I was on creatine for this year’s bcbr as well, yet i was completely smashed on Day 6 and 7. Legs just wouldn’t turn the pedals like they did earlier in the week. After bcbr i stopped creatine. I had been using creatine for about 4months leading up to the event.
My own feeling with creatine is that for indoor workouts (short, hard efforts) it might be helpful. And for flattish outdoor riding, perhaps with occasional smaller hills, creatine might also be helpful/negligible. But the few extra lbs of muscle/water retention did not help me go any faster on longer 30-50min climbs. It’s these longer climbs at threshhold which mean the most to me, so it just made sense to drop the creatine.
I realize everyone may react differently to creatine and have different goals.
Hi Mark
I recall seeing your name in the results alright, yeah I had the same feeling on Day 6 too (Day 7 was ok though) felt like I just couldn’t push hard like I could all the previous days.
On day 6 I fell off the back of wave 1 within 30 secs of the start, heart rate was not anywhere near where it was previous days.
I got caught by the leading wave 2 riders and sat in with them for the whole race - felt great to be a little more relaxed pace and seemed like I rode smoother. For the last fireroad section I seemed to get a surge of power and was able to hammer all the way to the line - seemed like I was going faster than the start of the race!
Day 7 I felt the same again as days 1 to 5.
I felt like I was well recovered each day - I think the creatine helped with this regard and reckon that was the main benefit of taking it.
For those who take creatine, is there anything wrong with putting my daily 5g dose in my workout bottles? It’s the easiest way for me not to forget it.
I put a scoop of creatine in my first cup of coffee every morning. That way it is easy for me to remember. Creatine seems to help me with recovery and inflammation…as well as strength.
My N=1 experiment with creatine: I’m 55
Been taking it for 1 month now, about 8g/day
Many people report gaining weight, so far I dropped ~8lbs without any significant change in training/diet
I’m not craving food all the times now, feel satiated, faster recovery after hard workouts, legs feel definitely springy and quick. Done a couple XC local races and felt a clear difference hitting those 1min punches.
Going to continue, hopefully the trend will last.
Had a nutrition restart from Jan 1 after some research and tweaking.
TLDR - doubled my carb intake from around 150g or below to 200 as a base and adding more on days I’m riding. Avg 250g a day usually closer to 300 ish.
Did a 6 day load pahse followed by 5g daily as a maintenance.
results - I did not gain any weight (after listening to pod with Dr and Jon I thin that’s because my glycogen and hydration were closer to topped up than not) The increase in carbs might be a reason. When I say I didn’t gain weight. I literally didn’t gain a gram.
Sensations in racing - repeatability in crits out of corners I most def felt an improved sensations at the end of the race. Legs weren’t as gassed.
The caveat is I cannot unequivocally say it’s because of the creatine because of training and increased carbs (daily and fueling workouts) but as creatine is most felt in the short burst type actions (sprints and in the gym) I can say I am onboard and will conitnue.
I took creatine for most of the past year and was super consistent with it for at least the past 10 months. I noticed I was feeling way better on punchy climbs and recovered faster both during and after a ride. Since I mostly mountain bike in a hilly area, this is ideal. I’m female, 135 lbs, and was taking about 2.5g a day.
I had a few things happen that I want to see if anyone else experienced:
I’ve read some about creatine causing cramps and lots of stuff saying this is a myth. However, I cramped horribly at a 4ish hour mtb race. It was also the first hot and humid day of the year so I wasn’t adapted to the heat at all but I’ve NEVER experienced cramping, never mind cramping for two hours. I’ve read some about how it could be due to needing more electrolytes while using creatine because that water retention from creatine is diluting the electrolytes in your muscles.
After stopping creatine after my last race a couple of weeks ago, I have lost the expected 3 lbs and might not be done losing yet (although I’m also tracking my food now when I wasn’t before… but usually weight loss doesn’t come that easy for me so I suspect it was the creatine). However, my legs have felt absolutely dead on the bike at times and those punchy climbs feel extra rough. Have I just gotten too used to creatine legs? Could there be some kind of rebound effect? I also just feel like my muscles are more sore the next day than they were in the pre-creatine. Power numbers and strava times are slower but it feels worse than I expected. I’d be worried about stopping creatine right before a race because of this reason!
I’m curious if anyone has experienced #1 and if anyone who has used creatine, felt the good effects, and then stopped, noticed #2.
I started using creatine this year for the first time
My mind is blown
Its the first supplement I have ever used that has had a noticeable difference, and I noticed within a week of starting. It made a huge difference to my plyometric ability, sprint power and general strength work. It definitely translates over to anaerobic work too.
I am prone to water rentition and bloating, but I haven’t noticed any with creatine dosed at 3 g per day.
I have a bottle (the one i have comes in pill format). I noticed no difference between the two and it’s more expensive. That is, I retained water with both. I think it’s a gimmick promoted by the one company that has a patent on the HCL.
I started taking it earlier this year after listening to a podcast (can’t remember which one) with a supplement maker who listed it as one of his 3* must takes for a lot of non-sport related benefits (brain function was one of them). Tipped me off the fence.
On bike, definitely felt stronger through short power build than previous experience. Haven’t really noticed negatives, but diet hasn’t been in a good enough place to really put weight gain down to it. I take powder, generally mixed in with my regular whey and greek yogurt. When I was racing, I had it in my recovery shake rather than before.
*fish oil was one, and I assume whey was the other - I only added fish oil and creatine after listening anyway!
After an initial loading phase of 6g beta alanine daily for 4 weeks - I now take 3g daily.
Personally I find that it helps me get through VO2max and long suprathreshold type efforts.
Previously I thought it only worked when you got “the tingle” so I necked it before the workouts but I’ve since read - and experienced for myself - that it is the long term continual use that gives the benefits and not short term - so I don’t actually think the timing of the supplementation makes any difference.
EDIT: I aslo found that the tingling side effect goes away over time - I no longer get any tingle at my current dosage or even at 6g.
