Stelvio wrote:
Longrunhome wrote:
Were we at the same race? I was freezing on the bike and my friend dropped out due to hypothermia. Overall still loved the event and would love to do it again.
I'm surprised to hear that your friend dropped out due to hypothermia, I never felt it was cold and actually was very comfortable except when I couldn't see! I did consume an extra 300 calories on the bike despite 30 minutes less in the saddle then prior IM which suggests my body doing extra work to regulate temperature. Is your friend small or perhaps not a strong cyclist and therefore not generating enough heat for their body size to stay warm?
Every 25W lower a rider is riding, they are putting out 100W of less heat (or so). That's like a 100W lighbulb in your stomach to keep you warm. If you couple less top line watts and associated heat and maybe poor clothing choice, then bam, you have hypothermia.
Once of my friends was 2nd in M55-59. He would have been riding at 220W or so. He is super lean around 155 lbs 6 ft and said he was borderline shaking the entire ride until he got off the ride for the run. In comparison Jordan Rapp who is the same weight and a few inches taller (so more surface to volume ratio) said he was "never cold" The diff is Rapp is riding along at 300W or so, generation around 300W more of heat. Rapp mentioned to me he was never "cold" the problem was the other pros did not "overheat enough".
That top line wattage number you ride at can have a huge impact on how the race feels for the same body composition. I am not surprised if a smaller woman who is super lean and riding low top line watts who may not be optimally dressed ends up hypothermic.