recovery rides for beginners

@lordofthemark 57772 wrote:

So ride up Hummer. Up the long hill up to Royce. And its, like not much fun. I decide to cut it short, at just under half an hour. MAYBE if there was somewhere relatively flat to ride around here (other than Little River Turnpike) I might have done a bit more.

So, are recovery rides

Were you heading north or south? If south, why not turn around at the LRT service road to Lafayette Village drive.? If north, go up a bit further to Marshall.

@lordofthemark 57772 wrote:

So, are recovery rides only something part of a “training regimen”? Is it something beneficial for everyone after a long (for them) ride?

I don’t know the real answer. But in my experience, if I have sore muscles, I benefit (get less sore faster) from doing some light exercise the next day. If I just have tired muscles, I’ve never noticed a difference between “recovery” exercise and just plain rest.

For me, recovery rides are mostly mental. I want and need to go out and ride the day after a big effort… whatever that may be. My legs feel better. My mind feels better.

Chris Carmichael says it well:

The concept is ridiculously simple: Take a very easy spin on your bike. To be honest, there’s little scientific evidence that recovery rides are any more beneficial—physiologically—than sitting on your couch. The same can be said for massage, but athletes and coaches swear by both as ways to enhance between-workout recovery. Both help athletes feel fresher and looser for their next hard training session. And there’s a clear psychological benefit to that.

Go super easy… spin your pedals… smell the roses… Have a fun ride. It liberates the mind and the legs.

Hope that helps a little.

Pete

I like going on more “transportational” rides (rides to get somewhere, vs just a loop) for “recovery”. I saw that you can ride to Mosaic — maybe ride over there and enjoy a “special treat” or a movie or a chat with Dirt.

@Tim Kelley 57809 wrote:

FYI–It’s not lactic acid that makes you feel sore, and you don’t sweat it out:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/health/nutrition/16run.html?_r=0

http://www.active.com/mountainbiking/Articles/It_s_not_about_the_lactic_acid__Why_you_re_still_sore_after_yesterday_s_ride

See, I told you I’m no expert.

I often do a recovery bike ride right after many of my harder run workouts. I find that much of the post-run muscle soreness and tightness disappears after I do my post-workout stretching routine or a recovery bike ride. On running forums, a lot of people say that they just sit around after a run, sometimes falling asleep. Then they complain about hurting all the time. (Some misguided people actually say things like “running is supposed to hurt,” which should not be true.)

I think the extra circulation helps to push nutrients to the muscles and tendons (protein) while possibly flushing out metabolic wastes, like ammonia and other nasty stuff. I think the post-workout stretching helps to loosen up adhesions in the muscle fascia and it seems to calm down microspasms in the muscles. I like to stretch after every run and strength workout (not before), but I don’t always stretch after easier bike rides.

Triathlon/cycling coach and author Joe Friel also says there is a difference based on the experience level of the cyclist.

He says that for beginners, a rest day might be the best option. But with more experienced cyclists, they usually get more out of an easy recovery ride on the day after a hard workout than a complete rest day.

This might be one of those situations where you have to learn how to listen to your body. And take notes on how you respond to either the rest day or an easy recovery spin. Good nutrition, avoiding excessive stress, and plenty of sleep are also important for recovery.