I failed

[babynoahsmom]

Yesterday, I tried to ride in the Tour de Corn in Missouri. I was riding the 64.2 mile ride. THe heat was around 100 with a higher index. I made it 56 miles and had to give up. I really think I was hydrated enough, but it got to where I would have to pedal a while and then coast a while. I slso got to where I would have to stop every couple of miles and rest under a shade tree. The longest ride I have done so far was a 30, but there were a lot of hills and I thought it would be easy to do a sixty flat. How could I have trained to have been able to tolerate the heat?

[Biciclista]

good grief, you didn't fail!! you went over 50 miles in weather that can kill people.
don't be so hard on yourself. you did an amazing job.

the best thing you can do to improve your performance is to train more.

but even the best of riders can't ride their best in conditions like that.

[channlluv]

+1

You did really well going that far in that kind of heat. Don't beat yourself up on this one. Seriously. Go celebrate your achievement.

Roxy

[babynoahsmom]

Thanks for saying so, but I keep thinking about the others that made it and think maybe I should have just pushed myself a little more.

[TxDoc]

#1 - you did not fail. You did ride 56 of the 64 miles, so you succeeded above 85%. HONOR YOURSELF!

#2 - you can get good training tips from the abstracts of the medical symposium that is usually done before the Hotter 'n Hell 100. They discuss dehydration, overheating, heat stroke, etc - and proper training. It's a great conference - too bad they are skipping it this year. you can find info at www.hh100.org

A few helpful hints:
- first of all speak to your physician and get some baseline data. Temperature of course, and heart rate, but also some bloodwork would help. A baseline BMP and CBC, repeated post-long-ride, then with high heat/humidity, then post ride with heat/humidity) is a good idea, so that you know what is the range you play with.
- start training for elevated temperature gradually. Get out and ride during the hotter part of the day (remember a very good sunscreen and plenty of fluid), starting with short ride and possibly with some support available (husband, friend, etc). Increase the distance gradually, and learn what amount of fluid you need for different distances - and when you need to use electrolyte replacement or food. It is a very good idea to start with small goals and build up. I have seen experienced cyclists (racers) start heat training with a 10 mile ride, and increase the distance very slowly.
Ask around here and on the bike forums - a lot of people that ride the HH100 will reply with good advice.
Good luck!

[Tri Girl]

Are you acclimated to the heat yet? I know that I'm not, and the other day when it was 100, I really struggled to get in 20 (and I'm in good cycling shape). The heat can really zap you. One thing that I've found helpful in especially hot conditions is to use endurolytes http://www.hammernutrition.com/za/HN...0047&AMI=10104
I started using them when tri training, and now I use them ALL the time in the heat. Every endurance athlete I know swears by them.
Doesn't mean I won't have trouble, but I know for certain that it helps me maintain my stamina/endurance in the heat. I take 2 an hour.

I'm not trying to push drugs here, but that's what helps me in the heat.


I think you did quite well. Really, going 56 in that heat when your longest ride has been 30 is impressive. Really.

[tulip]

What is with these posts saying that "I failed/I suck/I'm horrible?" It's just a ride, people!

Like everyone else said, you did not fail.

Please, let's try to phrase things a bit more positively. Set a healthy example for our kids, etc.

[sundial]

Babynoahsmom, the humidity has been extremely bad lately and it's enough to make even the best riders cry uncle. Please don't be so hard on yourself. That was an excellent ride considering our area has been under a heat advisory.

FWIW, the officials shortened the ride this year at the Sea Otter Classic because the temps were in the 90's. Some of the top pros were dropping like flies due to the heat.

[papaver]

Can you change your title from 'I Failed' into 'I tried'???

[babynoahsmom]

Thanks for the good advice. No, I am not going to change the title. What ever happened with it being ok to fail? I set a goal, I did not make it. I failed. So what? I will take something away from this in the end. I have gotten some great advice and I will do better next time. I have four boys. I think if you teach your kids they will fail sometimes, they will be prepared and understand how to handle it and move forward. Life is not all roses and winning. Life is not always positive either. I think it is a better example to my boys to say Mommy set s goal and didn't make it, but I am learning from it. My nine year old son is becoming a very strong little rider. I think by speaking openly with him aobut my triumphs and my failures, he may learn that just because you don't make your goal the first time, that is ok and you should try again. And to TxDoc, I am a nurse and I plan on talking to my doc tomorrow. I am pretty sure I wiped out my electrolytes.

[jobob]

The longest ride I have done so far was a 30, but there were a lot of hills and I thought it would be easy to do a sixty flat. How could I have trained to have been able to tolerate the heat?

Your only "failure"
-- and I'm only using that term because you insist on using it and I'm with everyone else, I sure as heck don't consider what you accomplished a failure, hence the quotation marks
-- is that, based on what you told us, you may not have prepared adequately for this event.

Like everyone else said, you have to train yourself to get up to these kinds of distances -- a metric century is a long ride!! -- and if you're riding in the heat you have to ride a lot in the heat to get your body accustomed to it. And to know what kinds of foods work best for you in the heat, and how much electrolyle you need to consume. Et cetera. Tx Doc's post above had excellent suggestions.

And heat can affect even well-trained people in a pretty unpredictable manner.

I wrote in very glowing terms about my friends melissam and dachshund in another thread, and the super-tough ride they did in the heat yesterday (which I might add they had to train for a good long time to be able to do).

Now, where we live in the San Francisco Bay area, it doesn't get super-hot very often -- plus our idea of super-hot might not hold a candle to your idea of super-hot (bad pun, sorry). For one thing, it generally doesn't get very humid out here. Certainly not like the east coast's version of humid!

That said, we had one guy on that training ride yesterday who had to bail out about 2/3 rds into the ride. To put it simply, the heat got to him. He is by no stretch of the imagination a quitter, he has done many strenuous bike rides (and run marathons!!) in the past. He had trained well leading up to this ride. But once in a while stuff happens and our bodies don't cooperate the way we want. He was bummed to have to end his ride when he did, but he's also experienced enough to know that sometimes that is the very best option (and at times, the only sane option).

So all I'm saying is, it happens to the best of them. Please don't beat yourself up for not finishing the ride. You'll learn from it, and if you want, you'll do another, and hopefully you'll be better prepared for it and it'll be a breeze, comparatively speaking.

[babynoahsmom]

That was the thing about yesterday, not only was it hot, but the humidity was awful. When there was a breexe, it felt like a blow dryer hitting you in the face. I will probably look for another long ride in the fall when it is not so hot, and do a lot of training in the mean time.

[uforgot]

Holy Cow! Over 50 miles in this humidity? I've been here my entire life and it still wipes me out. I think you made the right decision to not push on. You could have pushed yourself too much. I had a dance performance in an un-airconditioned gym on Friday and I'm still wiped out. I was suppose to do a ride in St. Louis yesterday but just couldn't do it. Tell me, how are you feeling today? I bet you are tired, aren't you? The humidity has been unreal this week. Heat index has been way over 100 for several days.

Instead of I failed, how about renaming this thread "I'm smart". Pyannyplayer was at that ride. Maybe you could pm her and see how it went with others?

Here at TE we never allow others to think they fail, and we encourage bike purchases!

Edit: Oh, yeah, and of course, I just have to say it..."It's not the heat, it's the humidity!" Welcome to Missouri!

[malkin]

Training ride through a volcanic eruption?
Or possibly on the sun...

Then you could blame any difficulty on equipment failure, because I'll bet you'd need really special tires to get through a lava flow.

[babynoahsmom]

No volcanoes here in Arkansas! Just lots and lots of hot pavement. I am just now starting to feel better. I am tired, but starting to think about maybe riding for a while tomorrow evening when it cools down. I have emailed one of the organizers of the ride to find out if they know how many drop-outs they had. I need to clean my bike. Seems she has quite a lot of poweraide splatter on her. Maybe she drank more thanI did??? I would love to hear from anyone else that was on that ride with me.