I have a thing this evening, so I decided to drive. If I'm going to be walking around for an hour in the heat, I'm going to enjoy the A/C as long as possible. As an admitted wuss, I probably would have driven today anyway. I did see one of the regular bike commuters this morning heading east on Exchange. I bet he's not looking forward to the ride back up that hill later.
Of course, sometimes we have to ride in the heat. For some of us, its unavoidable depending on where we live. The important thing is to do so responsibly and safely in these extreme temperatures. Most of the tips out there are for cyclists that ride for exercise, not to get somewhere, but there are some tips that we can all apply to stay healthy on those hot rides.
One thing most people recommend is changing your ride time to early morning or late evening. Well, those of us that have to ride to work or wherever don't have that option. I'm not going to get to the office at 5am. Ain't happening. So, what do we do?
1) Stay hydrated. We lose 1 to 2 quarts of fluid every hour when exercising. To stay healthy its important to keep the fluid content in your body at a constant level. To do so, we need to start drinking before we get on the bike. The recommended amount of fluid right before a ride is 8oz. During the ride, we should drink 8-12oz every 15-20mins. Its important to sip the fluids, not gulp them as that can cause stomach cramps. After the ride is over, experts recommend having a low sugar sports beverage to quickly replace fluids and electrolytes.
2). Dress for the occasion. During the mildish seasons I wear my office cloths on the bike, but when the temps creep into the 80's and beyond I ride in technical apparel and change at my destination. In the mornings its not that bad, but the afternoon haul home with some stops on the way I want to be as cool as possible. When it gets this hot its important to wear clothing that breathes, wicks away sweat, and is a lighter color which reflects the sun. Today is not the day for the sleek, black jersey.
3. Monitor our bodies. For those with longer commutes, its important to know how they are affecting us. While most probably can't weigh ourselves when we get to the office, we can, umm, use our urine to determine if we are staying hydrated. The lighter the color, the better. We'll leave it there. If you do have a chance to monitor weight loss, remember you don't want to lose weight after a ride. That's fluid loss you are measuring.
Its easy to forget to hydrate while commuting. Typically, we don't treat our commutes like its a training ride, so we don't notice the extreme temps are taking their toll. The signs of dehydration and heat illness can sneak up on us quickly.
Signs of heat exhaustion include nausea, weakness, headaches, cramps, and profuse sweating. If you have heat stroke you might experience the same symptoms and also feel dizzy. If you start feeling any of these symptoms, immediately stop what you're doing and get to a cooler environment, even if its just in the shade. Next, start hydrating. Make sure to take small sips, especially if you are feeling nauseous. If you are in mid-commute, this is probably the time to bum a ride to be on the safe side. But, if you refuse to give in or that option isn't available, wait quite a while before continuing. Make sure all the symptoms are gone, you have cooled down, your heart rate is down, and you have ingested plenty of fluids. Take it easy for the rest of the ride.
So, the forecast says today will be the worst for the next ten days and that it will be cooler tomorrow by about a degree. During this nasty weather it is so important to ride wisely so our bodies don't suffer.
Keep cool. Stay hydrated. Pedal safe.
All very good points about keeping hydrated. After an evening ride I find a cold beer relieves any suffering incurred from the ride.
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