Cooked - 1 Braised Cyclist

[Veronica]

It was a little warm today, up over 100 degrees, for at least the last five hours of my ride. I was supposed to do a 200 K (125 miles.) At mile 105 I was feeling dizzy and nauseous. I sat in the shade and called my husband. We talked about resting and going on, but decided the way I was feeling I probably could not finish before dark and I did not put my lights on my bike for this ride.

We arranged a rendezvous, at a Park n Ride, that I could give him directions to with the few brain cells I had left. Riding back I started hyperventilating on the few little climbs. It was kind of scary and I kept stopping to get myself back together. I didn't make it to the Park n Ride before Thom. He was a little worried about me at that point and called me. I was able to give him coherent directions from there to where I was.

When he picked me up he noticed my skin was totally dry. I am normally a huge sweater. I should have been drenched. We stopped at the nearest gas station and got water, about half of which went on my head.

I lost three pounds on the ride and that was AFTER drinking a liter of water on the way home.

I've ridden in some hot temps before. It was in the 90s for the Eastern Sierra Double. But clearly over 100 is just too much for my body to handle for so long. Oh and before you ask - YES, I was hydrating as I rode. I was going through both of my bottles every two hours, which is not typical for me. I've done this ride three times before and usually do not have nearly empty bottles when I get to the checkpoints.

I am currently nursing yet another liter of water as I write this.

Goals are great things to have. This was supposed to be my 7th 200 K as I worked toward my R-12 Award. But it's really important to know your limitations and listen to your body.

I'll try again next week. Oh, one cool thing. The gas station attendant told me she wished she had legs like mine. Nobody has EVER wanted my legs before.

Veronica