What I Learned this morning

[bikerchick68]

oh man... what a tough first century... yep, sounds like you actually had heat exhaustion... I am much like you in that I have ridden when I should have sagged in... mostly cause I'm stubborn and don't want to quit! BUT, I also paid the price because on that ride I blew out my ITL Band and ended up off the bike for a couple months healing... tough lesson, but learn it I did...

Biker <sounding rather yodalike> chick

[run it, ride it]

I always wondered why I start getting chilled in the heat! This usually happens when running in a high humidex (I am, unfortunately, a very stubborn non-'fair weather athlete.' 40 or -40 celcius, hail, sleet, ice, mud--and you'd better believe I wear the shorts shorts until five degrees below freezing when I start -feeling- the micro tears).

I cycle 13km to work (one way), which is 8.5 hours heavy outdoor labour covered in more than one layer of polyester ('summer' issued uniform my ***). Honestly it's like working in slow-motion, swimming through the humidity, sweat streaming under my (TOO MANY) clothes. One of these days I'm going to drop and the uniform police (who works in an air-conditioned office) might just let me wear the coveralls WITHOUT the uniform also under it. Anyway,

It's reassuring to know I'm not the only heat-sensitive one out there (complements the Cold Urticaria, lucky me!), and that maybe I'm not a wuss because of it. I wouldn't DREAM of riding my horse in this weather, not even at the walk. He chills out in front of a big, big fan and drinks lots of water. But I expect myself to maintain the same level of activity. Ah well, the asthma usually stops me before the heat. The body has learned to counteract the inflated expectations of its owner. Funny how bodies learn to preserve themselves, eh?

[Geonz]

heat holds me back too... guess I should be glad this was the weekend I was away and couldn't ride!

[MomOnBike]

Last Sunday DH & I biked the 2.5 miles to the Municiple Band concert in the park. The bank thermometer was at 100 degrees. Sitting in the shade listening to Souza marches, I realized that I'd just ridden a century!

I don't want to repeat the experience anytime soon.

[li10up]

I thought I could take the heat. I ride after work at around 5:30 and it's still in the upper 90's at that time. Usually do 20+ miles with no problem. Well, last Friday I got off at noon. Thought, great...I'll get a ride in and have time to shower and go out to dinner with DH after he gets off work. Even though the temp was about the same the ride just about did me in! There are no shadows and therefore NO SHADE along the roads at high noon! At 15 miles I thought I might have to get off the bike and walk home. I took a breather under the roof of a gas station and then managed to make it home. It was a bit scary. I learned two lessons that day 1. DO NOT RIDE AT NOON. 2. Shade is my friend.

[mimitabby]

I always wondered why I start getting chilled in the heat! This usually happens when running in a high humidex (I am, unfortunately, a very stubborn non-'fair weather athlete.' 40 or -40 celcius, hail, sleet, ice, mud--and you'd better believe I wear the shorts shorts until five degrees below freezing when I start -feeling- the micro tears).

It's reassuring to know I'm not the only heat-sensitive one out there (complements the Cold Urticaria, lucky me!), and that maybe I'm not a wuss because of it. I wouldn't DREAM of riding my horse in this weather, not even at the walk. He chills out in front of a big, big fan and drinks lots of water. But I expect myself to maintain the same level of activity. Ah well, the asthma usually stops me before the heat. The body has learned to counteract the inflated expectations of its owner. Funny how bodies learn to preserve themselves, eh?

what's a high humidex?

[Kano]

Pooks -- something just occurred to me, and I wondered if it would be useful to you! What about evening rides? I don't know how late it stays light where you are, or how long it stays hot, but perhaps an evening ride now and again -- maybe even in addtion to the morning ride -- would be a good way to work up to that 40 mile LiveStrong ride?

(someone somewhere was mentioning don't ride at noon because of the hot and sun -- here in Boise, things are just starting to heat up around then. 4:30 or so is DEFINITELY the hottest part of the day!)

Karen in Boise