Went to do my last long ride before IMLOU, planning on 100 miles. Started out with a slighty upset stomach but figured it would pass. It never really did and I felt just drained and slow. My average was around 15.5 when I can normally do around 17 or more. After about mile 50 the heat became really oppressive. I decided to cut it short to about 85 miles and struggled to get home. The temp on my bike computer read 99 for the last 15 miles and was 94 for the previous 20 miles. About a mile from the house I had to get off my bike because I was getting dizzy. Even though I hydrated a lot and never did get cramps, I felt the symptoms of heat stroke coming on so I called a friend in my neighborhood to come get me. Then I threw my bike in a ditch and layed down. Three cars passed by without narry a stop to see if I was okay (I was not). When my friend got there he gave me cold water and loaded my bike on his rack. Then he helped me up whereupon I puked my guts out four times. Got home, took a cold shower, drank about a liter of grape juice and some water and felt a lot better.
Still, this is discouraging. I had hoped to feel pretty decent but this has me questoning my ability to handle the heat if it’s that bad at IMLOU. I’m thinking maybe I really need to go into it slightly undertrained and just take it easy here on out.
I, too, cut my last long IMLou ride a bit short due to the heat; it was really oppressive. You’ve put in the miles…my guess is that you’ll be fine come race day. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
I feel your pain. The blast furnace that is North Central Texas has finally returned to form after doing its imitation of a rain forest for the last several months. Ran 18 in high heat and humidity on Saturday and drank too much wine celebrating the spousal unit’s birthday on Saturday nite. Out the door at 6:00 AM to do 110 and I was not feeling good at all and I knew I was dehydrated. I was also experimenting with the 4X concentration of Infinit as others have recommended (that was the first and last time for that concoction – not for me). If heat and humidity were not enough the wind came up around 8:00. I started vectoring back to the house around 65 miles because I was afraid as to what was going to happen. It was a suffer fest. At 80 I called the spousal unit and asked her to turn down the air in the game room because I was doing the last 20 on the CT. It was all that I could think of to do. Staying out in the heat was just counterproductive. I have never got her to SAG for me but when I got to the house she had carried my road bike and laptop upstairs to the CT with some towels and a variety of cold fluids. The last 45 minutes of Mystery Alaska was cued up on the DVD player. I have never loved her more and its been 29 years married and 39 years together. I am still hammering the Gatorade trying to get my water and electroytes back in balance.
You will be fine. Just get hydrated and stay out of the heat for a few days. Good time to swim. Best.
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I still feel pretty tired today and will do a short swim. I had planned on a 2.5 hr run on Tuesday night but with this heat wave still going strong and after Sunday’s fiasco, I’ll think I’ll wait til later in the week and just do 1.5. I just hope to high heaven it’ll be cooler come August 26.
Went to do my last long ride before IMLOU, planning on 100 miles. Started out with a slighty upset stomach but figured it would pass. It never really did and I felt just drained and slow. My average was around 15.5 when I can normally do around 17 or more. After about mile 50 the heat became really oppressive. I decided to cut it short to about 85 miles and struggled to get home. The temp on my bike computer read 99 for the last 15 miles and was 94 for the previous 20 miles. About a mile from the house I had to get off my bike because I was getting dizzy. Even though I hydrated a lot and never did get cramps, I felt the symptoms of heat stroke coming on so I called a friend in my neighborhood to come get me. Then I threw my bike in a ditch and layed down. Three cars passed by without narry a stop to see if I was okay (I was not). When my friend got there he gave me cold water and loaded my bike on his rack. Then he helped me up whereupon I puked my guts out four times. Got home, took a cold shower, drank about a liter of grape juice and some water and felt a lot better.
Still, this is discouraging. I had hoped to feel pretty decent but this has me questoning my ability to handle the heat if it’s that bad at IMLOU. I’m thinking maybe I really need to go into it slightly undertrained and just take it easy here on out.
