Post by: Dai P on 23 August, 2019, 10:08:21 pm
This I did which made a huge difference, and got me a good 250ks further without needing brace. In the end it was black and no helmet and eyesight did start to get a bit worse. However finished and all good.
I did see another couple of riders with neck braces at finish. Does anyone know if exercise can help and if so what? Or is it just something to live with.
Post by: phil dubya on 24 August, 2019, 07:08:16 am
Additional using a physio for cycle positioning may sort the use altogether.
I used physiofixx at stowmarket, Bob Granger was a physio at Team Sky and a keen cyclist and runner.
Many cyclists seem to think that they just have to suffer there issues. Don't live with the problem, get it fixed.
Post by: T42 on 24 August, 2019, 07:58:02 am
I did see another couple of riders with neck braces at finish. Does anyone know if exercise can help and if so what? Or is it just something to live with.
Rest until it's better before trying to exercise it. Possibly get a GP's or a physio's advice first.
Think about your position and anything that might have obliged you to keep your head racked back as far as it will go for long periods, e.g. riding on the drops into a headwind for hours at a time with insufficient rest. I had to do that on a 1000k in 2014, and from around 750k on I had Shermer's Neck. It took three or four days' rest after the ride before I could hold my head up for more than 10 seconds at a time.
Post by: simonp on 24 August, 2019, 11:25:43 am
Knees got sore but much better now.
Double vision after about 1130km; had to stay off the drops.
Neck starting to go after about 1200km but near enough the finish to get away with it. WaveCel helmet is heavier than normal helmets; in 2011, 2015 I had no helmet and no neck issue.
Num soles of feet.
Very stiff quads which will need some work.
Post by: scarlet on 24 August, 2019, 11:57:49 am
Numb fingers (making holding a knife and fork quite a challenge)
Numbness in my feet/toes, but its not too bad
My bum is pretty sore, but in fairness I didn't do as much maintenance as perhaps I should.
I have a very sore R achilles and calf, which started at halfway. I basically rode through it - and am paying the price now.
Quads are reasonably sore, but interestingly not as bad as after some shorter brevets.
No neck issues, and very little shoulder discomfort. I put this down to having a bike fit and working hard to get a position that was properly long-distance comfy. It took a bit of tweaking through the qualifiers, but after the 600s, I was pretty happy - and so it worked out on PBP.
Post by: Alex B on 24 August, 2019, 12:55:18 pm
My neck was going towards the end, and this is the first time this has happened to me. Might be tempted to wear no helmet on similar length events in future (did I just admit there might be some?)
Pleased to avoid any repeat of the "gentleman's issues" I had after LEL, achieved through using a cut-out saddle (Gilles Berthoud 'Aspin') and Assos T.cento bib shorts with their wondrous 'Kuku penthouse'.
Post by: Martyn Wheeler on 24 August, 2019, 01:51:37 pm
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Post by: Chris S on 24 August, 2019, 03:54:58 pm
Post by: Tomsk on 24 August, 2019, 10:11:46 pm
Cyst on top joint of middle finger, infected. Stopped at Broomfield hospital on the way home: prescribed antibiotics, visit to hand trauma clinic tomorrow for draining. It's my most arthritic and lumpy joint to start with, so definitely didn't like the experience!
Everything else ok: bum, neck, back, right hand, toes etc. Somewhere on the return, George Hanna noticed I was riding lopsided out of the saddle, so I started on the ibuprofen there and then.
Post by: craigofnz on 25 August, 2019, 06:30:53 am
I did see another couple of riders with neck braces at finish. Does anyone know if exercise can help and if so what? Or is it just something to live with.
Rest until it's better before trying to exercise it. Possibly get a GP's or a physio's advice first.
Think about your position and anything that might have obliged you to keep your head racked back as far as it will go for long periods, e.g. riding on the drops into a headwind for hours at a time with insufficient rest. I had to do that on a 1000k in 2014, and from around 750k on I had Shermer's Neck. It took three or four days' rest after the ride before I could hold my head up for more than 10 seconds at a time.
Some neck issues are simply avoidable by ensuring helmet fitting and rim of glasses does not for you to tilt your head up to see in front of you.
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Post by: craigofnz on 25 August, 2019, 08:09:46 am
Given 6500 people, many recently arrived via international travel and time spent at close quarters, I imagine this cannot have been unique.
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Post by: stefan on 25 August, 2019, 11:34:28 am
Bepanthen proved to be a good locally available substitute for Sudocrem and did the job in sorting out some emerging saddle sore problems
SPD sandals (with cleats set as far back as possible) worked brilliantly - no hot foot problems at all, which has been a recurring issue for me
Dodgy gut meant that I spent more time queueing for the loo than sleeping, at least as far as Mortagne when a massive over-sleep reset that particular statistic.
Post by: zigzag on 25 August, 2019, 12:19:04 pm
first 3.5 digits on both hands a bit numb (median nerve compression), most likely caused by moving saddle forward for a better position on aerobars.
heavy shower before brest meant riding with wet feet for over ~650km, which resulted white wrinkly swollen soles and pongy shoes.
Post by: redfalo on 25 August, 2019, 02:09:33 pm
during the ride no issues with numb fingers and toes. in the subsequent days, moderage numbness in left pinkie and toes (was much worse in 2015 and after LEL 2017- maybe switching from STi levers to bar end shifters paid off)
over the last 300 or so km some serious chaffing in some very private parts, and subsequent in 'tingle in the dingle'.
Post by: Kangaroocourt on 25 August, 2019, 08:11:14 pm
Post by: PeterM on 25 August, 2019, 09:18:26 pm
Post by: Diagonaliste on 25 August, 2019, 09:57:17 pm
I have the numbness in my fingers.
Knees got sore but much better now.
Double vision after about 1130km; had to stay off the drops.
Neck starting to go after about 1200km but near enough the finish to get away with it. WaveCel helmet is heavier than normal helmets; in 2011, 2015 I had no helmet and no neck issue.
Num soles of feet.
Very stiff quads which will need some work.
My neck muscles went at 1050Km and had to deal with that till the end. Also have numb hands and toes/balls of feet.
Post by: thatotherjamie on 26 August, 2019, 08:19:31 am
Also a rash around my groin and upper thighs that appeared after a 20min power nap on the grass at Loudeac on the way out. I can’t work out if it’s from my sweatyness or something I’ve sat on?
Post by: Ivo on 26 August, 2019, 08:52:10 am
When I started to feel my shoulder again I raised the bars by a centimetre, resulting in saddle issues. Finally I had to pack in St. Nicolas de Pélem because I couldn't pull the bars anymore during climbing. The shoulder is still sore. I guess it'll take another week or two before it returns to normal.
Post by: teethgrinder on 26 August, 2019, 09:37:49 am
Post by: thisisgrace on 26 August, 2019, 10:04:20 am
Right knee IT band is giving me jip. Hoping to foam roller that today along with popping some ibuprofen.
I got proper cankles afterwards but they've gone down again now much to the relief of my sandals - feet were beginning to look like a joint of pork inside my birkenstocks!
Post by: Ian H on 26 August, 2019, 11:47:19 am
Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 26 August, 2019, 12:24:51 pm
Post by: orejas on 26 August, 2019, 04:51:31 pm
Post by: Ian gaggiaport on 26 August, 2019, 05:49:10 pm
Feeling ok no physical problems, unlike the last two.
I thank 3 years of yoga for that.
But I had some odd flight or fight moments in the tough night sections and aural delusions that are still making me wonder if I'll do anything this long again
Post by: FifeingEejit on 28 August, 2019, 05:57:32 pm
My neck muscles went at 1050Km and had to deal with that till the end. Also have numb hands and toes/balls of feet.
Something I wonder is whether riders do enough neck strength work; race drivers in training build up their neck muscles so that they can deal with the weight of their head+helmet in the conditions encountered in a race car.
The most basic version of this I've seen described was David Coulthard lying on the floor in front of the telly with his helmet on, raising his head while lying on his left side for a while and then switching over.
While cycling doesn't require you to be able to keep your head under control when it's weighing 5 to 8 times it's mass on a number of axes, being able to hold it up at angles that allow you to see does seem to me to be part of training required.
Note: I've never suffered from neck problems while cycling and the closest I do to training my neck is hold the head in front of a computer screen all day.
discomforts:
My dodgy right ankle is a bit worse than normal, I tweaked it while wandering around the Bergerie in SPD-SL shoes on SAturday.
Hands, my hands were fine until I swapped into my "night" gloves; I'll be disposing of them and switching to a selection of Altura classic styled gloves now.
Feet, despite the late change to new shoes my feet hardly suffered, there was some size change with swelling though, and my wider (but shorter) right foot suffered from being squeezed in a shoe that became too narrow, and my longer but narrower foot suffered from being squeezed in a shoe that's too short.
Which is some amount of swelling.
other than that general aches and pains from sleeping on floors, tables and under trees that dissappeared after a rest.
Post by: tubbycyclist on 28 August, 2019, 08:43:23 pm
The first time I have had such a proper scare, and am left feeling lucky I am still around! A lot of UK, French and German cyclists have offered support, which has been very touching and brought a tear to my eye more than once.
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Post by: Ashaman42 on 28 August, 2019, 08:50:34 pm
Hope you heal well and get well soon.
Post by: veloboy on 28 August, 2019, 09:03:24 pm
Numb 3.5 digits in both hands (pinkie going towards forefinger); acute lower back pain when the accelerations occurred on the A-Group (quite a waste of effort and energy). No saddle issues (apart from pressure) and no sores. Had a change of bibshorts, socks and mitts at Loudeac on the way back.
And the numbness is getting better now!
Post by: Martyn Wheeler on 28 August, 2019, 10:19:46 pm
Martyn
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Post by: jsabine on 28 August, 2019, 11:59:52 pm
Socks are optional.
Post by: SR Steve on 29 August, 2019, 06:21:55 am
Over the past few days my feet have become more tingly, does anyone have suggestions for wider footwear - I currently use giro spd shoes, but I think that I might benefit from something a bit more spacious.I wore dhb mtb SPD shoes. They are wide fitting and were comfortable throughout. I also have similar SPD SL road shoes that I had planned on using, but the pedal bearings went on two pairs of Shimano pedals so I reverted back to old SPD ones for reliability and comfort walking round at controls.
Martyn
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Post by: paul851 on 29 August, 2019, 06:38:49 am
This time my PBP did not go to plan. My first knowledge of this was waking in the hospital in Mayenne on Friday. Apparently my rear tyre went bang somewhere around Villaines on the return at about 1005 kns. According to a witness unfortunately this happened while I was going at 60km per hour on a sweeping right handed descent and I lost control. Concussion and small skull fracture, a fracture to inner right ear bones, a couple of broken ribs and road rash. No memories of it at all or of the following 24 hours. Hoping to be discharged after great care provided by French health care staff on 30th August. Still discussing if medical repatriation is necessary.
The first time I have had such a proper scare, and am left feeling lucky I am still around! A lot of UK, French and German cyclists have offered support, which has been very touching and brought a tear to my eye more than once.
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Bloody hell :o Heal quickly and hope you get home soon.
Post by: phil dubya on 29 August, 2019, 08:02:46 am
This time my PBP did not go to plan. My first knowledge of this was waking in the hospital in Mayenne on Friday. Apparently my rear tyre went bang somewhere around Villaines on the return at about 1005 kns. According to a witness unfortunately this happened while I was going at 60km per hour on a sweeping right handed descent and I lost control. Concussion and small skull fracture, a fracture to inner right ear bones, a couple of broken ribs and road rash. No memories of it at all or of the following 24 hours. Hoping to be discharged after great care provided by French health care staff on 30th August. Still discussing if medical repatriation is necessary.That's awful, I hope you recover quickly and there are no long term injuries.
The first time I have had such a proper scare, and am left feeling lucky I am still around! A lot of UK, French and German cyclists have offered support, which has been very touching and brought a tear to my eye more than once.
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Post by: Deano on 29 August, 2019, 08:06:52 am
Post by: Dtcman on 29 August, 2019, 08:15:48 am
This time my PBP did not go to plan. My first knowledge of this was waking in the hospital in Mayenne on Friday. Apparently my rear tyre went bang somewhere around Villaines on the return at about 1005 kns. According to a witness unfortunately this happened while I was going at 60km per hour on a sweeping right handed descent and I lost control. Concussion and small skull fracture, a fracture to inner right ear bones, a couple of broken ribs and road rash. No memories of it at all or of the following 24 hours. Hoping to be discharged after great care provided by French health care staff on 30th August. Still discussing if medical repatriation is necessary.
The first time I have had such a proper scare, and am left feeling lucky I am still around! A lot of UK, French and German cyclists have offered support, which has been very touching and brought a tear to my eye more than once.
Sent from my MI 8 using Tapatalk
Kev
good to see you post this, we've been worried about you.
Stuart
Post by: Tomsk on 29 August, 2019, 08:28:07 am
This time my PBP did not go to plan. My first knowledge of this was waking in the hospital in Mayenne on Friday. Apparently my rear tyre went bang somewhere around Villaines on the return at about 1005 kns. According to a witness unfortunately this happened while I was going at 60km per hour on a sweeping right handed descent and I lost control. Concussion and small skull fracture, a fracture to inner right ear bones, a couple of broken ribs and road rash. No memories of it at all or of the following 24 hours. Hoping to be discharged after great care provided by French health care staff on 30th August. Still discussing if medical repatriation is necessary.
The first time I have had such a proper scare, and am left feeling lucky I am still around! A lot of UK, French and German cyclists have offered support, which has been very touching and brought a tear to my eye more than once.
Sent from my MI 8 using Tapatalk
Sorry I couldn't be more help when contacted by your Mrs, as I was then riding to Dieppe, having dumped all possibly useful PBP/ACP paperwork with a mate to return by car. Glad you survived and are on the mend!
Post by: JonB on 29 August, 2019, 09:09:12 am
Over the past few days my feet have become more tingly, does anyone have suggestions for wider footwear - I currently use giro spd shoes, but I think that I might benefit from something a bit more spacious.Lake shoes in a wide fitting
Martyn
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Post by: David27 on 29 August, 2019, 11:47:39 am
Then at top of descent before Montagne at 0200hrs, about 1075km , am off bike, bent down to pick something up and didn't see metal rod sticking out of pavement. Hit me in the eye. Glasses took brunt of impact but lost vision for sometime. Amazingly and thankfully - one rider stopped to see if I was OK. And we knew each other from the TransAtlanticWay earlier this year. I haven't named the rider from the Bristol Area - a very modest man but a true Randonneur and absolute Saint. Ambulance called, checked over and allowed to continue. An equally thorough check by paramedics at Montagne and given a permit to continue. Made the finish in 89hrs 20minutes - phew
Operation yesterday (in the UK) on little finger and metal rod inserted to stabilise.. hands wrecked as being unable to hold bars properly left me with severe pins and needles
A few weeks off bike needed but delighted to finish
Post by: Rumps on 29 August, 2019, 02:07:07 pm
Post by: marcusjb on 29 August, 2019, 02:54:46 pm
Heal well and get back on the road when you're good and ready
Post by: vorsprung on 29 August, 2019, 03:05:21 pm
I must have had a cold brewing all the way round. I thought it was hayfever until I got on the ferry home. This explains my lack luste performance. Great excuse :)
Post by: JJ on 29 August, 2019, 06:31:40 pm
Lack of miles this year led to minor problems with the contact points. I had blisters on both hands, and by the finish was ready to burn my saddle. Sore feet and sore neck seemed to clear themselves up as I rode, and overall I finished in better nick than when I was fitter. Go figure.
Post by: GPS on 29 August, 2019, 08:49:24 pm
Post by: stefan on 30 August, 2019, 09:11:18 am
Post by: zacklaws on 30 August, 2019, 02:06:00 pm
On the subject of numb fingers: I've got prominent numbness now in ulnar nerve distribution (little fingers both hands) and I know this is a really common problem. To be honest it has been a problem for a while, but it's quite a lot worse after PBP. Has anyone found a good way to mitigate this? Obviously decent gloves, bar tape, bike fit are all important; aero bars might be a good way forward but the short stubby ones I used for PBP were only useable for short distances. Another thought I've had is trying flared handlebars to see if this puts less pressure on - I wonder if people have had any success with this?
I've mentioned it many times over the years in various places how to prevent numb fingers etc. The way to hold the handlebars is to not to use all your fingers wrapped around the bar with the palm pressing on the bar, but to just wrap one, two or three fingers over the bars with the others behind the bars, this will prevent any pressure whatsoever on the palms of the hands as they will not be resting on the bars. The handhold is solid.. I have done this for years now and never suffered any numbness. But, do not do this if you are in close proximity with others or any other reason why you may have to suddenly break unless you are covering a brake with one hand. As I rode PBP mainly on my whole, I used this method all the time and suffered no ill effects, mainly I use just the index or middle finger over the bar or both of them.
But it does take some getting used to but eventually you start doing it habitually.
Post by: stefan on 30 August, 2019, 02:11:37 pm
On the subject of numb fingers: I've got prominent numbness now in ulnar nerve distribution (little fingers both hands) and I know this is a really common problem. To be honest it has been a problem for a while, but it's quite a lot worse after PBP. Has anyone found a good way to mitigate this? Obviously decent gloves, bar tape, bike fit are all important; aero bars might be a good way forward but the short stubby ones I used for PBP were only useable for short distances. Another thought I've had is trying flared handlebars to see if this puts less pressure on - I wonder if people have had any success with this?
I've mentioned it many times over the years in various places how to prevent numb fingers etc. The way to hold the handlebars is to not to use all your fingers wrapped around the bar with the palm pressing on the bar, but to just wrap one, two or three fingers over the bars with the others behind the bars, this will prevent any pressure whatsoever on the palms of the hands as they will not be resting on the bars. The handhold is solid.. I have done this for years now and never suffered any numbness. But, do not do this if you are in close proximity with others or any other reason why you may have to suddenly break unless you are covering a brake with one hand. As I rode PBP mainly on my whole, I used this method all the time and suffered no ill effects, mainly I use just the index or middle finger over the bar or both of them.
But it does take some getting used to but eventually you start doing it habitually.
Thanks, that makes sense. I’ve experimented with how best to hold the bar but not tried that. I’ll give it a go.
Post by: Martyn Wheeler on 30 August, 2019, 06:28:30 pm
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Post by: hellymedic on 30 August, 2019, 09:40:22 pm
Waggle your hand around whilst riding as much as possible.
Padding and gel will reduce pressure on the nerve but you really need to allow its blood vessels to function too.
Try not to exceed an hour on the bars; Getting hands off for a minute every ten minutes might be an idea.
By the time you notice numbness/weakness some damage has been done.
Weakness and numbness may develop independently.
Post by: postie on 31 August, 2019, 06:14:35 pm
Post by: FifeingEejit on 31 August, 2019, 07:18:14 pm
Still anyone with numb hands , look at the benefit's, it will feel like someone else is doing it for you :thumbsup: :demon::hand:
Post by: hellymedic on 31 August, 2019, 09:53:30 pm
Many ulnar nerve problems have no or minimal numbness but the kind of weakness that sometimes only becomes apparent off the bike and makes work/table manners/using a cord toggle REALLY really.
Losing intrinsic hand muscle function isn't always funny.
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Post by: Alex B on 21 November, 2019, 11:19:21 am
Might be a sign I should start doing big rides again ...
Post by: simonp on 21 November, 2019, 12:55:45 pm