Hot 48 miles and dehydration

[Catrin]

Any time you find yourself stopping to check the map or whatever -- take a few big gulps. If necessary, pull over for no reason other to take a drink.

I tried to do that.... No problems drinking from the 'bak of course. The problem today seemed to be that once it got really hot, and I got into the hills (was surprised to find those, considering) and the hot headwind came that I just focused on the water and forgot about the Heed in the bottle - my body probably needed both more water and to replace the electrolytes.

It was the confusion that was a surprise to me, I've heard about the cramps.... Next time the Heed is going into the 'Bak

[Veronica]

I've been dehydrated and had cramps from it. I get a really bad headache. I don't get confused. I've even had the beginnings of heat stroke, when your body stops sweating and not been confused. So confusion for me, would make me concerned.

I guess it all depends on what is a normal state of mind for you.

Veronica

[Catrin]

I've been dehydrated and had cramps from it. I get a really bad headache. I don't get confused. I've even had the beginnings of heat stroke, when your body stops sweating and not been confused. So confusion for me, would make me concerned.

I guess it all depends on what is a normal state of mind for you.

Veronica

That may well have been from low blood sugar - I do get hypoglycemia and didn't have my meter with me. Did have a headache as well. It really wasn't confusion more than it was fuzzy thinking.. That is assuming that my thinking is ever NOT that way

[WindingRoad]

Catrin - I too am hypoglycemic and I find that I have to use more than Accelerade for my electrolytes. Accelerade works great for sustaining my energy levels but I have to use shot blocks with it or gatorade (full strength). It's been so hot here lately I'd say you are losing more electrolytes than you think. I have been sweating so bad that I'm salting out. My face will get tiny salt crystals on it and it looks like white dust. If I dump water over my head I can taste salt water running over my lips. As long as you are eating enough before going out on these longer rides I would guess you are experiencing cramps from lack of electrolytes. Add shot blocks and try that.

[Catrin]

Catrin - I too am hypoglycemic and I find that I have to use more than Accelerade for my electrolytes. Accelerade works great for sustaining my energy levels but I have to use shot blocks with it or gatorade (full strength). It's been so hot here lately I'd say you are losing more electrolytes than you think. I have been sweating so bad that I'm salting out. My face will get tiny salt crystals on it and it looks like white dust. If I dump water over my head I can taste salt water running over my lips. As long as you are eating enough before going out on these longer rides I would guess you are experiencing cramps from lack of electrolytes. Add shot blocks and try that.

I did have shot blocs, but only ate 3 of them in the 3.5 hours before this happened (and a cliff bar). I know if my blood sugar drops too low that causes the kind of "slow" thinking I was having. I did have a somewhat lighter breakfast than normal before the ride - thinking that I didn't want to weigh myself down with too much food in the heat. I am also diabetic (type 2) so am always fighting that question of how much is too much - but the body has to have the right kind of fuel.

If I had drank the Heed that I had with me - and eaten more shot blocs - it probably would have been fine.

Thanks everyone for helping me think this through. As I increase my mileage base for longer and longer rides I really need to get this nutrition/hydration thing worked out. I think I want one more 50 mile ride just to make sure everything is working for me before I bump it up to 60 miles...

[OakLeaf]

Confusion is one of the first things that happens to me when I overheat.

Not dehydrate.

Remember that in these temperatures and humidity, you could be perfectly well hydrated and still overheat. They're not the same thing.

But it also sounds like you didn't drink nearly enough.

Are you weighing yourself before and after a ride? That's the only way to determine your personal sweat rate. One pint of water is one pound. Find the difference, if any, in your weight before and after; keep track of how much you drink during the ride; and figure it from there.

I'm a heavy sweater. In this weather I can easily sweat two liters an hour. Your body actually can't absorb that much that quickly, so you really need to be careful with hydration. But beyond that, be aware that you can still be overheating, and deal with it by STOPPING; if ice or cool water is available, get it onto your pulse points (armpits, groin, neck); drink crushed ice.

Beyond the obvious primary dangers of overheating, dizzy and confused are not a good way to be on two wheels in traffic. That's exactly why I got the cooling vest for the motorcycle.

[Catrin]

Confusion is one of the first things that happens to me when I overheat.

Not dehydrate.

Remember that in these temperatures and humidity, you could be perfectly well hydrated and still overheat. They're not the same thing.

But it also sounds like you didn't drink nearly enough...

Didn't think of just plain over-heating causing a little confusion. The temps weren't THAT high, but did climb quite a few steep hills against a hot and strong head-wind. Sometimes I don't sweat very much, other times I do.

Time to purchase a new scale, finally. And yeah, this is also a heads-up on drinking enough. I THOUGHT I had that worked out

[KnottedYet]

I did have shot blocs, but only ate 3 of them in the 3.5 hours before this happened (and a cliff bar). I know if my blood sugar drops too low that causes the kind of "slow" thinking I was having.

Hypoglycemia is a real bear. I find that the lower I get, the more confused I get, and the less likely I am to remember what to do (eat).

In the course of a 3.5 hour ride I will eat probably 20 shot blocs. It really is crucial that I eat them *before* I feel I need to. I'm in the habit now of also bringing glucose tablets along, I've had a couple moments where chewing clif blox was just too complicated for me to figure out. Hopefully I'll do a better job managing things in the future and won't get to that point. But at least the glucose tablets don't have to be chewed...

I buy shot blox by the case at REI, you get a discount.
The glucose tablets I get by the jar at the pharmacy. They are cheaper by the jar than by the tube, and I just use the jar to refill the tubes.

[sarahspins]

That may well have been from low blood sugar - I do get hypoglycemia and didn't have my meter with me.

Test, don't guess!

Go buy a sidekick or True2Go... best "bike" meters I've found I have two True2Go's that stay in each of my saddle bags (one on each bike).. I don't worry about not having one with me... and they're so small that I have no excuse not to carry one. The strips expire after 6 months if unused, but they're cheap... around $20 for 50, and I've yet to "not" use them up in time... if you're out riding a lot, I'd honestly recommend test any time you feel "off".

I always carry some sort of fast acting glucose (I like cake gel because it's cheaper than liquid glucose) as well as energy gels (which are not fast acting). I don't like tabs because I feel like if I do use them to treat a low, I waste too much of my water getting the gritty chalky feeling to go away than I really need to - with the cake gel just a swish and swallow is good after. Then I follow it up with half an energy gel and more water, but a couple of shot bloks would work fine too.

[Pika]

Looks like you have received some great advice already but do be sure to check for the brached chain amino acids in your nutrition ( whatever you choose) this is something I learned from another forum...
L-Tryptophan and Carbohydrates
L-tryptophan may be found in turkey and other dietary proteins, but it's actually a carbohydrate-rich (as opposed to protein-rich) meal that increases the level of this amino acid in the brain and leads to serotonin synthesis. Carbohydrates stimulate the pancreas to secrete insulin. When this occurs, some amino acids that compete with tryptophan leave the bloodstream and enter muscle cells. This causes an increase in the relative concentration of tryptophan in the bloodstream. Serotonin is synthesized and you feel that familiar sleepy feeling.

So, here is something to try on your next long ride...take along some BCAA (Branched chain amino acids). This will help keep levels high enough in the bloodstream to compete with the tryptophan and keep the levels lower in the brain, reducing the fatigue.
hope that helps,
Tam

[Catrin]

Lots of good ideas - thanks! Figuring out all of these hydration and nutritional needs is part of the process of building endurance... figuring out what works.

I think that I've been in weight loss mode for so long that it came into play yesterday with not wanting to eat more on the bike. Gotta fuel for endurance.

I do think it a good idea to stay at this mileage at least one more week, just to be safe, before I bump it to 60. I was taking the 60 mile option on an organized ride next Saturday, but think it would be best to stick with the 50 mile option one more week...

[DarcyInOregon]

Catrin, there is nothing wrong with stopping the bike alongside the road in the shade of a tree, planting your feet, and taking a few minutes to drink and eat. There is no rule that you must drink and eat while pedaling, especially if you are primarily a solo cyclist. The stoppped time also gives you the opportunity to reflect on your heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, body temp, etc., to make sure you have no symptoms. The cyclists I know will stop at specific points based on either 1)calories burned, 2)distance or 3)time. I use calories burned because I cycle with low blood sugars also and I stop to refuel at specific levels, every 800-1200 calories burned, eat and drink, and that will usually keep something from happening.

I always plan my distance rides to either go by farm stands, small farm town grocery stores or parks, where I can get water to fill my water bowls. I have even gone right up to farm houses and used their garden hose to fill my water bottles. I carry electrolyte powders to put in my water bottles.

On this last Saturday, I did a century in the extreme heat, with the temp on the bike being in excess of 100. I did all sorts of things to keep from getting heat stroke and dehydration and low electrolytes, like cooling down in a hay barn and once standing in a farmer's sprinklers until my entire body was soaked. But for the first time ever, I got severe cramps in my right leg after a 3-mile climb, so everything I did still wasn't enough. Yet I was quite lucky because at the end I was told that a lot of cyclists had to call for help from their relatives or friends or event volunteers, that one male century cyclist had a possible heart attack at mile 60, and that many metric cyclists had possible heat stroke/dehydration issues. The lesson I learned is that when the temp goes high, to do shorter distances or not to ride at all.

And yes, you are correct, the most difficult part of increasing the miles is actually the nutrition and liquid intake, figuring it out, adjusting and tinkering with it, and then you will find the years go by and you are still tinkering with it.

[nscrbug]

I tried to do that.... No problems drinking from the 'bak of course. The problem today seemed to be that once it got really hot, and I got into the hills (was surprised to find those, considering) and the hot headwind came that I just focused on the water and forgot about the Heed in the bottle - my body probably needed both more water and to replace the electrolytes.

It was the confusion that was a surprise to me, I've heard about the cramps.... Next time the Heed is going into the 'Bak

I suffered with severe dehydration once, and not only was I "confused"...but I'm pretty sure I was hallucinating too. I actually starting fixating on the white line (I think it's called "white line fever") that runs along the shoulder. It was almost like I couldn't take my eyes off that damn white line...I felt like a zombie. That was downright scary! I often forget to drink enough on rides, but I'm getting better about that. I really should start carrying 2 bottles with me, but we usually end up stopping at a gas station or two, to refill anyway.