Will I eventually acclimate to this heat???

[bboston88]

I went out on a 22 mile (very hilly) ride yesterday around 10am. Damn it was hot. Mid 90s in Atlanta. I went through about 4 water bottles (stole 2 from my husband). I can only carry 2 unless I stick one in my jersey. Is this just me needing to acclimate? I tried drinking beforehand as I have a tendency to dehydrate. Yikes!

[makbike]

IMO, it takes time to acclimate to hot and humid conditions. Unfortunately, it appears the 4-6 weeks we are often afforded to make this transition will not happen this year. Several riders on today's century commented how hard today's ride was simply because they did not have time to adjust to the hot/humid conditions we have been hit with this summer. We typically do not experience this type of weather until mid-July. Keep drinking before, during and after your rides.

[F8th637]

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[OakLeaf]

Get a hydration pack. I can easily go through a two-liter Platypus plus both my water bottles on a 3-hour ride.

Unfortunately I don't have a way to carry water on my runs and I'm going to have to figure something out. I'm the gal who sweats out a liter an hour when it's 75 degrees F.

I hate having anything on my back when I ride too, but it beats the heck out of heat stroke.

[Bad JuJu]

+1 on the hydration pack.

Even once you're acclimated, you still need to carry and ingest plenty of fluids, and a hydration pack is the best bet for that. I also find that I feel better on hot rides if I replace electrolytes. If you don't like Gatorade, there are other 'lyte replacement fluids on the market. I carry water in my pack and Gatorade in my water bottle, and plan a stop at a convenience store if I think I'm going to need more than that.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

You are way better off going out at like 7 or 8 am instead of 10, especially if you are doing a hilly ride and the temps are going to hit the 90's during mid day.

[Aggie_Ama]

We really hate summer riding in Texas (hot & humid) because we can no longer afford not to start at sunrise. Last summer we hit the road at 6:45-7:00 if we were doing a long ride. I take a lot of naps after rides!

You will acclimate but I find it easier to adjust through the course of the ride. I cannot start out at 10 am since the sun gets really intense by about 10:30.

[Jolt]

Try being up here in MA, where we had a few days of 60-70 degree weather and then got hit with mid-90s and humid!!! The heat started yesterday and is expected to continue through Tuesday, and it's miserable. Any tips on how to acclimate as painlessly as possible? Usually at the beginning of the summer I can hardly stand to run when the temp hits about 75-80; biking is a bit better but still rough. However, I go a bit stir-crazy being stuck inside for too long, so staying holed up in the a/c for days on end is not an option!

[OakLeaf]

well one thing I swear by, even if I'm being a wuss and not exercising, is no A/C. I think you acclimate much quicker, and stay healthier in general, if you're not going back and forth between heat and cold all the time. Of course if you work in AC that's unavoidable, but at home we do have a choice.

Come August I'll start the back-and-forth with DH about it again but for now we're in agreement that the windows stay open.

Jolt, I think most of the East has had the same as you. It's really pretty much normal for Ohio.

[Crankin]

Sorry, I can't live without AC! The hot and humid weather makes me feel miserable... and sometimes it makes my asthma start, which I never usually have.
Who wants to feel gross in their own house? I don't mind sweating at all when I am exercising nor do I mind getting "dirty," but I want to be be comfortable, able to breath, and not have my hair standing up on end when I'm at home! Now, I agree, most people and stores keep the AC too cold. I just want the humidity taken out of the air and a temperature of about 78.

Jolt, we went out at around 7-7:30 yesterday and it was fine.We were done by 9:30 and then I chilled in the AC and went to the pond to swim.

[violette]

I rode 60km on the weekend in about 30c and I didn't think I was going to make it; and I had 2 water bottle with me.

[tulip]

It's been 100 in North Carolina for the last few days, and it's just too hot to ride after 9am. I grew up in this heat, but when it gets this hot, it's just not healthy to ride. Ride early in the morning if you can.

[katluvr]

As I live in HOT and HUMID Florida I definitely think the key is to getting an EARLY start. Most of our friends think we are crazy for getting up at 5 AM on the weeken days to get stared early. (OK, sometime we drive to a place that has hills or a good trail so that takes an extra hour). So plan is to be on the bike between 7 & 7:30. Lots of hydration. And freeze your bottles and if a long ride, plan a circuit so you can stop mid way to get fresh frozen bottles from cooler.
Also look for routes that are more shaded.

This time of year the heat does get trying. I much rather ride in heat than run. I have a 1/2 marthon planned for Nov. That means logging lots of miles in Aug., Sept ("hot as hades" month) and even Oct (can remain very toasty!).
In 2 weeks I'll be biking in Rhode Island...hopefully it will be freshenly cool compared to here!

[BarbaraAlys]

All last summer I was riding after work, about 5PM, with temps as high as 103, but the humidity here is very low (most locals will not say so, but when 60% is considered hight, that seems low to me who grew up on the east coast).

You do acclimate, but you have to give yourself time. Also, I find that i really have to keep hydrated all the time, not just on the bike. I usually drink between 3/4 to 1 gallon of water a day, not counting my ride water. I don't use an electrolite substitute, but I don't seem to need it for most rides.

Barbara

[bluebug32]

I've found that adding Elite drops (electrolytes) to plain water is a good insurance policy for hot weather. They also make tablets. I like it because the drops don't taste like anything, so it's easy to drink. Other than that, I find an extra bottle full of water to dump over your head quite effective.