50 miles...is that all?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

1mor,
heat and humidity can really take a toll. I'm 56 and I rode the other day only 20 miles but 85F and sunny, no breeze, high humidity, and some steep hills. I really got wiped out. In fact, I had to rest the next day- i think i got some mild heat stroke.
Usually I can do 30 or 50 miles and feel ok. I don't think it would have bothered me quite so much a couple years ago, but i do notice the heat effects me a little more now than it used to even though I'm in pretty good shape. I'm trying to listen to my body more these days and not push beyond where I would start feeling ill. But then, you are younger than I!

50 miles at 85-90F?.... I would have been ready to throw in the towel at that point too! I think you did great!

[XMcShiftersonX]

Yeah heat definitely kicks your metabolism up, you were probably burning a lot of calories, maybe even more than 3,000 - because I would say on a long ride with mild weather you're probably burning that. Let us know how the different snacks helped... I'm curious to see if that's all you needed!

[ny biker]

I would caution you not to start eating lots of different foods on the bike that you're not used to, especially if it's hot and humid. You could wind up with stomach problems. Try new foods gradually.

Personally I can't eat anything when it's hot out. I do almost all my long rides on nothing but gatorade, water and gu. So I don't know that too much sugar/not enough protein is your problem.

I think not enough calories is the more likely culprit. Gatorade is 100 calories per 20 oz. water bottle. Clif bloks are 100 calories for three bloks, so you're only getting 66 calories from them if you're eating 2 per hour. So I would increase the total number of calories during the ride.

I like Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook for advice on what/how much to eat before, during and after long rides.

[TrekTheKaty]

Personally, I can't get in enough food on long rides. I carry two 24 oz bottles with Cytomax. I stop hourly to EAT (muffins, bananas, Garmin rice cakes or crackers with PB). I carry jelly bellys and gu for when I start feeling "crummy" which means I'm out of energy.

I don't know how many ounces of liquid you drank, but it may not have been enough. Is it 8-12 oz an hour? Anyone?

[OakLeaf]

I need protein any time I'm over four hours or so, and unlike running, my stomach can tolerate most anything on the bike. Tuna salad sandwiches are high on my list - just about any convenient store has them.

I think maybe your needs on the bike are related to what your diet is like the rest of the time. Most people don't seem to have an issue with getting enough protein on the bike (judging from what my companions usually eat and what's offered on organized rides). But going only by what you read in the papers, "most people" eat tons of protein every day. I only know what I eat, and that I really have to work to get 50 grams of protein a day without resorting to protein powders.

It doesn't sound like you drank enough either, but that wouldn't cause the post-ride depletion you're talking about.

I can't drink premix Gatorade or anything with HFCS when I'm exerting myself, either. That stuff just messes with my stomach and my ability to absorb real food.

[shootingstar]

For certain a ride of that length under higher temp./humidity, I need to start off with a somewhat bigger breakfast. Give myself up to 1 hr. to digest before cycling off.

I eat real food (small sandwich, fig newtons/figs, non-messy fruit, trail mix, etc.) and drink water. Natural fruit juices help me along the way. When I have a muffin, I eat parts of it along the way, if I can do it. Sometimes I'm hungry enough.

I want to have real (preferably reasonably healthy) food so that I can adapt no matter where I'm biking....'cause when we get to Europe..I have no interest running around trying to find sports-oriented food. (It's probably more expensive than I care to think.)

[ekcjwc]

I did a 43 mile ride recently and had a similar experience. First warm day with humidity. I had my Camelbak which I sucked dry, a water bottle with G2 and was drinking my husband's Camelbak. Ate oatmeal with bananas and mil before the ride. I think where I messed up was a day or two before the ride. I did not drink a lot of water and did not eat that great. I am trying to do better a couple of days before the ride and then trying the Gu. Hang in there. You will find what works for you.