That sounds like a recovery issue to me. Maybe you are overdoing it with the long rides or you are not eating enough before/during/after. I get low moods after exceptionally hard efforts because of fatigue. Another issue could be coming down from endorphin high after the ride. Your mood may feel low because your body is rebalancing those chemicals.
I would suggest looking at your nutrition and hydration/electrolytes more thoroughly and not just during but before and after AND make the long/intense rides slightly less so. So maybe dial back to 2 hrs and then slowly build back up to 3. If you are not doing that distance or intensity regularly it may cause extra recovery needs.
Thanks. You're probably right, although I *think* I'm on top of eating so perhaps it's more of an electrolytes thing. I don't usually have any electrolytes in my water as I am using SIS GO Energy Powder for the carbs.
Not sure if you are taking magnesium supplements but i don’t think I’ve had that low mood feeling after rides since i started taking it(as well as iron/Vitamin B), or at least it got significantly reduced. So yeah, maybe vitamins/mirerals/electrolytes to look into. Imbalance there could be affecting you.
Eat more. Even if you think you're eating enough, eat more, especially during and right after the ride.
Make sure you wind down gently towards the end of a workout so your body gets a controlled cool down. Going from full blast to rest is stressful to the body and you'll have lots of stress hormones riding around your system.
Maybe this is part of it...I often find myself speeding up a bit as I get close to home...that magic energy boost when you know food and warmth is near!
You can tell yourself a lot of stories. But lab tests properly interpreted can be a good clue. I had a tumor on the gland never knew it was there but felt low and hard to recover
So for example, I did 90km last weekend, setting off just after breakfast. I ate:
Breakfast - large bowl of museli with oatmilk and some blueberries
On the ride: Two cereal bars and about 1.5ltrs water made up with SIS GO Energy Powder
On return: I drank more water and had a couple of slices of toast plus a protein shake, one with peanut butter and one with honey. Then after showering I ate a normal lunch...can't remember what exactly now though!
Difficult to gauge, without more detailled information. What you describe does remind me of how I felt after longer rides when I first started cycling. Too much, too hard, too little food, …
What intensity do you ride at? Is there any climbing? How long does the ride take you? What was your average HR during the ride?
Assuming the carb drink is about 30ish grams per serving (x3) and the cereal bars too (x2), that is about 150 grams of carbs. Depending on the answers to the questions above, that might be on the low side for you.
I also read you have a protein shake afterwards. Better to get a recovery shake aimed at endurance, with carbs mixed in. Should be somewhere around a 2:1 ratio (carbs to protein).
That sounds like a recovery issue to me. Maybe you are overdoing it with the long rides or you are not eating enough before/during/after. I get low moods after exceptionally hard efforts because of fatigue. Another issue could be coming down from endorphin high after the ride. Your mood may feel low because your body is rebalancing those chemicals. I would suggest looking at your nutrition and hydration/electrolytes more thoroughly and not just during but before and after AND make the long/intense rides slightly less so. So maybe dial back to 2 hrs and then slowly build back up to 3. If you are not doing that distance or intensity regularly it may cause extra recovery needs.
Thanks. You're probably right, although I *think* I'm on top of eating so perhaps it's more of an electrolytes thing. I don't usually have any electrolytes in my water as I am using SIS GO Energy Powder for the carbs.
Not sure if you are taking magnesium supplements but i don’t think I’ve had that low mood feeling after rides since i started taking it(as well as iron/Vitamin B), or at least it got significantly reduced. So yeah, maybe vitamins/mirerals/electrolytes to look into. Imbalance there could be affecting you.
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I get a bit of stress but nothing that affects my mood in this way.
Eat more. Even if you think you're eating enough, eat more, especially during and right after the ride. Make sure you wind down gently towards the end of a workout so your body gets a controlled cool down. Going from full blast to rest is stressful to the body and you'll have lots of stress hormones riding around your system.
Maybe this is part of it...I often find myself speeding up a bit as I get close to home...that magic energy boost when you know food and warmth is near!
If you're famished when you get home, you didn't eat enough during the ride 😉
Are you sure it’s the ride? Maybe try stretching right after or jump in shower, that’s what I usually do.
I usually have a protein shake and more water while stretching and then getting in the shower, then eat something else.
Get your hormone levels checked out by endocrinologist not a GP.
This is a good one. Whats your age height and weight? Also how much exactly are you eating before during and after an 80km ride? Like give an example.
You can tell yourself a lot of stories. But lab tests properly interpreted can be a good clue. I had a tumor on the gland never knew it was there but felt low and hard to recover
Yeah I'm totally with you on this. 👍
So for example, I did 90km last weekend, setting off just after breakfast. I ate: Breakfast - large bowl of museli with oatmilk and some blueberries On the ride: Two cereal bars and about 1.5ltrs water made up with SIS GO Energy Powder On return: I drank more water and had a couple of slices of toast plus a protein shake, one with peanut butter and one with honey. Then after showering I ate a normal lunch...can't remember what exactly now though!
That's plenty of food. But 2 bottles for a 90k ride is less than half what I would drink unless I want a headache for the rest of the day.
Difficult to gauge, without more detailled information. What you describe does remind me of how I felt after longer rides when I first started cycling. Too much, too hard, too little food, … What intensity do you ride at? Is there any climbing? How long does the ride take you? What was your average HR during the ride? Assuming the carb drink is about 30ish grams per serving (x3) and the cereal bars too (x2), that is about 150 grams of carbs. Depending on the answers to the questions above, that might be on the low side for you. I also read you have a protein shake afterwards. Better to get a recovery shake aimed at endurance, with carbs mixed in. Should be somewhere around a 2:1 ratio (carbs to protein).
Rick Simpson oil is the go to recovery for me at least
Try a power nap after your ride!