Recovery time?

[eck]

I rode the Mersey Roads 24 last weekend, and I'm still stuffed.  What's a reasonable recovery time from this event?
I didn't go near the bike for five days, until yesterday (sore bits  ) when I did an easy 40 miles, which was fine. Today I did a 55 mile run, but had absolutely no energy especially on the hills.
I've done umpteen 600s and overnight rides in the past and have been totally fine in a couple of days. Is this old age telling me something?
Worried of Kirriemuir.

[Ian H]

A resonable recovery time will including the following variables: age, health, undetected illness or disease being fought off, stamina, sleep, stress, protein/carb/fat intake during days leading up to the event, during it and during the recovery time, body temperature, type and intensity of recovery exercise and stretching, and probably more.

...and most importantly, the intensity of the event itself. I'm only just losing that 'tingling' sensation, and there's no oomph up hills. Unfortunately I'm organising, not riding, our evening ten this week, so can't test my speed that way.

I worked much harder than on a 600. It took me three attempts to mount the small step into the HQ afterwards.

[Salvatore]

I don't race, but recovery from intense effort definitely takes longer as age increases.

Meanwhile, one successful LEL rider is taking part in a 10-hour off-road race today.

[meddy]

I dont think there is any hard and fast time here. It takes as long as it takes and  as has been said above depends on lots of variables.

I used to be terrible for riding to much and over training. I now take resting and recovery pulse everyday before I get out of bed. Anything 10% above normal means I just ride at recovery pace that day.

Its taken a week after completing LEL for my levels to return to close to what they were before and the intensity of that is definately not that of a 24hr.

[simonp]

Same here - only today is resting HR back to pre-LEL (50bpm) levels.  Blood pressure still slightly higher than before LEL though.  125/78 atm.

[Chris S]

When I ride a 200/300km audax, I'll normally spend the next day resting - mainly because I can't do any more than that; if I try and do something strenuous, I wilt after half an hour or so and have to have a rest/nap.

Yesterday, I rode one of my fastest 200s (on Fixed too  ) and today I did several hours hard labour in the garden. This is unusual for me - and I'm wondering now whether I'll be dozing off at my desk tomorrow.

[teethgrinder]

Hah! ye' great big jessie, stop whingin and get some miles in!

If you aren't used to riding as fast as you did in the 24 for as long as you did and presumably almost non stop then it will take a long time to recover. A month doesn't seem like too long.
A 600 is similar to a 24, but a 24 is much more intense and physical. If you are used to riding at a higher intensity for a long time you would recover quicker than someone who just rides 600s.
A bit like the fact that I can plod for days and nights at a time and feel OK within a few days, except maybe for sleep deprivation, but if I rode a 25 mile TT I'd be wiped out for a few days.

It usualy takes me at least a fortnight to feel almost as good as I did at the start of a 24.