Heat and hills...ever had this happen??

[crazycanuck]

Hey Celeste,

Could I ask how much you had to drink while on your ride? What about eating? I've been informed we need to ingest min 50g of carbs an hour-perhaps others may have other info..Ensure you're hydrated before the ride as well.

We just finished our summer down here & did quite a few hilly rides in the heat. The only thing i can say is hydrate & bear with the hills.

I struggle in the heat as well so don't panic.

C

[Grog]

Food? Drink? On difficult rides I tend to "forget" to eat and drink.

[Running Mommy]

Chills + goosebumps = trouble!
Sounds like a heat illness to me. I wouldn't be surprised if you feel sluggish for the next few days. Almost like you are coming down with something. If you do, then BINGO! It was the heat, not your lack of motivation.
It's heating up here in the southwest, so it's time to really watch our hydration. Not just DURING the training, but before and after as well. Also make sure you are taking in enough sodium.
Be careful out there!
Denise

[Celeste]

Goodness! I guess I am glad I stopped now after hearing your comments.

Yes, I was drinking and eating. I thought it was enough. We had just finished a rest stop with a light lunch at mile 40. I ate half ham sandwich, salty pringles (chips) and a yummy little debbie brownie. I drank one full sport bottle (part water part Gatorade) first 20 miles and a full bottle the second 20. With the heat, maybe it was not enough.

However, I will say, on Friday, I was so thirsty! I just could not drink enough water! I drank a lot and I was still thirsty. So maybe that carried over to Saturday's ride.

Also, I usually have a waist belt Camel Back that holds 48 ounces and I forgot it at home this week. Also forgotten was my sport watch that I have set to go off every 45 minutes to remind me to eat a bite or two of my Cliff bar I have stuffed in my pocket.

With those two things left at home...I can see now that it is possible for me not to have eaten regularly and keep sipping on water enough to keep me going. I guess I was a little fuzzy headed at 4am

[Grog]

I think the rule of thumb is to drink about 1 bottle (600ml) an hour in fair weather... in HOT weather, I'd up this quite a bit, maybe 1 1/2? So one bottle per 20 miles sounds like very little to me, especially if it was really hot.

A bite or two every 45 minutes is also not very much, even if you actually do it... Eating every 20 minutes might be more in tune with your energy needs, on rides longer than an hour...

[MaineMaid]

Tnanks for posting this Celeste; I'm still so very new at cycling. I went for my first 40-miler about a week ago and the ride was hilly. After the first 3 or 4 hills I had to stop just like you did, just to "catch up" and then I experienced the goosebumps and chills. I knew to stop and rest and not push it any further.
After the ride, I realized I must have been dehydrated and since I'm such a newbie I didn't/don't have the experience to judge this correctly...yet.
Anyway, the next ride I used a camelbak,(borrowed from a friend), and did much better. I also, ahem, set my own pace instead of trying to keep up with everyone else. That seems to be one of my downfalls, however it's a very steep learning curve for me and now I'm quite content to be at the back, grinding up the hills, sloowwwllly ....steadily....slooooollly.... st...ea...dily.

Jan

[Kimmyt]

That happened to me last year. i don't do well in heat (and a humid heat that we get out here, at that) and went on a 45 minute ride with one bottle of gatorade. Majorly bonked, almost passed out, on one of the last hills. After that I installed a behind-the-seat double bottle cage and now carry 3 bottles on really hot rides.

I also try and load up on electrolyte drinks (Cytomax or Gatorade or some such) from lunchtime till when I ride so that I'm super hydrated and that seems to help.

K.

[wannaduacentury]

Goodness! I guess I am glad I stopped now after hearing your comments.

Yes, I was drinking and eating. I thought it was enough. We had just finished a rest stop with a light lunch at mile 40. I ate half ham sandwich, salty pringles (chips) and a yummy little debbie brownie. I drank one full sport bottle (part water part Gatorade) first 20 miles and a full bottle the second 20. With the heat, maybe it was not enough.

However, I will say, on Friday, I was so thirsty! I just could not drink enough water! I drank a lot and I was still thirsty. So maybe that carried over to Saturday's ride.

Also, I usually have a waist belt Camel Back that holds 48 ounces and I forgot it at home this week. Also forgotten was my sport watch that I have set to go off every 45 minutes to remind me to eat a bite or two of my Cliff bar I have stuffed in my pocket.

With those two things left at home...I can see now that it is possible for me not to have eaten regularly and keep sipping on water enough to keep me going. I guess I was a little fuzzy headed at 4am

Along with the hydration aspect in the heat, is it possible that you just weren't acclimated to it as well? I know I have to acclimate myself when it warms up and it gets humid too where I live. Just a thought. Jenn

[teigyr]

I am BAD with heat and when I was in a hot climate, I'd put ice in my camelbak. It helped lots by keeping my back cool

I'm the same way though, heat and I do not get along and on hills it seems like there is no cooling breeze. Probably due to the fact I'm not going that fast! It always seems like there isn't shade on hills either.

I don't know if drinking cold water is good for you (I am thinking not) but at the very least it would be nice to dump over your head!

[maillotpois]

Celeste -

How did your long ride go???

[maillotpois]

Great news on the second long ride - sounds like you got it just right! You will have a great time in Tahoe.