Back from the Hotter N' Hell

[Righteousbabe]

That's just nuts. Sure, it was hot... but it was manageable with proper rest stops, ice on the head, cold water, and electrolytes. Are that many people that dense about how to ride and manage yourself in heat?

I do have say... come around mile 65... I had that stare. I was out of it... but I stopped at a store, iced up... cooled off in the AC... got some PowerAid... and once I felt back *together*.... we went on. And even after that, we stopped when we could to keep ourselves feeling good.

Yes! Every chance I got I either had an ice cold towel on my head or I was pouring water over my body. Every kind resident who had their water hoses ready to spray cyclists...I let them spray me. I even sucked water out of my camelback and let it dribble over my legs and arms.

I carried a camelback full of water, 2 water bottles filled with gatorade, and did gel shots and fruit along the way. But with 10 miles to go...I had that 1,000 mile stare. I did not even get off my bike at that rest stop. I just stopped and straddled my bike. This woman with a stethoscope came rushing over to me and asked me if I wanted to lay down (I must of looked pretty bad). I told her no...this is as good as it gets...and as time goes on...it will only get harder. She brought me my water, gatorade, and ice cold towel to me. I clipped back in and started pedaling.

I think that was another reason why I completed it. I never lingered at any rest stop (even at the end). I got my refills, I wet down my body, I had a gel shot and fruit, and I was on my way. I never sat down to rest. Time is against you out there when it is that hot. The longer you are out there, the harder it will get no matter how long you rest in the shade.

[Lise]

This has been fascinating to follow. I have a great respect for the heat, and wouldn't even try such a distance in such heat. I'm impressed that RB did the full 100, and that KSH and Heidi got in the 75.

Righteousbabe, your avatar is out of this world! It looks like a scene from an all-cat Star Wars production! Little do my cats dream how these avatars inspire me....bwahahahaha!

[Righteousbabe]

Righteousbabe, your avatar is out of this world! It looks like a scene from an all-cat Star Wars production! Little do my cats dream how these avatars inspire me....bwahahahaha!

Thanks! When I was looking for a picture, it was the closest I could find to a cat wearing a bike helmet!

Pictures like this are inspiring...I have a wenchy looking himalayan at home that would look great in something like this

[Lise]

Have you seen www.stuffonmycat.com? Someone from here turned me on to it. I have a long-suffering grey long-haired Princess who would look even more annoyed to be wearing a carved green citrus fruit helmet.

[chickwhorips]

i have seen that websight. it cracks me up. sometimes i even feel sorry for the poor cats.

[mimitabby]

thank you all for your reports and info on this hotter than hotter than hell ride.

I am so amazed that 11,000 people wanted to ride in 100 degree PLUS weather!

how come there wasn't more food available for you though? I mean, i know it's hard to eat whenyou are hot and riding, but even sports drinks, milkshakes,
something?

[Righteousbabe]

Have you seen www.stuffonmycat.com?

That's great!!!!! I think I have a picture of my pissed little princess home from the groomer with an easter themed bandana around her neck that I can add to this website!

how come there wasn't more food available for you though? I mean, i know it's hard to eat whenyou are hot and riding, but even sports drinks, milkshakes, something?

I did not have a problem with finding enough food and drink on the HHH ride, but then, I do not expect (nor want) anything more than water, sports drink, fruit, and cliff bars. I loose my appetite on hot 100 mile rides, so about all I can choke down is gel shots, fruit, and sports drink.

At the HHH rest stops I saw plenty of ice water and cold sports drink. I also saw fruit, pickles, cookies, and cliff bars. Now I did not stop at all rest stops (especially before Hell's Gate), and I did not go looking for anything other than fruit while I was at a rest stop. But I also saw a couple rest stops (one before and one after Hell's Gate) that were grilling food. I have never not made Hell's Gate and had to ride back to Wichita Falls on the 75 mile route...so I am not sure what they offered for those folks.

I always bring my own back up food, and never completely rely on rest stops to give me everything I may want. I always carry a lara bar, sports drink powder, and electrolyte pills in my camelback.

[rheidis73]

I just read on the TNO board that a guy got his bike stolen at the post race festivities there! How maddening is that??!!!
I bet he's "Hotter n hell" in more ways that one!! OY!

I was talking to my husband at the rally and had mentioned that I was sure that it was a pretty safe area to have a bike hanging around without a lock..I guess I was wrong...My in-laws had a friend get his Harley stolen at a motorcycle rally..so, I guess it happens everywhere...

[rheidis73]

First, I would like to say that I am sorry to hear so many were not able to complete the 100 miles at HHH because they closed Hell's Gate early. I know what it is like to train all summer for that ride and not be able to complete it because some outside source prevented you from completing it. The HHH of 2004 was to be my first century, and my rear derailer cracked at mile 50. I was heartbroken.

But in defense of the ride organizers, they made the right decision to close Hell's Gate when they did. A cycling trainer who I have trained with in the past knows some of the ride organizers. HHH actually keeps statistics of past rides (such as time of day, temperature, heat index, number of injuries, etc.) and can make some correlations based on past data. They knew at the rate they were going, the ride volunteers and the Wichita Falls medical staff (doctors, nurses, EMS) would be overwhelmed and they would not be able to respond in a way to ensure rider safety. Even with closing Hell's Gate early, the EMS, rest stop medical staff, and hospital staff were overwhelmed on Saturday. I know we sign a waiver, but the ride organizers need to protect themselves...but most of all, they are there to protect us from ourselves (http://www.hh100.org/index.php?optio...sk=view&id=77).

I did complete the 100 mile ride, and the last 40 miles were brutal. I did the first 60 miles in 3.5 hours, and then I did the last 40 miles in 3.5 hours. The last 40 miles (after Hell's Gate) is always the hardest. You turn into the wind every year and you fight it all the way back into Wichita Falls. Many riders do not anticipate this...and when the temperature reaches 105 (heat indices 107-111)...you are asking for problems. I saw EMS everywhere, and the MASH tents at each of the rest stops where full of people laying down (a lot of them with IVs hooked up). I had friends who were out there, who are much stronger riders than I am, who ended up underneath those MASH tents cramped up and with heat exhaustion. When you ran across a shady tree out there (which is rare in that part of Texas), there were riders laying down underneath them. I heard at one point, the SAG wagons were 2 hours behind picking people up. I know that every SAG wagon that passed by me was stacked with bikes. Some people just pulled over to the side of the road and either rested their heads on their handbars in agony, or started to just walk their bikes. So the ride organizers knew, based on available resources in the Wichita Falls area, what they were capable of and when they needed to close the 100 mile route. One of my friends was one of the last people to make it through Hell's Gate, and he completed the ride in just under 9 hours. I was waiting at the finish line for 2 hours worried sick about him.

So I hope everyone can understand why the ride organizers did what they did, and maybe put this all in perspective. Having done this ride 4 times, I had a pretty good idea what I needed to do to ensure that I finished. Train hard in the heat all summer, hydrate days before HHH, and keep your own pace (do not try to ride with people who are faster than you are). Having had one bad HHH experience underneath my belt (2004 incident), I also have decided not to do the mass start (did it once...do not need to do it again) to ensure that I get on the road promptly at 7:00 am. I also only stopped at a rest stop once between the start and Burkburnett (Hell's Gate). While it is relatively cool and you still have your legs, book it to Hell's Gate. Then after you get there, you can take it easy with your pace, and stop at the rest stops regularly.

We did see tons of people that looked like they were really hurting...I wondered when they would be picked up by either sag or ambulence...I think it was a good idea if it was that hot...I believe too, that people do not listen to their bodies and know when it is time to stop.

I mentioned to Karen that I am sure there were not enough resourses for that mass of people and the heat.

[rheidis73]

"Those final 20 miles are hotter and harder, mostly because of that south headwind, and that performance decline always shows up in the time splits"

That had to have been the hardest 20 milles I have ever done! The wind was strong and the heat of it was unreal. It was like sitting on a furnace and feeling the air come up...

Where I live, we have the heat, plus humidity....but barely or no wind...

[rheidis73]

Thanks! When I was looking for a picture, it was the closest I could find to a cat wearing a bike helmet!

Pictures like this are inspiring...I have a wenchy looking himalayan at home that would look great in something like this

I am a cat lover too and when I saw that, I was cracking up in my head...I used to have a Hymalayan x persian...I don't know if I would ever have a long hair cat again...

[mimitabby]

"Those final 20 miles are hotter and harder, mostly because of that south headwind, and that performance decline always shows up in the time splits"

That had to have been the hardest 20 milles I have ever done! The wind was strong and the heat of it was unreal. It was like sitting on a furnace and feeling the air come up...

Where I live, we have the heat, plus humidity....but barely or no wind...

heck, i feel like that when it hits 80 degrees!! I am SO impressed.

[KSH]

That had to have been the hardest 20 milles I have ever done! The wind was strong and the heat of it was unreal. It was like sitting on a furnace and feeling the air come up...

Well... it doesn't help that you were in the lead the whole way.

Trust me, from my position... drafting... it wasn't too bad...

Just kidding! Although I do feel bad for drafting most of that way. Of course, when I took the lead we went from 14-16 mph to 11-13 mph.

[chickwhorips]

Of course, when I took the lead we went from 14-16 mph to 11-13 mph.

its the thought that counts.

[rheidis73]

Well... it doesn't help that you were in the lead the whole way.

Trust me, from my position... drafting... it wasn't too bad...

Just kidding! Although I do feel bad for drafting most of that way. Of course, when I took the lead we went from 14-16 mph to 11-13 mph.

Thanks for the compliment....I did actually enjoy the challenge of getting through the wind...That whole ride makes me want to get a road bike now instead of a cross..something that is faster....Monday morning, I went for a 26 mile ride and I could really tell that after doing the Hotter ride, it made huge inprovements to the 26. Of course, I was back to the hills again!

But, I think we both did so great! We really did match up together and helped push eachother along. Thanks for a great ride...