Generally this allows a minimum of 4 hours sleep but in the case of last weekend's Shenadoah we got one 5 hour and one 6 hour sleep break.  For events such as Last Chance I will generally have a more generous sleep period, and for LEL with the extended time, I will usually get up and leave after 6 hours.

For recovery, if I can snag a beer or two, at the controle, my sleep is much better, but I generally will limit this to when I know I will have a good 4 hours rest.

This may not work for others but it has allowed me to enjoy the multitude of 1200Ks I've had the pleasure of experiencing over the limit time I've been participating in this sport.

Bill

[Spencer Klaassen]

On Jun 13, 2012, at 7:01 PM, Bill Olsen wrote:

For recovery, if I can snag a beer or two, at the controle, my sleep is much better, but I generally will limit this to when I know I will have a good 4 hours rest.

This is some of the best advice that I have ever received in long distance cycling!  I got it the second night (actually about 7 am of the third morning) on the Texas "headwind & chip-seal" 1200 from Bill.  

Instead of tossing around on the tile of Korean Bath House & a Korean Love Hotel in May (South Korea 1200), I slept like a rando baby after a 20 oz (or so) of Korea's version of Bud.  I think it was called "OB". I might have had Makkoli on one of the nights (Korean sake').  Oh well, it really doesn't matter much, I had a blast on this unsupported "culture shock" of a grand randonee.

Life it too short for me to worry about my finish time when I can enjoy my 1200 K vacation.  Do what works for you....

Thanks Bill!

Best,
-Spencer

You can use carbon, but carbon's got no soul.  If it's about soul, then it's a steel bike.  

   -Graeme Obree