[Whafe]

Hi All

I have moved from New Zealand to Barcelon, Spain some 5 months ago................ I am really struggling with the heat, trying to train in 30 deg C + his messing me up............ I try late in the evening, dont mind at night, its still 28 deg C +, try early morning still hot. Left home at 6AM this morning, 29 deg C, finished riding at 9.30 32 deg C.... I constantly feel like having a techni coloured yawn... ........

Will this pass and will I get more used to it. Diet is good, am keeping fluids up etc real good.\

Any thought sor help would be hugely appreciated. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Cheers
Whafe

 

[LyNx]

Welcome to my world

Depending on which part of NZ you lived and how cool it was it will take a good bit of time to get accustomed to the heat. Although I was a kid, I clearly remember when I moved from England to Barbados. Even though there had been a severe heat wave in England the summer before we left it was nothing compared to the heat and humidity of Barbados - I just couldn't believe I was siting down doing nothing and the sweat was pouring off. It took some time to get accustomed too, luckily it Novemebr when we moved so things were a little cooler and it was an easier "settle in" period.

Best advice I could give is go out even earlier than 6am, try 5am or even 4:30am. Take along an extra water bottle to squirt over your head and body to help keep you cool. Try doing late evening/night rides and know that you will eventually get accustomed to the heat.

 

[Whafe]

Welcome to my world

Depending on which part of NZ you lived and how cool it was it will take a good bit of time to get accustomed to the heat. Although I was a kid, I clearly remember when I moved from England to Barbados. Even though there had been a severe heat wave in England the summer before we left it was nothing compared to the heat and humidity of Barbados - I just couldn't believe I was siting down doing nothing and the sweat was pouring off. It took some time to get accustomed too, luckily it Novemebr when we moved so things were a little cooler and it was an easier "settle in" period.

Best advice I could give is go out even earlier than 6am, try 5am or even 4:30am. Take along an extra water bottle to squirt over your head and body to help keep you cool. Try doing late evening/night rides and know that you will eventually get accustomed to the heat.

Hi ya LyNx, thanks for that advice, good to hear that it is more or less something that I need to get used to. I am my no means a wuss, but sometimes I so feel I ma going to just throw up and have to stop. This is so strange to me, cause I just usually cannot stop climbing a hill, its not in me to stop. So am really struggling with this....

New Zealand get the odd day at 30 deg C, but it is rare. An early morning ride in mid summer may well be 25 deg C max, which is not too bad. But this humidity and temps of plus 30 deg C.... Phew..............

It has been good on some of the rides where I find springs, real good to soke my head tie, that cools me down.............

 

[SuperClyde]

I live in Baltimore, MD, and our mid-Atlantic summers tend to be both hot and humid. We tend to get over 90 degrees Farenheit (sorry, haven't done the Celcius conversion in a while), which makes training tough.

I basically keep my bike workouts short and intense (very intense one hour road rides), or otherwise stick to the gym in late July/August. Mountain biking is just not fun in August with sweat pouring down over your eyes, and the woods creeping toward 100 degrees F!

 

[Whafe]

I live in Baltimore, MD, and our mid-Atlantic summers tend to be both hot and humid. We tend to get over 90 degrees Farenheit (sorry, haven't done the Celcius conversion in a while), which makes training tough.

I basically keep my bike workouts short and intense (very intense one hour road rides), or otherwise stick to the gym in late July/August. Mountain biking is just not fun in August with sweat pouring down over your eyes, and the woods creeping toward 100 degrees F!

Yeah, that crossed my mind, may have to do soem intense short road rides and chill on the mtb for a month or two (but its a new stead!!!)

I cant cope wiht gyms, have to doing something to exercise. Thought also about cheating, puttingo on the AC and put the roadie on the wind trainer and watch a DVD.............

 

[ninjaboot]

I live in Fresno, ca. Its hot here also. Road riding is the best option for hot weather training, the high speeds keep you much cooler than on the trials. I also do about one night ride a week, the rattle snakes can be a bit scary at night, to keep my mtb skills sharp.

 

[The Mongol Lord]

Turn up the HEAT

I could play "tough guy" and tell you how hot the riding is here in the sonoran desert but then, I think how hard it is for me when I try to ride in the cold. My body has really acclimated to the heat, I think. I agree with the suggestions others have left: avoiding the hottest times of the day, shorter, more intense rides, douse your head with water, etc. If there's any magic to heat toleration, it involves your body's biology being subjected consistently but safely to the heat. I have a buddy who used to ride during the hottest part of the day and he had a great attitude about it. He said midway thru a ride as he began to feel uncomfortably hot, he'd pour a whole bottle full of water down his back. He rode fast and the wind really helped cool him off. I think attitude goes along way here(as it does when we face any sort of adversity). You might also try riding with friends and/or cranking out the tunes with an mp3. Have fun and imagine all the schmoes who AREN'T out riding. Good luck!

 

[Pedalfaraway]

Electrolight imbalances

are also much more likely to develop in hot conditions due to loss of electrolights in sweat, and vastly increased fluid intake. Women are much more susceptable to these then men. Make sure you are consuming somthing with NA+ and probably K+ as well. although NA+ is almost always the deficient nutrient in heat exahustion. Most sports drinks (Gatorade, Hammer products, cytomax etc) have electrolights in sufficient quanitity. Some people find that these drinks are too sweet and leave thier mouths feeling "sticky". The hotter it gets the more water you need relitive to the amount of glucose and sodium. This is why I prefer to use powered gatorade. I have no affilation with gatorade, it is just what I use cause its the cheapest, and works as well as anything I have tried. Using a powered drink allows fine tuning of the mixture. For hot conditions I use about half the recommended strength, or use half water half store bought gatorade. This works well for me too keep me hydrated cranking along well into the 100's of degrees here in utahs southern deserts.

Enjoy the heat.
ps. I would much rather sweat then get up at 4am.

 

[Whafe]

Again, all, thank you for your thoughts, glad I am not the only one. I do think it will get easier, am going to have to get out on the roadie more often through this period. You are so correct that the wind once you get a sweat up is higher..... Dont think I would be to keen on the rattlers at night though!

I have been using the Powerbar powder, have not had any problems either. Like said previously, am not a Powerbar nut, it is just what the LBS had. Habit I guess........

Will keep you posted.... Dont feel I am not lacking in hardening up. Just has concerned me a little. I usually NEVER stop climbing a hill, can vomit etc and carry on. But this dizziness has phased me a little....

Cheers....:thumbsup:

 

[LyNx]

Pedalfaraway has a very good point and I think this is what seriously attributes to exhaustion (sp?) when excercising in a hot climate. Water tastes better and is more refreshing than any "sports drink" (to me) so you end up drinking more. What I tend to do to try to conteract this fact of not drinking as much of them while riding is to drink a bottle throughout the afternoon before I go riding and then take one along with me - on a ride I'll drink my entire 2-3litres and still have 1/2 the bottle of accelerade left, it's something you have to remind yourself of.

 

[Whafe]

Pedalfaraway has a very good point and I think this is what seriously attributes to exhaustion (sp?) when excercising in a hot climate. Water tastes better and is more refreshing than any "sports drink" (to me) so you end up drinking more. What I tend to do to try to conteract this fact of not drinking as much of them while riding is to drink a bottle throughout the afternoon before I go riding and then take one along with me - on a ride I'll drink my entire 2-3litres and still have 1/2 the bottle of accelerade left, it's something you have to remind yourself of.

Will give this a barrel for sure. I try and hydrate real well before a ride in this heat. I then destroy a 2.5 L Camelbak full of fluids, still dont p i s s for hours after the ride!

I am going to spend more time onthe roadie and do short hour sessions that will be more intense so to speak.... Have some real good hills close by, which has a good warm up from home to the hills....

Appreciate all the great suggestions.....:thumbsup:

 

[Pedalfaraway]

Perfect example

Water tastes better and is more refreshing than any "sports drink" (to me. so you end up drinking more) .

You drink lots of water, and lose lots of electrolights through sweat, and drink more water. Classic MOI for Hyponatrumia (Low body electrolights). If sports drinks don't work for you maybe you could try hammer's endurolight capsules. One advantage of these is that they contain Calcuim in addition the the NA+ K+ found in most sports drinks. Calcium is a nutrient thought to have a major role in muscle cramps. Calcuim is used by your muscle as a signal to release. If you have a deficient amount of it the muscle will be unable to release. Also could help explain why there is a greater prevelance of excercise induced muscle cramps in females, espically petite ones with a low bone mass (*RT*), Hence low calcium storage. So its one of the leading theories explaining muscle cramping. I have never tried them cause I actuallly really like sports drinks. I think tidal burst gatorade is yummy. If I had recurring problems with muscle cramps I would be taking them from a pez despenser during the race.

Whafe is right on with what the reaserch on this topic tells us too. Studies done at the Gatorade Sports science institute found the taste of the drink to be the #1 factor influencing consumption of glucose-electrolight beverages during endurance exercise. That is what led them to develop 164,000 flavors. Recent feedback from athletes describing the too sweet, and sticky mouth feeling that is particularly prevelent while exercing in the heat has led to the development of the "Rain" line of drinks. The flavors of those drinks are much less intense. I have not tried them during exercise. A thrid option whithin the Gatorade line is the Endurance formula. It has about twice the electrolight to sugar ratio of the normal blend. So if you really can't find a flavor that you like, and are able to consume in sufficent quantity try the endurance formula. Half as much will go twice as far in terms of electrolight balance.

PS. I went for a ride a 7am this morning and to was 31 degrees celsius/ 89 degrees fahrenheit. Bet it was well over 100 when I finished at 10 or so. So i don't feel bad for you riding in 30 degree weather is a gift around here.

Hopefully that will give someone a few more ideas to get through july and august. Bring on the heat.

 

[LyNx]

Don't really have a problem with the taste (once they're cold) it's just the bottle sits in a cage in the front triangle, whereas the water is in my MULE easily accessible.

You drink lots of water, and lose lots of electrolights through sweat, and drink more water. Classic MOI for Hyponatrumia (Low body electrolights). If sports drinks don't work for you maybe you could try hammer's endurolight capsules.......

As to the cramp thing, that is something that I am keeping an eye on since the last big ride I did I hadn't eaten right for a couple weeks due to lack of serious riding time w/ work etc, fell back into old habits and got severe cramps. Now my med kit includes 2 rolls of Rollaids for Calcium and Magnesium.

 

[Whafe]

I dont have issues with taste, when it comes to diet and health, I can more or less eat anything that is good for me..............Oh no not Brussels Sprout though, yuk!

Its odd, I never get cramps, touch wood................ I guess I have a pretty strict regime for vitamans and supplements....

So you say bring on the heat, its with avengance here......... As the days go by it is getting easier. Its the air con I hate, but have to have it in the office. Hate going into the cool, out into the heat, and so forth...

 

[ChrisJ]

"Mountain biking is just not fun in August with sweat pouring down over your eyes, and the woods creeping toward 100 degrees F!"

Try south Mississippi right now. We try to tend to get out early 8ish or early but thats tough to do when you don't wanna get up that early.

 

[Whafe]

Try south Mississippi right now. We try to tend to get out early 8ish or early but thats tough to do when you don't wanna get up that early.

Chris, you are obviously not a morning person, best time of the day for me............. You should come and live in Spain, these folk are not morning people either........... All good.:thumbsup: ..

 

[pwrtrainer]

az is fun this time of year

the best part about a 430 ride is knowing that when you finish at 830 it is already up to 100 degrees, and your car will be like a sauna, and anything you leave in there will be destroyed by the heat. last year i used to guage my rides on a temp. basis, if it was 104 or higher, i wouldnt ride, just kinda noticed that i would just about die if i did that. accelerade works great for those rides, i highly reccommend freezing everything so by the time you need anything , all the liquids are nice and cool, makes the sugary taste not seem so bad when its nice and cold. but you know what they say "its a dry heat" dear god, summer is brutal, but our winters definately rule. happy sweating...

 

[CulBaire]

During summer here it gets very hot- quiet often on or over the 40c mark. I usually try to head out as early as possible- about 4:30am / 5am usually lets you get in a good ride before the sun gets too hot, early morning also seems to have less wind.

Aside from that- slowly work your rides up into the warmer parts of the day, it will help get you accustomed to riding in the warm weather. Wear white clothing while riding, and drink loads of fluids, preferably just water as to much "Gatorade" will leave you feeling crook in the guts.

 

[Whafe]

During summer here it gets very hot- quiet often on or over the 40c mark. I usually try to head out as early as possible- about 4:30am / 5am usually lets you get in a good ride before the sun gets too hot, early morning also seems to have less wind.

Aside from that- slowly work your rides up into the warmer parts of the day, it will help get you accustomed to riding in the warm weather. Wear white clothing while riding, and drink loads of fluids, preferably just water as to much "Gatorade" will leave you feeling crook in the guts.

All good stuff. I think I also need to a better warm up, flip not that I am not warm, bt ya know what I mean. Dont get out of the car and up a 30 minute climb....... As i said above, going to do a little more road rinding over this late July August perios, which is the hottest they say......:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Whafe]

Did a hard intense 1 hour ride of mainly hill work onthe road at 5.30AM, was great, love the fresh morning air and the birds singing. Oh and also the f-ing crazy Spanish drivers, am sure they get their licenses in Cornflake packets!!!!

So drunk 0.5 L of water pre ride, 0.5 L of Powerbar Powder drink, was only 25 deg C, so all good really.

Thank you all for the good advice and thoughts. Cheers........................:thumbsup: