Heat + Humidity = Wall

[OakLeaf]

I guess to address your second question, how to handle it when you feel like you can't ...

#1, be safe. If you're overheated, get your core temperature down as fast as you can. Drinking crushed ice will cool you faster than iced beverages, since you're actually swallowing the ice. Immersion in an ice filled tub if you have access to one, or cold towels all over, or hosing yourself down. If it's not quite to that point, either stop in a shaded spot, or if you're on flat ground without a headwind, sometimes very slow gentle pedaling is actually cooler since you maintain air flow that way without generating more body heat.

#2, which is what you did, if you're riding a loop you have no choice but to keep going until you're back where you started! Might not be pretty, but you have to keep going.

#3, accountability. During my marathon training, pretty much every interval workout my coach gave me, I'd look at and be sure I wouldn't be able to do it. Every interval, I'd be sure I couldn't do the next one. Most of the workouts, I did just fine. I knew my coach would see my track and didn't figure there was a point in paying him if I wasn't going to attempt to finish the workouts. You don't need to hire a coach, you can train with a partner or, if you're somewhat motivated but want a little extra oomph, just follow a free training plan. Just, beware of accountability without very specific goals, because that way lies burnout.

Never forget to have fun!!



ETA - adding one thing on hydration, several people have mentioned very frequent drinking. I've read that if you just sip, your stomach isn't stimulated to empty as fast, and you'll actually hydrate yourself better if you drink larger amounts less frequently.

[Blueberry]

This actually sounds worth double-checking. Source?

Here's a source. Interesting....I didn't know that. I struggle with heat too - this thread has some really great tips!

[Blueberry]

Here is her explanation:

How we drink can make a difference in how optimally we hydrate our body. A lot of people sip liquids, but gulping is better. Gulps of fluid leave the stomach more rapidly. It’s important to do this. It seems counterintuitive, it seems like gulping would cause a cramp. People are more likely to have stomach cramps sipping because fluid stays in their gut too long.

When you take more fluid in, gulps as opposed to sips, you have a greater volume of fluid in the stomach. That stimulates the activity of the stretch receptors in the stomach, which then increase intra-gastric pressure and promote faster emptying. This is why gulping is preferred.

That actually does make sense to me. I would love to see more of a study, though.

[ny biker]

I'd like definitions of "gulp" and "sip."

I don't know what I do, but I don't get stomach cramps from drinking.

[Blueberry]

Well, I think my sips from podium bottles are actually 'gulps,' but I agree with NY, a gulp and a sip is like a pinch and a dash. . Or perhaps 'yea high?' I thought you meant more like a cup at a time. I would seriously throw up if I drank too much at once while riding when very hot. (It's already happened).

Yeah - I agree. I expect mine are too - at least in the summer. I will drink ~1/8 - 1/4 of a bottle at a time in really hot weather. Come on fall!

[BlessedB]

Ladies, y'all are the best!
Thank you for your thoughtful ideas - you've given me much to ponder and much to do.
I take two of those big Camelbak bottles of water with me - I thought they were a liter each, but it looks like only 750ml or 25oz each. I was able to fill up once while out, so drank a total of three, plus the iced coffee of course. I will switch at least one to a sports drink, as much as I don't care for the taste. I'll take more snacks as well, and work on my shorter rides. Great idea on getting my head wet - I do this while mowing the lawn. I guess what really threw me was that this was not my first time this summer doing a 40-mile loop - in fact, I'd done it weekly, about 4-5 times, without hitting a wall. Thank y'all again - I so appreciate your generosity of spirit and wisdom!

[Veronica]

It doesn't have to be Gatorade. I use Gu Brew , mix a bottle and freeze it. It has electrolytes, I like the taste of it and I prefer to drink my calories, especially on a hot day. We were out for about 3.5 hours yesterday. I had 6 full bottles on the ride, drank another when I got home and had still lost 2 pounds through sweat!

Veronica

[BlessedB]

Will try it, thanks!

[PamNY]

Just wanted to wish you good luck, and to say that what I learned from this group made it possible for me to cope with cycling when temps are high or low. Everything I know about hot weather cycling I learned here (more or less exactly what's been said in this thread, so I won't repeat).

[OakLeaf]

This actually sounds worth double-checking. Source?

Well huh. I too had only read it in lay summaries, and when I tried to chase it down, this was the best thing I found: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1875801 which without reading the full text, seems from the abstract that it just assumes that as a given, like it's conventional wisdom among doctors too?

This comes from MIT sports medicine department, but of the four citations it gives, three are lay summaries and the last is an entire book, not particular studies.

[estronat]

Interesting thread full of great advice. I am soaking it all up (pun intended).

Let me just say as a noobie rider, who can only go about 5 miles total on completely flat, shaded, smooth bike paths, and probably only about 2 miles if there is any kind of incline, I am in awe of all of you who can go for an hour or more in any kind of heat.

Imagine 'bonking' 1 or 2 miles into a ride and you've well hydrated yourself before during and after, you've eaten within 90 to 120 min of your ride, and other than the fact that it's hot, humid, and you're completely out of shape and overweight, there's no other factor affecting the bonk. Talk about completely humbling!

But we all have to start somewhere, even if somewhere is right at the 0 mark.