Ouch my quads!

[drubie]

Bit of background: I'm the guy who gets lapped twice during a crit, given maximum handicap in a road race and is generally found 20-100m behind the bunch whenever the road turns skyward.

Anyway, I've been working on it pretty hard this year and during a bunch ride on Sunday, was climbing like I never have before - at or near the front and not feeling like I was overly exerting myself yet still comfortably outpacing guys who normally leave me choking on their brake dust. So confident I took a turn on the front into a cold headwind on the highway on the way home.

Then, somebody punctured so we stopped. The wind is cold and the sun has buggered off somewhere.

My legs got cold. We get going again and they feel like they're seizing up. Comes to the last climb of the day and I grit my teeth and sit and spin but start losing the bunch. Spin faster, look for lower gear, I then try to get out of the saddle to make up the 2 metres and OW, my quads feel like their going to snap. I promptly sit back down again and I suffer, seated, up the hill as the bunch recedes into the distance (although they take pity on me and send back a helper). As soon as the legs warm up again, I'm all go and after rejoining a slowed bunch we climb up with no problems. Ride home was uneventful. Legs are sore today though.

Now, what the hell happened? The previous days ride had been fairly tough for me but this was a strange new form of painful fatigue I haven't felt before.

[heliage]

Now, what the hell happened? The previous days ride had been fairly tough for me but this was a strange new form of painful fatigue I haven't felt before.

No idea, but i've found that sometimes it happens to me as well. If I've been cycling and I stop for a while it can happen, I've found it happens less when I take the proper drinks, but otherwise just try to stay on the bike.
I'm guessing someone else might have more information on this.

[ruscook]

I've never had that exact pain but do find on a big (for me) ride, if I haven't had a banana that day I can get calf cramps. Heliage also mentions proper drinks - try both on different days and see what helps. If it was sunny earlier you may not have realised how much fluid and salts you lost. When I did the Superbike school on the motorbike, they had salt tablets and water for us after EVERY session on the track, just to replace what we lost. Makes a huge difference to the fatigue level.

Russ

[drubie]

Hmmm, drinks. I do notice some of the other guys with two different drinks (one bidon of water, one bidon of something else). I can't quite shake the idea that my heart/lungs have overtaken my legs a bit though - but the magnesium type drinks that were discussed earlier here by others might be worth a try.

[RobRollin]

Certainly I would suggest having a sports drink prior to a big 1.5+hr ride, 1 bidon of water and 1 with a sports drink. Possibly eat a bannana as well. If your not used to eating whilst riding then you can find your stomache feels a bit strange so don't try this during an event, but during training.

[JV911]

somebody punctured so we stopped

its always tough after you stop for more than 5 mins - if possible try to not to stop, even if it means going in circles

[lemmiwinks]

if possible try to not to stop, even if it means going in circles

Could end in tears on the N/E highway