Southeast - Has the August heat wave affected your riding?

It's not as hot here as it's been in some parts of the south. But the last two weeks the highs have been 5-10 degrees above normal, which in August is pretty hot.

I've still been riding but have generally limited my rides to about an hour. Even when I wait as late as possible to go out in the evenings, the temperature has still been in the mid 90s. If only I could save up some of this heat for winter. :rolleyes:

On the plus side (from a training standpoint), rain has been a non-issue the entire summer.

Shorter - slower :cry:

It will be three weeks as of Monday. Kansas City for 2 of those weeks. Northern Ohio visiting my parents, who have no bikes, for 1 week.

dipy911

I go out and do intervals at 4:30am now instead of the pm.

Franklin Blvd. is all mine at that hour - well, mine and the hookers. But they usually just wave.

Shorter - slower :cry:
You or the ride. :p

Vacation had a bigger affect. Two weekends / almost three weeks off the bike. Tomorrow's heat index supposed to be over 100, so my ride might be cut short.

Yes, but not as much as the later sunrise in the mornings and having to get my daughter to school. I was getting up at 5 AM or so to ride during the summer. Usually by the time I got out the door it was light enough. Now, however, it's too dark at 5 AM. The heat is getting me in that I haven't gotten out after work. Too dang hot for me. However, I have been working on stationary and spinning bikes at the Y during the week and getting out early in the morning on Saturdays for long rides (got a 50 mile ride planned tomorrow morning) in prep for the Sunrise Century in Clarksville next week.

Hopefully when it starts getting cooler in the evening I can get our for an hour ride or so a few nights a week. At least until it starts getting too dark for that as well.... :D

It has been HOT here all month long, with I think 15 days over 100 and 10 of those in a row! I did a ride last week that started at 6 and it was 102, 27 miles later at 7:30 it was still 96. This week it was "only" 97 at the ride start and 92 afterwards. Luckily most of the ride is well shaded but that doesn't help the humidity any... Today I was going to get a early afternoon ride in, it was only 92, only to hear thunder, look out and see it was raining and we were having a lightning storm...

A couple of days I've had to limit my riding to 10 miles because of the heat coming off of the pavement. I got out early this morning and there was a nice breeze, which made it tolerable. Towards the end of the ride, the heat took it's tool. 27.4 total.

It takes more energy out of me that's all. I'm sure my average speed is slower.

It's an inexact comparison, but according to my Bikejorunal entries, the average temperature during my rides this month is 89F (versus 84F in August 2006). So it's been notably warmer.

I've not done any rides longer than 30 miles, and, unsurprisingly, I'll finish the month almost 100 miles below last year's level.

It's reportedly going to drop back into the 80s by the end of the week. Where are my arm warmers?

Slower. shorter and with lots more sweat.

No, I got out of dodge and headed north to cooler weather. I do that every August. Can't stand the heat.

I bonked - HARD - on my last race. I hit the wall like I was shot from a cannon. They heat, my God, the heat.

I just ride inside. I dont' have a trainer so i just go to the gym on my Uni. campus and ride there.

Im still averaging about ~150 miles a week.. just hating it more than I did in July.

Yes, but not as much as the later sunrise in the mornings and having to get my daughter to school. I was getting up at 5 AM or so to ride during the summer. Usually by the time I got out the door it was light enough. Now, however, it's too dark at 5 AM. The heat is getting me in that I haven't gotten out after work. Too dang hot for me. However, I have been working on stationary and spinning bikes at the Y during the week and getting out early in the morning on Saturdays for long rides (got a 50 mile ride planned tomorrow morning) in prep for the Sunrise Century in Clarksville next week.

Hopefully when it starts getting cooler in the evening I can get our for an hour ride or so a few nights a week. At least until it starts getting too dark for that as well.... :D


My story is almost identical to yours. I've not met my 100 miles per week goal since the heat wave hit. Unfortunately, I'll not be able to achieve my goal of riding my first full century at Clarksville and will instead do the metric century. Best of luck to you! Look for me -- I'm a gal on a blue Trek 5000 WSD.

hotter the better

I've been riding more frequently, same distances but slower pace, so overall about a net wash. I've noticed my average speed is about 1.5mph faster at 80 degrees F than it is at 90 degrees F.

Well...I gotta get to work, so...

It really hasn't affected my riding...I may end up with a thicker coat of salt on my skin and on my bibs when I'm done...but I'm still putting in the miles. Really...when you're cruising along at speed, it's not that bad....unless I forget to wear the headsweat....and the sweat starts to run down into my eyes....that's the only time I notice the hotter temps....and when I stop. Of course, watching my skinny tires sink into the asphalt is a funny feeling....and I guess the only other hazard of hot weather....the county is putting down the chip & seal which is shutting down some of my regular routes.

I've been going through twice the water and cutting distance. Hasn't had an effect on the desired results, though. I just set a personal best on a tri bike leg. I don't understand it, but I'm not complaining anymore.

My story is almost identical to yours. I've not met my 100 miles per week goal since the heat wave hit. Unfortunately, I'll not be able to achieve my goal of riding my first full century at Clarksville and will instead do the metric century. Best of luck to you! Look for me -- I'm a gal on a blue Trek 5000 WSD.


Nice bike! Hey, a metric is nothing to sneeze at! It might not seem like a lot to some folks around here, but the average Joe (or Joellen :D) off the street probably couldn't do it. Go to it & have fun! I'll keep an eye out for you!

Oh...and the forecast keeps getting warmer and sunnier for Saturday. A week ago they were saying a high of 86 and some clouds and 30% chance of rain. Now they are saying 91 and sunny with a 10% (I'll believe it when I see it) chance. You'll be nice and showered and I'll be out sweating my butt off (well maybe that's not a totally bad thing :D).

Well, 91 is a lot better than 101 I guess :D.

I'll be riding a blueish Ibex Corrida flat bar road bike with a high vis yellow jersey and dark shades (like the pic on my avatar). Come and say hi if you see me and can stand to be seen standing next to a flat bar...;) :D

Earlier rides...more stops...Camelbak came out of storage.

I was riding every day until two weeks ago and I got a mild case of heat stroke. I has been in the high 90's low 100's and this one day I wore a regular hat and got no air.I over heated and all of a sudden my vision went white and I almost fainted. I laid in the shade for 1/2 hour and then road home slow. I have been riding again but very early in the morning. I ride my subdivision and it is all hills, nothing level.
Ed

I originally answered yes to this question and now that I look back at the monthly mileage total I am changing my answer. With one day left in the month I am only off 70 miles from my best two months this year.

In Texas I pay more attention to my heart rate and time in the saddle than speed or distance. We get many days above 100, most of them with a 10-15 mph wind from the south. It is usually drier here than in the southeast (I used to live and ride in central Florida) but hot is hot. By watching my heart rate things like heat, wind, hills, humidity, and stinking chip and seal are factored out. A 2 hour ride at HR avg. 140 is always a 2 hour ride/HR140.
Just watch your fluid intake very carefully--now I know where I can get cool water at every convenience store, small church (yes out here most have an outside spigot--or are left unlocked) or friend's house on my routes.

Oddly enough, VV, the "heat wave" didn't affect my road-ridin' so much when it was here as the "estate settlement" affected me in the month or so after. :o

Would rather have been goin' on TT trainin' rides at least once every other day this week for the past five weeks than not. :(

My last TT of the season is on October 9, and I had wanted to mark my best time over the whole season in my late husband's memory. Unfortunately, as I've not been ridin', due, ironically, to estate settlement issues, I can only hope that I can ride at least my best so far for the season: an average of 22.14mph over 10 miles.... :o

I doubt it, after not having really ridden since the Sept. 5 TT, but I do hope.... :o

I shall try on October 9.

For those interested: http:carolinatt.org and, if you're in the vicinity, come on out and ride with us several BF/Foo'ers who will be ridin' that last night. Otherwise, if you're in the area, just come on out to watch, and look for me. Bib 101, startin' at 6:30pm. I'll be glad to introduce any of you to other BF/Foo'ers there that night. :) We're a friendly group, and we all love meetin' new BF/Foo'ers....

Vega, sometimes time off the bike is just what a person needs to be refreshed when you return. Regardless of the circumstances for your riding hiatus, many times you return with new vitality and greater intensity. Many of my best performances have been the first real ride back after a couple of weeks off the bike.

Thanks, WW. :)