31 Mile Ride

[Hud]

Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance is
a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled country roads to a
small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather
was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a beautiful day for cycling. The
ride was on country roads with very low traffic. Two miles of the trip was
on gravel, a new experience for me. The bike handled it well. I made it to
Harpster and stopped for a ham and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the
Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn it off on the return ride.

The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy. After
eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the first 10
miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some water and,
man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I drank as much as I
could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles from home I hit a
wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already cycled 29 miles in
the heat, my water was hot and my energy level plummeted. I stopped in the
shade of a tree by the road and poured the hot water from my bottle over my
head. Man! It felt great. Really cooled me down. I got back on the bike,
grinded out the last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked my
Cateye computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of Ice
Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.

[Roger Zoul]

"Hud" <hud_ohio@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:47096cc8$0$26390$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance
> is

Yeah, 90degrees in the shade can be a lot hotter when you're out under the
sun!

I like to do my rides in the early AM...or at least start them then.

Good job.

[ufatbastehd]

On Oct 7, 7:33 pm, "Hud" <hud_o...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance is
> a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled country roads to a
> small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather
> was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a beautiful day for cycling. The
> ride was on country roads with very low traffic. Two miles of the trip was
> on gravel, a new experience for me. The bike handled it well. I made it to
> Harpster and stopped for a ham and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the
> Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn it off on the return ride.
>
> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy. After
> eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the first 10
> miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some water and,
> man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I drank as much as I
> could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles from home I hit a
> wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already cycled 29 miles in
> the heat, my water was hot and my energy level plummeted. I stopped in the
> shade of a tree by the road and poured the hot water from my bottle over my
> head. Man! It felt great. Really cooled me down. I got back on the bike,
> grinded out the last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked my
> Cateye computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of Ice
> Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.

congrats

[Justa Lurker]

Hud wrote:
> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this
> distance is a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled
> country roads to a small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2
> miles away. The weather was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a
> beautiful day for cycling. The ride was on country roads with very low
> traffic. Two miles of the trip was on gravel, a new experience for me.
> The bike handled it well. I made it to Harpster and stopped for a ham
> and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the Kwikmart. I figured I'd
> burn it off on the return ride.
>
> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy.
> After eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the
> first 10 miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some
> water and, man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I
> drank as much as I could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles
> from home I hit a wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already
> cycled 29 miles in the heat, my water was hot and my energy level
> plummeted. I stopped in the shade of a tree by the road and poured the
> hot water from my bottle over my head. Man! It felt great. Really
> cooled me down. I got back on the bike, grinded out the last few miles
> and pulled into the driveway. I checked my Cateye computer and it
> assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of Ice Mountain water
> later, I felt pretty good.

Good for you ! Ohio has some nice areas for biking. Personally, I've
really enjoyed rides on the Sippo Valley Trail from Dalton to Massillon,
the Ohio Canalway from Clinton to Navarre, and the Holmes County Trail
from Fredericksburg to Millersburg....along with some road biking around
Wooster and Apple Creek. Google Maps indicates that Harpster OH is not
all that far away on the other side of I-71 so perhaps you're familiar
with some or all of them. Highly recommended.

Once again, congratulations on the ride today and here's to many more
happy & safe miles.

[Tom Keats]

In article <47096cc8$0$26390$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
"Hud" <hud_ohio@yahoo.com> writes:
> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance is
> a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled country roads to a
> small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather
> was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a beautiful day for cycling. The
> ride was on country roads with very low traffic. Two miles of the trip was
> on gravel, a new experience for me. The bike handled it well. I made it to
> Harpster and stopped for a ham and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the
> Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn it off on the return ride.
>
> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy. After
> eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the first 10
> miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some water and,
> man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I drank as much as I
> could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles from home I hit a
> wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already cycled 29 miles in
> the heat, my water was hot and my energy level plummeted. I stopped in the
> shade of a tree by the road and poured the hot water from my bottle over my
> head. Man! It felt great. Really cooled me down. I got back on the bike,
> grinded out the last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked my
> Cateye computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of Ice
> Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That's what it's all about.

Well done.

I expect you're hooked now. Especially if you're
eager to do it again.

I envy you your heat. I thrive on it, myself.
Mad dogs 'n cyclists, I guess. Summer is pretty
much over here, in my neck o' the woods.
I miss summer already.

As for that "wall" you hit, I wonder if that was
largely psychological? After all, this ride was
a milestone for you. Now that you physically,
tangibly know that it can be done, I think that
particular wall will disappear. I bet you're
already figuring out ways to adapt to your riding
environment -- to deal with heat, hydration, etc.
And rather than dumping a bunch of unsolicited
advice on ya, I'll just leave ya to it. While
one of the great pleasures of cycling is triumphing
over challenges (as you did with your long ride,)
another is to develop one's own personal adaptations
and style.

You're doin' good.


cheers, & put ice cubes in your water bottle :-)
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[limeylew@gmail.com]

On Oct 7, 6:33 pm, "Hud" <hud_o...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance is
> a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled country roads to a
> small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather
> was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a beautiful day for cycling. The
> ride was on country roads with very low traffic. Two miles of the trip was
> on gravel, a new experience for me. The bike handled it well. I made it to
> Harpster and stopped for a ham and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the
> Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn it off on the return ride.
>
> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy. After
> eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the first 10
> miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some water and,
> man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I drank as much as I
> could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles from home I hit a
> wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already cycled 29 miles in
> the heat, my water was hot and my energy level plummeted. I stopped in the
> shade of a tree by the road and poured the hot water from my bottle over my
> head. Man! It felt great. Really cooled me down. I got back on the bike,
> grinded out the last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked my
> Cateye computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of Ice
> Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.

Well done.

Now, if you put an old sock around your water bottle and keep it
wetted down, you will have cool water to drink.

Lewis.

*****

[smokeystrodtman@gmail.com]

On Oct 7, 6:33 pm, "Hud" <hud_o...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance is
> a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled country roads to a
> small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather
> was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a beautiful day for cycling. The
> ride was on country roads with very low traffic. Two miles of the trip was
> on gravel, a new experience for me. The bike handled it well. I made it to
> Harpster and stopped for a ham and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the
> Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn it off on the return ride.
>
> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy. After
> eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the first 10
> miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some water and,
> man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I drank as much as I
> could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles from home I hit a
> wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already cycled 29 miles in
> the heat, my water was hot and my energy level plummeted. I stopped in the
> shade of a tree by the road and poured the hot water from my bottle over my
> head. Man! It felt great. Really cooled me down. I got back on the bike,
> grinded out the last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked my
> Cateye computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of Ice
> Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.

Congratulations on your ride, here's hoping you have many more. I
remember the first time I went over 50 miles, it was tremendous
feeling of accomplishment. Next I need to do a metric century. One tip
on your water: You might want to try one of the Polar insulated
bottles. I have two of them and they really do a good job, especially
if you put some ice cubes in with your water.

Smokey

[Jorg Lueke]

On Oct 8, 12:33 am, "Hud" <hud_o...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance is
> a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled country roads to a
> small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather
> was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a beautiful day for cycling. The
> ride was on country roads with very low traffic. Two miles of the trip was
> on gravel, a new experience for me. The bike handled it well. I made it to
> Harpster and stopped for a ham and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the
> Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn it off on the return ride.
>
> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy. After
> eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the first 10
> miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some water and,
> man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I drank as much as I
> could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles from home I hit a
> wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already cycled 29 miles in
> the heat, my water was hot and my energy level plummeted. I stopped in the
> shade of a tree by the road and poured the hot water from my bottle over my
> head. Man! It felt great. Really cooled me down. I got back on the bike,
> grinded out the last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked my
> Cateye computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of Ice
> Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.

Congrats on the ride! One thing I do is drink in smaller doses
throughout the ride. But 31 miles is around the time I need some
carbs too to avoid just crashing. Since you're burning a lot of
calories a granola bar and fruit half way through won't hurt a bit.

[Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®]

"Hud" <hud_ohio@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:47096cc8$0$26390$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance
> is a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled country roads to
> a small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2 miles away. The
> weather was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a beautiful day for
> cycling. The ride was on country roads with very low traffic. Two miles
> of the trip was on gravel, a new experience for me. The bike handled it
> well. I made it to Harpster and stopped for a ham and cheese sandwich and
> a cold Pepsi at the Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn it off on the return
> ride.
>
> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy.
> After eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the first
> 10 miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some water and,
> man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I drank as much as
> I could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles from home I hit a
> wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already cycled 29 miles in
> the heat, my water was hot and my energy level plummeted. I stopped in
> the shade of a tree by the road and poured the hot water from my bottle
> over my head. Man! It felt great. Really cooled me down. I got back on
> the bike, grinded out the last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I
> checked my Cateye computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four
> bottles of Ice Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.


Awesome.

Congrats to Cleveland Indians!

[Dana Myers]

Hud wrote:
> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this
> distance is a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record.

Outstanding! It wasn't that long ago for me that a 20-mile ride
was an accomplishment - I remember it well. I'm still pretty much
a novice cyclist, really; most weeks I average 100 miles or so, and
I'm comfortable with 65 miles in 4 hours on relatively level terrain.
I *did* manage to come in a solid 580th place this weekend in the
Mount Diablo Challenge (out of 1000 riders :-)).

> I pedaled country roads to a small Ohio town called Harpster, which
> is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit
> hot but a beautiful day for cycling.

Some folks like heat, but you have to be *extremely* careful about
staying hydrated. You probably want to consume about 1 liter/hour
of water with electrolytes under these conditions (or perhaps more).
Dehydration can sneak up on you and really knock you down.

> Two miles of the trip was on gravel, a new experience for me.

In my book, that effectively adds at least a half-mile compared to
riding on pavement :-)

> The bike handled it well. I made it to Harpster and stopped for a ham
> and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the Kwikmart. I figured I'd
> burn it off on the return ride.

It's good you're thinking about fuel - more about that later.

> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy.
> After eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the
> first 10 miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some
> water and, man-o-man, it was hot!

More about hydration:

So - how often were you drinking water along the way? You probably
wanted to be drinking about one 20-ounce bottle of water with
electrolytes every hour, and *doing* so before you felt thirsty.
Drink often, like 3-4oz every 10 minutes, and take advantages of
opportunities to refill. That way, even without ice, the water isn't
likely to be as hot.

When I say "water with electrolytes", that could mean sport drink,
it could mean adding electrolyte packets to your water bottle, or it
could mean sucking down gels and chasing with water; more on this later.

> The sun baked my water bottle. I
> drank as much as I could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles
> from home I hit a wall. I think it's called bonking out.

You probably weren't bonking the way that the term is usually used.
Bonking/hitting the wall usually means running out of carbs, this
happens when you've depleted your muscle reserves, and almost
certainly takes further than 30 miles.

I suspect you were getting dehydrated; the first thing that
happens is that your body starts to run hot, and then you
start feeling tired-out pretty quickly. Research suggests
losing like 1% of your body weight in water is enough to start
running hot, and losing 2% can be enough to bring on the feelings
of exhaustion. Losing 2-3 pounds of water sounds like a lot, but
keep in mind, one 20oz water bottle is over 1 pound of water alone.

> I had already
> cycled 29 miles in the heat, my water was hot and my energy level
> plummeted. I stopped in the shade of a tree by the road and poured the
> hot water from my bottle over my head. Man! It felt great. Really
> cooled me down. I got back on the bike, grinded out the last few miles
> and pulled into the driveway. I checked my Cateye computer and it
> assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of Ice Mountain water
> later, I felt pretty good.

Heh. So consume that water during the ride next time and you might
not start to poop out as badly :-)

An outstanding accomplishment! Next thing you know, you'll be
reporting on the metric century you rode.

Now, about fueling - it's related to hydration. There's a lot of
advice and information about fueling and it can be difficult to
sort through it all. There are a few basic rules that seem to work
well for me.

- Just before and during a longer ride, you really want to fuel
on carbs. Sport drinks, Clif bars, gels, stuff that's high in
simple carbs and low in fat and protein. You want stuff that'll
make it into your gut and into your blood pretty quickly.

- You're probably capable of metabolizing about 250-350 calories
(kcal) an hour, so that's a decent intake rate to aim at - you'll
probably need it.

- Muscle reserves of usable carbs represent something like 1500-
2000 kcal, if you're eating properly in general.

- Burn rate is highly variable depending on weight, pace, incline,
wind, heat, etc., so you won't come up with an exact number for
any given ride. There are a number of calculators out there
that give a reasonable ball-park number (such as
http://www.kreuzotter.de/english/espeed.htm )

- Once you plug some numbers into an energy calculator, you'll quickly
realize that, at anything above a moderate pace, you'll burn more than
400 calories/hour while riding, more than you can replenish at the
same time. At the same time, if you're not riding at a really
strenuous pace, your muscle reserves will probably make up the
difference for at *least* 4 or 5 hours.

You can achieve both the fueling and hydration goals by (a) using
sport drinks or (b) by taking a handful of gels with you and drinking
water. I find that I prefer gels for longer rides, because that way
I can use any source of drinking water and don't have to pack a lot of
sport drink, but I prefer sport drink for shorter rides (1-2 hours)
because I don't have to mess with the gel packets (I just carry
two water bottles loaded with sport drink).

That ham and cheese sandwich probably wasn't hitting your gut until
after you were home - it just takes that much longer to digest.
During a ride, favor carb sources; before the ride, you might start
with a big bowl of cereal. My favorite pre-ride fuel lately has been
Cream of Wheat, 45-60 minutes before a ride, which provides a longer-
burning base of carbs.

Great ride!
Dana

[Hud]

"Tom Keats" <tkeats2005@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:r7vbef.jb1.ln@vcn.bc.ca...
> In article <47096cc8$0$26390$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
> "Hud" <hud_ohio@yahoo.com> writes:
>> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance
>> is
>> a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled country roads to a
>> small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather
>> was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a beautiful day for cycling.
>> The
>> ride was on country roads with very low traffic. Two miles of the trip
>> was
>> on gravel, a new experience for me. The bike handled it well. I made it
>> to
>> Harpster and stopped for a ham and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at
>> the
>> Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn it off on the return ride.
>>
>> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy.
>> After
>> eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the first 10
>> miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some water and,
>> man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I drank as much
>> as I
>> could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles from home I hit a
>> wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already cycled 29 miles in
>> the heat, my water was hot and my energy level plummeted. I stopped in
>> the
>> shade of a tree by the road and poured the hot water from my bottle over
>> my
>> head. Man! It felt great. Really cooled me down. I got back on the
>> bike,
>> grinded out the last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked
>> my
>> Cateye computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of
>> Ice
>> Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> That's what it's all about.
>
> Well done.
>
> I expect you're hooked now. Especially if you're
> eager to do it again.
>
> I envy you your heat. I thrive on it, myself.
> Mad dogs 'n cyclists, I guess. Summer is pretty
> much over here, in my neck o' the woods.
> I miss summer already.
>
> As for that "wall" you hit, I wonder if that was
> largely psychological? After all, this ride was
> a milestone for you. Now that you physically,
> tangibly know that it can be done, I think that
> particular wall will disappear. I bet you're
> already figuring out ways to adapt to your riding
> environment -- to deal with heat, hydration, etc.
> And rather than dumping a bunch of unsolicited
> advice on ya, I'll just leave ya to it. While
> one of the great pleasures of cycling is triumphing
> over challenges (as you did with your long ride,)
> another is to develop one's own personal adaptations
> and style.
>
> You're doin' good.
>
>
> cheers, & put ice cubes in your water bottle :-)
> Tom
>
> --
> Nothing is safe from me.
> I'm really at:
> tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca


I've figured out that I should've refilled my water bottle with cold water
when I had the chance. Another option is to keep my water bottle in my
storage pack with one of those goo filled plastic things that freeze in the
freezer and stay frozen for hours. And, of course, I could've went in the
morning when it was cooler instead of taking off at 1:40 in the afternoon on
such a hot day. Yes, I'm an hooked. I can't wait to do it again.

[Tom Keats]

In article <47098da7$0$24282$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
"Hud" <hud_ohio@yahoo.com> writes:

> I've figured out that I should've refilled my water bottle with cold water
> when I had the chance. Another option is to keep my water bottle in my
> storage pack with one of those goo filled plastic things that freeze in the
> freezer and stay frozen for hours. And, of course, I could've went in the
> morning when it was cooler instead of taking off at 1:40 in the afternoon on
> such a hot day. Yes, I'm an hooked. I can't wait to do it again.

One thing I've yet to learn is whether or not
the ice from a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine is free.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Paul Myron Hobson]

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article <47098da7$0$24282$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
> "Hud" <hud_ohio@yahoo.com> writes:
>
>> I've figured out that I should've refilled my water bottle with cold water
>> when I had the chance. Another option is to keep my water bottle in my
>> storage pack with one of those goo filled plastic things that freeze in the
>> freezer and stay frozen for hours. And, of course, I could've went in the
>> morning when it was cooler instead of taking off at 1:40 in the afternoon on
>> such a hot day. Yes, I'm an hooked. I can't wait to do it again.
>
> One thing I've yet to learn is whether or not
> the ice from a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine is free.

A cup full of ice at QuickTrip is 16 cents here in the Dirty Souf.


\\paul

[peter]

On Oct 7, 6:55 pm, tkeats2...@hotmail.com (Tom Keats) wrote:
> In article <47098da7$0$24282$4c368...@roadrunner.com>,
> "Hud" <hud_o...@yahoo.com> writes:
>
> > I've figured out that I should've refilled my water bottle with cold water
> > when I had the chance. Another option is to keep my water bottle in my
> > storage pack with one of those goo filled plastic things that freeze in the
> > freezer and stay frozen for hours. And, of course, I could've went in the
> > morning when it was cooler instead of taking off at 1:40 in the afternoon on
> > such a hot day. Yes, I'm an hooked. I can't wait to do it again.
>
> One thing I've yet to learn is whether or not
> the ice from a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine is free.

I've never been refused yet on polite requests to fill up my
waterbottle using the ice from a soda machine. Most of them do also
have a way of giving cold water - look for a little extra lever by the
lemonade or orange drink dispenser. I put in as much ice as it'll
hold and then top off with water.

[smn]

<smokeystrodtman@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191811627.625764.14230@g4g2000hsf.googlegrou ps.com...
> On Oct 7, 6:33 pm, "Hud" <hud_o...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance
>> is
>> a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record. I pedaled country roads to a
>> small Ohio town called Harpster, which is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather
>> was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit hot but a beautiful day for cycling.
>> The
>> ride was on country roads with very low traffic. Two miles of the trip
>> was
>> on gravel, a new experience for me. The bike handled it well. I made it
>> to
>> Harpster and stopped for a ham and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at
>> the
>> Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn it off on the return ride.
>>
>> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy.
>> After
>> eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the first 10
>> miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some water and,
>> man-o-man, it was hot! The sun baked my water bottle. I drank as much
>> as I
>> could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles from home I hit a
>> wall. I think it's called bonking out. I had already cycled 29 miles in
>> the heat, my water was hot and my energy level plummeted. I stopped in
>> the
>> shade of a tree by the road and poured the hot water from my bottle over
>> my
>> head. Man! It felt great. Really cooled me down. I got back on the
>> bike,
>> grinded out the last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked
>> my
>> Cateye computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of
>> Ice
>> Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.
>
> Congratulations on your ride, here's hoping you have many more. I
> remember the first time I went over 50 miles, it was tremendous
> feeling of accomplishment. Next I need to do a metric century. One tip
> on your water: You might want to try one of the Polar insulated
> bottles. I have two of them and they really do a good job, especially
> if you put some ice cubes in with your water.
>
> Smokey

On a long ride like that you are going to have to freeze the whole bottle of
water and bring two. Oranges are good for thirst and electrolytes. You
will not bonk unless you are carrying around too much fat and working harder
than you should.

Man I wish it was 90 here. We don't even get that in the summer.

[Tom Keats]

In article <%DhOi.1961$Da.1695@pd7urf1no>,
"smn" <shirleyn10@excite.com> writes:

> On a long ride like that you are going to have to freeze the whole bottle of
> water and bring two. Oranges are good for thirst and electrolytes.

Peeling an orange whilst awheel might be somewhat of
a challenge. And then, what does one do with the rind?
I suppose, being organic, if you toss 'em, the crows 'n
rats will get them, sooner or later.

I guess one could pre-juice some oranges and put it all
in a bottle. Maybe throw in some grapefruit juice just
to perk things up a bit. Get yer non-dairy calcium.
A bland base of papaya juice supporting some orange/grapefruit
stuff and stepped-on with a squish of lime just to give it
some pizazz might just do the trick. One of these days
I'll have to try it. I wonder if there's a Malibu[tm] version?

> You
> will not bonk unless you are carrying around too much fat and working harder
> than you should.

Some folks where I work have these water bottles --
they're cobalt blue, have a cinched-in waist, and
some sort of inner core which can be filled with
water and frozen, thereby keeping the outer liquid
water cool. They wouldn't fit in a bike bottle cage,
though. That's okay for me, 'cuz I just huck 'em in
the milk crate (within reach behind me) anyways.

> Man I wish it was 90 here. We don't even get that in the summer.

I hear ya.

You will not bonk unless you've starved for a couple of days
and attempted a double century.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Hud]

"Tom Keats" <tkeats2005@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c0acef.0m1.ln@vcn.bc.ca...
> In article <%DhOi.1961$Da.1695@pd7urf1no>,
> "smn" <shirleyn10@excite.com> writes:
>
>> On a long ride like that you are going to have to freeze the whole bottle
>> of
>> water and bring two. Oranges are good for thirst and electrolytes.
>
> Peeling an orange whilst awheel might be somewhat of
> a challenge. And then, what does one do with the rind?
> I suppose, being organic, if you toss 'em, the crows 'n
> rats will get them, sooner or later.
>
> I guess one could pre-juice some oranges and put it all
> in a bottle. Maybe throw in some grapefruit juice just
> to perk things up a bit. Get yer non-dairy calcium.
> A bland base of papaya juice supporting some orange/grapefruit
> stuff and stepped-on with a squish of lime just to give it
> some pizazz might just do the trick. One of these days
> I'll have to try it. I wonder if there's a Malibu[tm] version?
>
>> You
>> will not bonk unless you are carrying around too much fat and working
>> harder
>> than you should.
>
> Some folks where I work have these water bottles --
> they're cobalt blue, have a cinched-in waist, and
> some sort of inner core which can be filled with
> water and frozen, thereby keeping the outer liquid
> water cool. They wouldn't fit in a bike bottle cage,
> though. That's okay for me, 'cuz I just huck 'em in
> the milk crate (within reach behind me) anyways.
>
>> Man I wish it was 90 here. We don't even get that in the summer.
>
> I hear ya.
>
> You will not bonk unless you've starved for a couple of days
> and attempted a double century.
>
>
> cheers,
> Tom
>
> --
> Nothing is safe from me.
> I'm really at:
> tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

Anyone here ever cycled after a day of fasting? How'd it go? I read
somewhere the metabolism doesn't slow down until after about three days.

[smn]

Peeling an orange whilst awheel might be somewhat of
a challenge. And then, what does one do with the rind?
I suppose, being organic, if you toss 'em, the crows 'n
rats will get them, sooner or later.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<,,

You can cut them up and put them in a baggie like I do for my basketball
team. Buy organic oranges if you want to be enviro conscious. Tastes 100
percent better anyway. put the rind back in the bag. I have a handlebar
bag for things I need on the run non stop I guess but I take breaks. I am
not out to kill myself. I want to enjoy another day and another and
another. Otherwise no use doing it.

[Tom Keats]

In article <fecg3c$p0u$1@news-int.gatech.edu>,
Paul Myron Hobson <phobson@gatech.edu> writes:
> Tom Keats wrote:
>> In article <47098da7$0$24282$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
>> "Hud" <hud_ohio@yahoo.com> writes:
>>
>>> I've figured out that I should've refilled my water bottle with cold water
>>> when I had the chance. Another option is to keep my water bottle in my
>>> storage pack with one of those goo filled plastic things that freeze in the
>>> freezer and stay frozen for hours. And, of course, I could've went in the
>>> morning when it was cooler instead of taking off at 1:40 in the afternoon on
>>> such a hot day. Yes, I'm an hooked. I can't wait to do it again.
>>
>> One thing I've yet to learn is whether or not
>> the ice from a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine is free.
>
> A cup full of ice at QuickTrip is 16 cents here in the Dirty Souf.

That sux. It should be free.

Anyways, when I said "Slurpee" I meant "Big Gulp."
Same diff, I guess. But I opine we should be allowed
to hike our water bottles up to the Big Gulp machine
and load 'em up with free ice. Then take 'em outside
and load 'em up with free water from the gas station hose.
Damn 7-Eleven to perdition anyways, for concocting
those horrid Hoagies which can't be rendered tastebudworthy,
even with any excess quantity of condiments. All that
7-Elevens are good for is providing shady vagrants with
parking lots to congregate in.

I'd also like to be allowed to enter a cinema lobby without
buying a movie ticket, just to access the Coke fountain.
Sometimes maybe the Orange Crush fountain.

Cinemas should have the concessions more street-accessible
than the tix box.


16 cents?! So you give 'em a couple of dimes and they
give you back 4 pennies to wear a hole in your jeans pocket.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Paul Myron Hobson]

Tom Keats wrote:
>> Tom Keats wrote:
>>> One thing I've yet to learn is whether or not
>>> the ice from a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine is free.

> In article <fecg3c$p0u$1@news-int.gatech.edu>,
> Paul Myron Hobson <phobson@gatech.edu> writes:
>> A cup full of ice at QuickTrip is 16 cents here in the Dirty Souf.

Paul Myron Hobson <phobson@gatech.edu> writes:
> That sux. It should be free.
[snip]
> 16 cents?! So you give 'em a couple of dimes and they
> give you back 4 pennies to wear a hole in your jeans pocket.

Well to be fair, they have that oh-so-wonderful crushed 'baseball' ice
that you seem to only find there, at Zaxby's, and little league
concession stands. Also the cups are reusable (at home or QT).

Come to think of it, you might actually be paying for the cup. I'll
take my own cup in next time and see if it's free ;)

\\paul

[Dan Becker]

In article <470a3dc4$0$32549$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>, Hud
<hud_ohio@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Anyone here ever cycled after a day of fasting? How'd it go? I read
> somewhere the metabolism doesn't slow down until after about three days.

Marian Rosenberg had a recent post/thread on her experiences with a
mountain bike race during a fast. See the thread "Easy Fast" in
rec.bicycles.racing, 9/32/07. Message ID from a Google Newsgroup
search: <1190571337.298051.325060@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups. com>

Dan

[Tom Keats]

In article <470a3dc4$0$32549$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
"Hud" <hud_ohio@yahoo.com> writes:
> A
> "Tom Keats" <tkeats2005@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:c0acef.0m1.ln@vcn.bc.ca...
>> In article <%DhOi.1961$Da.1695@pd7urf1no>,
>> "smn" <shirleyn10@excite.com> writes:

>> You will not bonk unless you've starved for a couple of days
>> and attempted a double century.

> Anyone here ever cycled after a day of fasting?

Yes, but rather than "fasting" I call it "being broke."

> How'd it go?

One notable time was a couple of years ago when I was
doing construction labour. I was running with my
physiological gas gauge on "E" the whole day.
Handbombing crush gravel backfill in an excavated
building foundation. At the end of the day I scraped
together just enough pocket change for a bottle of Coke
from the gas station next door, just for the calories
to ride home.

That was one of the best bottles of Coke I ever had.

Periodically not eating screws-up one's regularity,
and I highly recommend /against/ fasting. It's damaging.

> I read
> somewhere the metabolism doesn't slow down until after about three days.

My metabolism never slows down. I have the metabolism
of an hummingbird. I guess that's largely because bike
riding is such an integral part of my lifestyle.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[marian.rosenberg@gmail.com]

On Oct 9, 8:01 am, Dan Becker <No...@address.invalid> wrote:
> In article <470a3dc4$0$32549$4c368...@roadrunner.com>, Hud
>
> <hud_o...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Anyone here ever cycled after a day of fasting? How'd it go? I read
> > somewhere the metabolism doesn't slow down until after about three days.
>
> Marian Rosenberg had a recent post/thread on her experiences with a
> mountain bike race during a fast. See the thread "Easy Fast" in
> rec.bicycles.racing, 9/32/07. Message ID from a Google Newsgroup
> search: <1190571337.298051.325...@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups. com>
>
> Dan

A while back I had elevation sickness badly enough to need
supplemental oxygen. In trying to describe this feeling to others the
best analogy I could come up with was 'like really low blood sugar,
only worse.'

When I had a mountain bike race during the Yom Kippur fast I came to
the conclusion that really really low blood sugar is sort of like
oxygen deprivation, only worse.

-M

[Roger Zoul]

Tom Keats wrote:

:: Periodically not eating screws-up one's regularity,
:: and I highly recommend /against/ fasting. It's damaging.

Why? It really depends on what you mean by fasting and how long one does
it.

[Bruce Gilbert]

<marian.rosenberg@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191920555.675604.14660@v3g2000hsg.googlegrou ps.com...
> On Oct 9, 8:01 am, Dan Becker <No...@address.invalid> wrote:
> > In article <470a3dc4$0$32549$4c368...@roadrunner.com>, Hud
> >
> > <hud_o...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > Anyone here ever cycled after a day of fasting? How'd it go? I read
> > > somewhere the metabolism doesn't slow down until after about three
days.
> >
> > Marian Rosenberg had a recent post/thread on her experiences with a
> > mountain bike race during a fast. See the thread "Easy Fast" in
> > rec.bicycles.racing, 9/32/07. Message ID from a Google Newsgroup
> > search: <1190571337.298051.325...@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups. com>
> >
> > Dan
>
> A while back I had elevation sickness badly enough to need
> supplemental oxygen. In trying to describe this feeling to others the
> best analogy I could come up with was 'like really low blood sugar,
> only worse.'
>
> When I had a mountain bike race during the Yom Kippur fast I came to
> the conclusion that really really low blood sugar is sort of like
> oxygen deprivation, only worse.
>
> -M
>

Marian,

Try finding Kosher l' Pesach energy foods. What's not tref will make you
bonk...
Bruce

[marian.rosenberg@gmail.com]

On Oct 9, 8:37 pm, "Bruce Gilbert" <bgilbertREM...@hal-pc.org> wrote:
> <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1191920555.675604.14660@v3g2000hsg.googlegrou ps.com...
>
>
>
> > On Oct 9, 8:01 am, Dan Becker <No...@address.invalid> wrote:
> > > In article <470a3dc4$0$32549$4c368...@roadrunner.com>, Hud
>
> > > <hud_o...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > > Anyone here ever cycled after a day of fasting? How'd it go? I read
> > > > somewhere the metabolism doesn't slow down until after about three
> days.
>
> > > Marian Rosenberg had a recent post/thread on her experiences with a
> > > mountain bike race during a fast. See the thread "Easy Fast" in
> > > rec.bicycles.racing, 9/32/07. Message ID from a Google Newsgroup
> > > search: <1190571337.298051.325...@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups. com>
>
> > > Dan
>
> > A while back I had elevation sickness badly enough to need
> > supplemental oxygen. In trying to describe this feeling to others the
> > best analogy I could come up with was 'like really low blood sugar,
> > only worse.'
>
> > When I had a mountain bike race during the Yom Kippur fast I came to
> > the conclusion that really really low blood sugar is sort of like
> > oxygen deprivation, only worse.
>
> > -M
>
> Marian,
>
> Try finding Kosher l' Pesach energy foods. What's not tref will make you
> bonk...
> Bruce

Pesach = no leaven for 7 days
Yom Kippur = no food or water for 24 hours

I was around 20 hours into this when I hit the starting line of a
mountain bike race.

-M

[Roger Zoul]

Dana Myers wrote:
:: Hud wrote:
::: Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this
::: distance is a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record.
::
:: Outstanding! It wasn't that long ago for me that a 20-mile ride
:: was an accomplishment - I remember it well. I'm still pretty much
:: a novice cyclist, really; most weeks I average 100 miles or so, and
:: I'm comfortable with 65 miles in 4 hours on relatively level terrain.
:: I *did* manage to come in a solid 580th place this weekend in the
:: Mount Diablo Challenge (out of 1000 riders :-)).
::
::: I pedaled country roads to a small Ohio town called Harpster, which
::: is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit
::: hot but a beautiful day for cycling.
::
:: Some folks like heat, but you have to be *extremely* careful about
:: staying hydrated. You probably want to consume about 1 liter/hour
:: of water with electrolytes under these conditions (or perhaps more).
:: Dehydration can sneak up on you and really knock you down.
::
::: Two miles of the trip was on gravel, a new experience for me.
::
:: In my book, that effectively adds at least a half-mile compared to
:: riding on pavement :-)
::
::: The bike handled it well. I made it to Harpster and stopped for a
::: ham and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the Kwikmart. I
::: figured I'd burn it off on the return ride.
::
:: It's good you're thinking about fuel - more about that later.
::
::: The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy.
::: After eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the
::: first 10 miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for
::: some water and, man-o-man, it was hot!
::
:: More about hydration:
::
:: So - how often were you drinking water along the way? You probably
:: wanted to be drinking about one 20-ounce bottle of water with
:: electrolytes every hour, and *doing* so before you felt thirsty.
:: Drink often, like 3-4oz every 10 minutes, and take advantages of
:: opportunities to refill. That way, even without ice, the water isn't
:: likely to be as hot.
::
:: When I say "water with electrolytes", that could mean sport drink,
:: it could mean adding electrolyte packets to your water bottle, or it
:: could mean sucking down gels and chasing with water; more on this
:: later.
::
::: The sun baked my water bottle. I
::: drank as much as I could stand and kept going. When I was about 2
::: miles from home I hit a wall. I think it's called bonking out.
::
:: You probably weren't bonking the way that the term is usually used.
:: Bonking/hitting the wall usually means running out of carbs, this
:: happens when you've depleted your muscle reserves, and almost
:: certainly takes further than 30 miles.
::
:: I suspect you were getting dehydrated; the first thing that
:: happens is that your body starts to run hot, and then you
:: start feeling tired-out pretty quickly. Research suggests
:: losing like 1% of your body weight in water is enough to start
:: running hot, and losing 2% can be enough to bring on the feelings
:: of exhaustion. Losing 2-3 pounds of water sounds like a lot, but
:: keep in mind, one 20oz water bottle is over 1 pound of water alone.
::
::: I had already
::: cycled 29 miles in the heat, my water was hot and my energy level
::: plummeted. I stopped in the shade of a tree by the road and poured
::: the hot water from my bottle over my head. Man! It felt great.
::: Really cooled me down. I got back on the bike, grinded out the
::: last few miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked my Cateye
::: computer and it assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of
::: Ice Mountain water later, I felt pretty good.
::
:: Heh. So consume that water during the ride next time and you might
:: not start to poop out as badly :-)
::
:: An outstanding accomplishment! Next thing you know, you'll be
:: reporting on the metric century you rode.
::
:: Now, about fueling - it's related to hydration. There's a lot of
:: advice and information about fueling and it can be difficult to
:: sort through it all. There are a few basic rules that seem to work
:: well for me.
::
:: - Just before and during a longer ride, you really want to fuel
:: on carbs. Sport drinks, Clif bars, gels, stuff that's high in
:: simple carbs and low in fat and protein. You want stuff that'll
:: make it into your gut and into your blood pretty quickly.
::
:: - You're probably capable of metabolizing about 250-350 calories
:: (kcal) an hour, so that's a decent intake rate to aim at - you'll
:: probably need it.
::
:: - Muscle reserves of usable carbs represent something like 1500-
:: 2000 kcal, if you're eating properly in general.
::
:: - Burn rate is highly variable depending on weight, pace, incline,
:: wind, heat, etc., so you won't come up with an exact number for
:: any given ride. There are a number of calculators out there
:: that give a reasonable ball-park number (such as
:: http://www.kreuzotter.de/english/espeed.htm )
::
:: - Once you plug some numbers into an energy calculator, you'll
:: quickly realize that, at anything above a moderate pace, you'll
:: burn more than 400 calories/hour while riding, more than you can
:: replenish at the same time. At the same time, if you're not
:: riding at a really strenuous pace, your muscle reserves will
:: probably make up the difference for at *least* 4 or 5 hours.
::
:: You can achieve both the fueling and hydration goals by (a) using
:: sport drinks or (b) by taking a handful of gels with you and drinking
:: water. I find that I prefer gels for longer rides, because that way
:: I can use any source of drinking water and don't have to pack a lot
:: of sport drink, but I prefer sport drink for shorter rides (1-2
:: hours) because I don't have to mess with the gel packets (I just
:: carry
:: two water bottles loaded with sport drink).
::
:: That ham and cheese sandwich probably wasn't hitting your gut until
:: after you were home - it just takes that much longer to digest.
:: During a ride, favor carb sources; before the ride, you might start
:: with a big bowl of cereal. My favorite pre-ride fuel lately has been
:: Cream of Wheat, 45-60 minutes before a ride, which provides a longer-
:: burning base of carbs.
::
:: Great ride!
:: Dana

Very nice post!

[Hud]

"Dana Myers" <dana.myers@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7oedncDIzM7SB5banZ2dnUVZ_oimnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> Hud wrote:
>> Today I rode further than I ever have - 31 miles. For some this distance
>> is a drop in the bucket; for me it's a record.
>
> Outstanding! It wasn't that long ago for me that a 20-mile ride
> was an accomplishment - I remember it well. I'm still pretty much
> a novice cyclist, really; most weeks I average 100 miles or so, and
> I'm comfortable with 65 miles in 4 hours on relatively level terrain.
> I *did* manage to come in a solid 580th place this weekend in the
> Mount Diablo Challenge (out of 1000 riders :-)).
>
>> I pedaled country roads to a small Ohio town called Harpster, which
> > is 15 1/2 miles away. The weather was sunny and 90-degrees...a bit
> > hot but a beautiful day for cycling.
>
> Some folks like heat, but you have to be *extremely* careful about
> staying hydrated. You probably want to consume about 1 liter/hour
> of water with electrolytes under these conditions (or perhaps more).
> Dehydration can sneak up on you and really knock you down.
>
>> Two miles of the trip was on gravel, a new experience for me.
>
> In my book, that effectively adds at least a half-mile compared to
> riding on pavement :-)
>
>> The bike handled it well. I made it to Harpster and stopped for a ham
>> and cheese sandwich and a cold Pepsi at the Kwikmart. I figured I'd burn
>> it off on the return ride.
>
> It's good you're thinking about fuel - more about that later.
>
>> The first 15-plus miles felt good. No problem for this 244 lb. guy.
>> After eating I got on my bike and headed back home. I felt good the
>> first 10 miles heading back but then got thirsty. I stopped for some
>> water and, man-o-man, it was hot!
>
> More about hydration:
>
> So - how often were you drinking water along the way? You probably
> wanted to be drinking about one 20-ounce bottle of water with
> electrolytes every hour, and *doing* so before you felt thirsty.
> Drink often, like 3-4oz every 10 minutes, and take advantages of
> opportunities to refill. That way, even without ice, the water isn't
> likely to be as hot.
>
> When I say "water with electrolytes", that could mean sport drink,
> it could mean adding electrolyte packets to your water bottle, or it
> could mean sucking down gels and chasing with water; more on this later.
>
> > The sun baked my water bottle. I
>> drank as much as I could stand and kept going. When I was about 2 miles
>> from home I hit a wall. I think it's called bonking out.
>
> You probably weren't bonking the way that the term is usually used.
> Bonking/hitting the wall usually means running out of carbs, this
> happens when you've depleted your muscle reserves, and almost
> certainly takes further than 30 miles.
>
> I suspect you were getting dehydrated; the first thing that
> happens is that your body starts to run hot, and then you
> start feeling tired-out pretty quickly. Research suggests
> losing like 1% of your body weight in water is enough to start
> running hot, and losing 2% can be enough to bring on the feelings
> of exhaustion. Losing 2-3 pounds of water sounds like a lot, but
> keep in mind, one 20oz water bottle is over 1 pound of water alone.
>
>> I had already cycled 29 miles in the heat, my water was hot and my
>> energy level plummeted. I stopped in the shade of a tree by the road and
>> poured the hot water from my bottle over my head. Man! It felt great.
>> Really cooled me down. I got back on the bike, grinded out the last few
>> miles and pulled into the driveway. I checked my Cateye computer and it
>> assured me I completed 31 miles. Four bottles of Ice Mountain water
>> later, I felt pretty good.
>
> Heh. So consume that water during the ride next time and you might
> not start to poop out as badly :-)
>
> An outstanding accomplishment! Next thing you know, you'll be
> reporting on the metric century you rode.
>
> Now, about fueling - it's related to hydration. There's a lot of
> advice and information about fueling and it can be difficult to
> sort through it all. There are a few basic rules that seem to work
> well for me.
>
> - Just before and during a longer ride, you really want to fuel
> on carbs. Sport drinks, Clif bars, gels, stuff that's high in
> simple carbs and low in fat and protein. You want stuff that'll
> make it into your gut and into your blood pretty quickly.
>
> - You're probably capable of metabolizing about 250-350 calories
> (kcal) an hour, so that's a decent intake rate to aim at - you'll
> probably need it.
>
> - Muscle reserves of usable carbs represent something like 1500-
> 2000 kcal, if you're eating properly in general.
>
> - Burn rate is highly variable depending on weight, pace, incline,
> wind, heat, etc., so you won't come up with an exact number for
> any given ride. There are a number of calculators out there
> that give a reasonable ball-park number (such as
> http://www.kreuzotter.de/english/espeed.htm )
>
> - Once you plug some numbers into an energy calculator, you'll quickly
> realize that, at anything above a moderate pace, you'll burn more than
> 400 calories/hour while riding, more than you can replenish at the
> same time. At the same time, if you're not riding at a really
> strenuous pace, your muscle reserves will probably make up the
> difference for at *least* 4 or 5 hours.
>
> You can achieve both the fueling and hydration goals by (a) using
> sport drinks or (b) by taking a handful of gels with you and drinking
> water. I find that I prefer gels for longer rides, because that way
> I can use any source of drinking water and don't have to pack a lot of
> sport drink, but I prefer sport drink for shorter rides (1-2 hours)
> because I don't have to mess with the gel packets (I just carry
> two water bottles loaded with sport drink).
>
> That ham and cheese sandwich probably wasn't hitting your gut until
> after you were home - it just takes that much longer to digest.
> During a ride, favor carb sources; before the ride, you might start
> with a big bowl of cereal. My favorite pre-ride fuel lately has been
> Cream of Wheat, 45-60 minutes before a ride, which provides a longer-
> burning base of carbs.
>
> Great ride!
> Dana

Thanks, Dana. There's a lot of good info in your post. A half hour ago I
finished that same 31 mile route. This time the temperature was in the 70's
and I completed the ride with no problems. I think you hit the nail on the
head when you said I was dehydrated. In the heat of my previous ride I
should have drank more often. This weekend I'm going to shoot for 40-45
miles. Thanks again for the great post.

[SlowRider]

On Oct 9, 9:29 am, "Roger Zoul" <rogerzo...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Tom Keats wrote:
>
> :: Periodically not eating screws-up one's regularity,
> :: and I highly recommend /against/ fasting. It's damaging.
>
> Why? It really depends on what you mean by fasting and how long one does
> it.

Yeah, I'd want to see citations. I've read research from fairly
reputable sources (that I'll have to dig up, sorry) that have good
things to say about occasional 1-day or 2-day fasts.

I have tried exercising at the start of a one-day fast -- tossed that
experience onto my "bad idea" pile: I felt really hungry and weak the
rest of the day. At the end of a fast, it's not too bad, though I
don't think I'd want to try a time trial or a long or hilly ride. A
race of the kind Marion does would be painful!


- JR

[Roger Zoul]

marian.rosenberg@gmail.com wrote:
:: On Oct 9, 8:37 pm, "Bruce Gilbert" <bgilbertREM...@hal-pc.org> wrote:
::: <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote in message
:::
::: news:1191920555.675604.14660@v3g2000hsg.googlegrou ps.com...
:::
:::
:::
:::: On Oct 9, 8:01 am, Dan Becker <No...@address.invalid> wrote:
::::: In article <470a3dc4$0$32549$4c368...@roadrunner.com>, Hud
:::
::::: <hud_o...@yahoo.com> wrote:
:::::: Anyone here ever cycled after a day of fasting? How'd it go? I
:::::: read somewhere the metabolism doesn't slow down until after
:::::: about three days.
:::
::::: Marian Rosenberg had a recent post/thread on her experiences with
::::: a mountain bike race during a fast. See the thread "Easy Fast" in
::::: rec.bicycles.racing, 9/32/07. Message ID from a Google Newsgroup
::::: search: <1190571337.298051.325...@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups. com>
:::
::::: Dan
:::
:::: A while back I had elevation sickness badly enough to need
:::: supplemental oxygen. In trying to describe this feeling to others
:::: the best analogy I could come up with was 'like really low blood
:::: sugar, only worse.'
:::
:::: When I had a mountain bike race during the Yom Kippur fast I came
:::: to the conclusion that really really low blood sugar is sort of
:::: like oxygen deprivation, only worse.
:::
:::: -M
:::
::: Marian,
:::
::: Try finding Kosher l' Pesach energy foods. What's not tref will
::: make you bonk...
::: Bruce
::
:: Pesach = no leaven for 7 days
:: Yom Kippur = no food or water for 24 hours
::
:: I was around 20 hours into this when I hit the starting line of a
:: mountain bike race.
::

Were you the only one in the race who was fasting?

[Claire Petersky]

"peter" <prathman@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1191951991.480187.215760@22g2000hsm.googlegro ups.com...
> On Oct 7, 6:55 pm, tkeats2...@hotmail.com (Tom Keats) wrote:
>> In article <47098da7$0$24282$4c368...@roadrunner.com>,

>> One thing I've yet to learn is whether or not
>> the ice from a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine is free.
>
> I've never been refused yet on polite requests to fill up my
> waterbottle using the ice from a soda machine. Most of them do also
> have a way of giving cold water - look for a little extra lever by the
> lemonade or orange drink dispenser. I put in as much ice as it'll
> hold and then top off with water.


Same here. The real expense is the cup. If you're just filling up a water
bottle, they generally don't care.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

[marian.rosenberg@gmail.com]

On Oct 10, 2:28 am, SlowRider <jrogers80...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Oct 9, 9:29 am, "Roger Zoul" <rogerzo...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Tom Keats wrote:
>
> > :: Periodically not eating screws-up one's regularity,
> > :: and I highly recommend /against/ fasting. It's damaging.
>
> > Why? It really depends on what you mean by fasting and how long one does
> > it.
>
> Yeah, I'd want to see citations. I've read research from fairly
> reputable sources (that I'll have to dig up, sorry) that have good
> things to say about occasional 1-day or 2-day fasts.
>
> I have tried exercising at the start of a one-day fast -- tossed that
> experience onto my "bad idea" pile: I felt really hungry and weak the
> rest of the day. At the end of a fast, it's not too bad, though I
> don't think I'd want to try a time trial or a long or hilly ride. A
> race of the kind Marion does would be painful!

It wasn't an especially long mountain bike race.

My local cycling association has this idea that there are a certain
class of people who will show up at every race no matter what. Those
people also show up at most group rides and have nightly training
rides and hold their own group rides on weekends when there isn't
one. Those people will win every race.

But it isn't fair to the people who are going to lose to have to lose
a really really hard race.

There aren't really enough people racing to have categories set aside
based on strength. And if we did have categories based on strength
people who were determined to be in a lower category would complain
that they were good enough and when they subsequently lost by wide
margins in higher categories would complain that they shouldn't have
been placed that high.

It's just easier to divide categories by age group.
Plus the race for non-racers category.

This makes the least number of people unhappy.

All of the racers (including yours truly) complain that races are too
short and boring but, as predicted, it doesn't matter how short they
make it, we still show up.

If it had been a real mountain bike race I'd've been toast before the
end of the first lap. At around 1.6km per lap with only three laps it
was merely unpleasant.

-M

[Dana Myers]

Hud wrote:

> Thanks, Dana. There's a lot of good info in your post. A half hour ago
> I finished that same 31 mile route. This time the temperature was in
> the 70's and I completed the ride with no problems. I think you hit the
> nail on the head when you said I was dehydrated. In the heat of my
> previous ride I should have drank more often.

I love it! You went and gave the ride another shot - the next day :-)

> This weekend I'm going to
> shoot for 40-45 miles. Thanks again for the great post.

My pleasure - and have a great ride this weekend.

Dana