Mountain Bike Hill Training
Recovery time after long ride?
On 06 Feb I did 155km, 7 hour mountain bike ride which was pretty flat. The day after I was not sore but felt tired, yesterday I felt better so went for a short recovery ride and my legs felt really flat. Today I hoped to do some hard training on hills but my legs still feel really flat with little energy. Is this because I have not yet recovered? How long should I allow to recover before doing some hard training?
Would appreciate your feedback, cheers
7 hours is pretty intense no matter if its on a MTB or road bike. How much food and fluid did you have during your ride? If you didn’t get enough that could impact your recovery. Generally you need about 200 calories and 15-20oz of fluid per hour. Those are rough estimates since everyone is different. On a 7 hour ride you really need to pile on the food and drink though.
As far as recovery time, for amateurs like us, one easy day should be enough. A day of total rest or a short (~1hr) spin along with plenty of food and fluids and plenty of sleep should be enough.
Of course, your total fitness is also a factor. Was your 7 hour ride 5 hours longer than you’d ridden in months? If so you’ll need much more recovery. If it was just a little longer or not out of the ordinary at all then the one day rule will still hold.
There is no magic to recovering. Mortals like us can only do the same things the pros do: eat lots, drink lots (not alcohol), and sleep lots. The best thing to add is a massage. You can do this yourself with a massage stick or just your hands and some baby oil. The main area to work is your quads which you can easily reach. It’s nice to have someone else do it but friends and loved ones quickly lose patience with that favor. 
Good luck!
Bike Cam– Hill Training for LeJog
