How long do you rest after an Audax?

[Von Broad]

It has become pretty clear to me that a few days rest off the bike after an audax (especially at new distance) is a good thing.

You said days, but I'm sure you meant months 'weeks', right? 

Having a manual job, and not being able to ride to work, the only riding I do is the 2k round trip to the pub three times a week, so that's, err, 6k a week on average. I have to remind myself sometimes that this distance does not really warrant a recovery period. Although...

Can't resist a cliche, but, we are all different ["yes, we are all different"] and so it really is a case of doing what feels best. Sometimes that can differ quite substantially with what other people get up to. There are some very seasoned riders here, and if you're not quite sure of what you want from all this lark, it might seem a bit overwhemling to read just how much cycling some people do, and how little recovery time some people need.

A good solid commute probably does wonders for building up your stamina for longer distances, and not having such a thing, it took a while before the day after even a 200k was not spent lying on the sofa nursing aching muscles, eating curry, drinking beer and watching Columbo all day. But the more riding you do, the better your recovery gets. In a funny kind of way I actually quite like the sense of being dictated to by a completely exhausted body the day after a long ride, it's kind of relaxing. And a fine excuse to slump from chair to chair all day.

But I have to say that after last year, my first proper year at Audax, jumping through the distances and completing PBP, I really felt as though I'd had enough for a while, and really couldn't take John Spooner it any more.   Physically, I recovered by mid-September, but mentally it took much longer. I couldn't really disguise the fact that I just didn't want to spend this year doing the same rides again. A sense motivation and purpose had long deserted by the time I was looking at the calender again in November. It just seemed pointless without the aim and build-up of PBP last year which I enjoyed a lot. In all honesty I was really quite surprised how strong my reaction was. But it was fine, I just figured the best thing was to go with it.

So maybe recovering mentally is as just a big a part of the process to finishing one ride and wanting to get out there again to ride another.
A very individual thing, I'd say.

[Hummers]

It has become pretty clear to me that a few days rest off the bike after an audax (especially at new distance) is a good thing.

You said days, but I'm sure you meant months 'weeks', right? 

Having a manual job, and not being able to ride to work, the only riding I do is the 2k round trip to the pub three times a week, so that's, err, 6k a week on average. I have to remind myself sometimes that this distance does not really warrant a recovery period. Although...

Can't resist a cliche, but, we are all different ["yes, we are all different"] and so it really is a case of doing what feels best. Sometimes that can differ quite substantially with what other people get up to. There are some very seasoned riders here, and if you're not quite sure of what you want from all this lark, it might seem a bit overwhemling to read just how much cycling some people do, and how little recovery time some people need.

A good solid commute probably does wonders for building up your stamina for longer distances, and not having such a thing, it took a while before the day after even a 200k was not spent lying on the sofa nursing aching muscles, eating curry, drinking beer and watching Columbo all day. But the more riding you do, the better your recovery gets. In a funny kind of way I actually quite like the sense of being dictated to by a completely exhausted body the day after a long ride, it's kind of relaxing. And a fine excuse to slump from chair to chair all day.

But I have to say that after last year, my first proper year at Audax, jumping through the distances and completing PBP, I really felt as though I'd had enough for a while, and really couldn't take John Spooner it any more.   Physically, I recovered by mid-September, but mentally it took much longer. I couldn't really disguise the fact that I just didn't want to spend this year doing the same rides again. A sense motivation and purpose had long deserted by the time I was looking at the calender again in November. It just seemed pointless without the aim and build-up of PBP last year which I enjoyed a lot. In all honesty I was really quite surprised how strong my reaction was. But it was fine, I just figured the best thing was to go with it.

So maybe recovering mentally is as just a big a part of the process to finishing one ride and wanting to get out there again to ride another.
A very individual thing, I'd say.

Excellent post and although Mr Spooner is excellent company awheel, I did laugh out loud at that bit. 

Without PBP on the immediate horizon, , I've lost the drive to go out and do longer distances and put the miles in. That was partly responsible for my packing on Saturday and apathy towards the ride.

Still, LEL in 2009.....

H

[Martin]

well said Garry; I'm frankly amazed and in awe of the people on here who did PBP last year and are lining up for another tough SR series (and more) this year using many of the same rides with no guarantees of better weather 

[Greenbank]

I would have been back on the bike yesterday, almost exactly 24 hours after finishing a 400, as I felt physically (and mentally) great. However it was a bank holiday yesterday and I was up visiting family, and this morning I went to visit a customer in the City so I was a sheep suit-onna-train.

Compare this to the 3 weeks after the Elenith where I managed just 2 trips on the bike totalling under 5 miles.

[Charlotte]

I tend to play it by ear.

After finishing PBP, you could have picked up a very nice Roberts Compact Audax bike with "Charlotte" on the top tube by offering me two Euros anna pre-sucked lozenge.  I didn't want to see the bloody thing ever again and spent about three weeks off the bike.

More usually though, if I ride a 200 on the Sunday, I'll do my short commute into work by bicycle with no problems the following day.  If it's a longer ride, I may take a day or two off.  400s and above require the following:

A lengthy sojourne in bed (pref. with naked companion)
A dirty fry-up including lots of protein and salt
Bottomless pot of tea
Commute to work by motorbike/tube for a couple of days

After Liz and I got home from our abortive attempt at the Severn Across (packed at 300k), we were on the bike the following day when we went out for a bimble on the tandem.  As the weather was so damned good, we were actually contemplating an overnighter to Brighton...

[rogerzilla]

I know it's not a real Audax, but I set my all-time commuting record speed on the Tuesday after the 2006 Dun Run.

[border-rider]

well said Garry; I'm frankly amazed and in awe of the people on here who did PBP last year and are lining up for another tough SR series (and more) this year using many of the same rides with no guarantees of better weather

Yep

My first serious season was 2001; I'd done an SR2000 on gears the year before but nothing much else. In 2001 I went from a fixed 100 to LEL, with 5 600s in 6 weeks at one point.  2002, I struggled for motivation and only got an SR in because the BCM was abut a month early; by early June I hung up my trouser clips for the year.

2003 was PBP, and I kept it going into 2004 with an Easter Arrow and the Sth Coast 1000, then into 2005 with LEL.  2006 was the build-up year for PBP07, but in fact I peaked about a year too early and was flying for the New Forest 1000.  I struggled to keep fit & motivated in 2007 and after PBP I just stopped*.

I'm kind of missing the long rides now the weather looks OK, but not enough to actually sign up for one.

*triggered by being astonishingly unwell after the finish and then trying to ride home.  I was wiped out for a couple of months afterwards.

[frere yacker]

I might invest in this for future audax events.

[border-rider]

I might invest in <link> for future audax events.

I reckon you could park that outside Penrhyndeudraeth in the early hours on May 18th and make your fortune (selling sleep, I hasten to add )

[Really Ancien]

Another one here for about a year. Having contracted a bronchial infection which lasted for 2 months after I rode the Northern Dales and Fleet Moss in wet conditions post PBP.

Damon.

[Ian H]

I've no idea what other riding I did after PBP 07, apart from riding back to Le Havre, but audaxwise it appears I rode a 200 the following month, and another couple of 200s, plus one flattish and one hilly 100. Then I started this season with a fixed 600 in November.

[Greenbank]

I know it's not a real Audax, but I set my all-time commuting record speed on the Tuesday after the 2006 Dun Run.

Fastest 3-lapper of RP on the Wednesday after a 400km Audax (my longest ride ever too), also the fastest commute of 2008 on the way home that day.

[Chris N]

The only 600 I've done, I didn't feel the desire to go near any bike for about a week afterward. This had nothing to do with resting as such - just didn't feel like cycling.

+1.  I now think it's possibly a good idea for me to get back on my bike, 5 days after finishing a 600.  This has been the case for the other long rides I've done in the past, though the length of time that I've not wanted to ride my bike for has decreased as I got fitter.  Physically my recovery time has stayed constant as I've got fitter - from 3 days for a 200 two years years ago, to 3 days for a 300 last year, to 3 days for a 600 this year.

[frere yacker]

I'd physically recovered from BCM by Tuesday afternoon.  We'll see where my mind is placed when I try the Midhurst 600 this weekend.

[Spikey]

5 days after the BCM (1st 600). I've had the desire to ride all week, but the legs are still tired and slow up the hills on my comute. 80K the other night didn't help, and I kept getting dropped. I'm also surprised how much sleep I've needed.

[juliet]

Only rode into work twice this week (worked from home the rest of the week).  Pottered across to Greenwich yesterday evening, as well.  Knees still pretty achey but I was actually riding pretty well this morning.  Wednesday was something of a snails-pace disaster

I'm not *achey* any more - but I'm having knee-ache fairly badly.  I have also been absolutely knackered all week.  Spikey: I think it's partly actual sleep loss, but also just using up a lot of energy & needing the rest to recoup it.

[teethgrinder]

Your immune system also takes a real hammerring on long rides. It will take you about a month for it to fully recover from a 600. You may think that you are recovered, but it takes longer than you think to make a full recopvery. Hence, why athletes will taper down before a big ride. Sleep deprivation really annihilates your immune system.
I'll be spending June and July avoiding night riding in preperation for the Mersey 24 at the end of July. In July, I will reduce my mileage too.
You still have to keep your legs ticking over though, so that you don't lose your strength. It's a matter of finding the balance.

[D0m1n1c Burford]

It has become pretty clear to me that a few days rest off the bike after an audax (especially at new distance) is a good thing. It gives the body time to re-build and recover and makes me stronger for the next ride.

Normally I rest for two to three days before I go back to commuting. On the occasions I haven't rested enough I found that I picked up injuries.

What do you find works after a long ride? Long could mean PBP or your local 200km depending on experience.

Don't confuse resting with stopping.  You can rest, and still keep riding, you just ride at a lower level of effort.  As a cycle commuter, I will still ride to work on Monday morning as usual, but just take it a bit easier than normal.