Struggling to recover after ride.

[Gusbang]

For example yesterday I rode 45 miles at an average of 16 mph, while out riding I felt fine, I had carb drink, banana and energy bar while on ride and felt good. When I got back I had a For Goodness Shake some lunch and plenty of water, I was hydrated ok (my pee was clear) but I was suffering with a mild headache and when I get up off the sofa I go a bit light headed.
What am I not doing right? What do I need to eat/drink to sort this out?

[Rouleur]

What did you eat for your breakfast and how much? Also the night before?

[anonymous-user]

recovery food/drink is not going to help if you dont have a post ride stretch routine, you should spend about 10 minutes stretching out the hanstrings, glutes and quads after a ride

pee shouldnt be clear either, the colour of light straw colour is optimum.

[nammynake]

Lack of salt / electrolytes perhaps? What did you have for lunch after?

[Gusbang]

Night before I had meat pie and veg.

For breakfast I only had a few mouthfuls of porridge, I struggle to eat anything first thing in the morning.

For lunch I had a bacon and egg sarnie and a banana.

[Matt London]

nammynake said:

Lack of salt / electrolytes perhaps? What did you have for lunch after?

+1 for electrolytes. I use to get a similar thing until I started using electrolyte drinks during my rides. I prefer High5 Zero.

[Rouleur]

It's no wonder with so little food in you! We're all different but it should help a lot if you could eat a lot more in the morning, so long as you give it enough time to go down.

It sounds to me as though you just need more fuel both before and after.

[okgo]

I'd be inclined to think its position or something else. I did 40 miles with just one bottle of energy drink on Saturday and was going very hard so I think the fuel isn't the issue...

Stretching is key, as is sleep. Make sure you replace salts though. Might help with light headedness?

[Gusbang]

I think reading all the replies that I've not been eating enough food nor stretching - not done any stretching!
I am new to this, only been riding a couple of months and that was my longest and fastest ride yesterday, so I have a bit to learn, thanks all.

[fast westfield]

Have a read of the info on Science in Sports web site

The 3 to look at the most are Energy 22, Go, and Re-Go

A lot of detail for elite athletes but the basics are there.

[Rouleur]

If you're pretty much a n00b then you've done well to ride 45 miles at 16mph, although the custard test might apply

Seriously though that's very good going, and that kind of pace might explain the dizziness!

[Gusbang]

Rouleur said:

although the custard test might apply

You will need to explain that one ;-)

[IroningMan]

Custard Test = 'Your claim may be percieved to stretch the boundaries of credibility.'

But never mind that. I did 50 miles last Saturday on one 'Ride' bar and 3/4litre of water with a 'Zero' tab in it and felt right as rain.

I did the same distance - albeit a marginally hillier route - yesterday, had to stop twice to buy water and still felt banjaxed all evening: something to do with the temperature being the best part of 10 degrees higher...

[fast westfield]

A 2 percent loss in body weight from fluid less is equal to a 20 percent loss in power, stay hydrated at all times,

[essayer]

I get this after long rides. Is the light-headedness worse after eating?

The light-headedness after getting up is related to lower blood pressure, one potential cause being dehydration and an imbalance of electrolytes, which have probably been depleted after your exercise.

If you have just been having water on your ride then I would bet you'd be a bit low on other salts, minerals etc. Grab a supplement of some sort for next time.

[Saddle bum]

Take you blood pressure periodically after your ride. It can go low, which is part of the body's recovery process. Also your body does not always know it has stopped exercising, which can affect your blood sugar levels.

[okgo]

Rouleur said:

If you're pretty much a n00b then you've done well to ride 45 miles at 16mph, although the custard test might apply

Seriously though that's very good going, and that kind of pace might explain the dizziness!

What are you on about? Custard? I'd say it was fairly plausible to average 16 mph....

[Rouleur]

It's pish easy for someone who's got plenty of miles under their wheels, but the OP's only just started and we get a few BSers on here I reckon.

[Rouleur]

ps. I'm not suggesting the OP is telling porkies!

[okgo]

Ah I see. If he had said 20 mph then maybe that is hard work.