Commuting - First commute in hot humid weather...

Hi all,

I have been commuting to work now for three weeks which is 24 miles round trip. Usually it's 15-20c in the day, and 7-12c at night. Well a heat wave finally hit Toronto and I was on my way to work. It was 30c, but with humidity it felt like 39c. Well, with a 12mph headwind I almost died. I almost fainted half way through. I was just at the point where I felt comfortable, confident even with the distance. I even remember telling myself that my commute will be much nicer when the hot weather comes along. I think the mistake I made was not drinking enough water before my commute. Is the hot weather exposing my true fitness level?

So how do you guys cope with the hot weather? Any tips would be great. By the way I was wearing shorts and a tank top but I had a heavy backpack on my back. Would putting my load on the bike help? Thanks,.

Drink lots of water before you go to bed so you wake up still hydrated.
Drink lots of water before you leave for the ride.
Drink lots of water on the ride to work.
Drink lots of water at work during the day and before you leave to ride home.
Drink lots of water on the ride home.
Drink lots of water during the evening at home.

Repeat cycle daily :).

Make sure you have enough fuel in your body, too. Eat something before you leave home - usually a bagel, a banana, and a glass of OJ does the trick for me even in hot/humid weather.

Drink lots of water before you go to bed so you wake up still hydrated.
Drink lots of water before you leave for the ride.
Drink lots of water on the ride to work.
Drink lots of water at work during the day and before you leave to ride home.
Drink lots of water on the ride home.
Drink lots of water during the evening at home.

Repeat cycle daily :).

Make sure you have enough fuel in your body, too. Eat something before you leave home - usually a bagel, a banana, and a glass of OJ does the trick for me even in hot/humid weather.

um. don't you have to wake up alot at night?

um. don't you have to wake up alot at night?

that's when you know you're well hydrated--when you wake up twice in the night...

I thought one of the benefits of regular excersize was good sleep. . . Water does help on the ride though. Even in FL (try that for humid) I get dry mouthed after a bit.

um. don't you have to wake up alot at night?
Nope. I sleep through a solid 7 hours every night.

I do wake up dying for a piss, though ;)

um. don't you have to wake up alot at night?

Nope. I do exactly the same thing as Stubacca does (except that I probably drink a bit more water). In Queensland summers, where the nighttime temperature often hovers around 30 C, I generally don't do a lot of sleeping anyway.

On Monday in Southern Japan there was a deluge and I had to change all my clothes, including underwear after my 30 min commute. I brought clothes in a garbage bag inside my pack. Today(Wed),it was nice and sunny so I didn't bother, but the humidity meant that when I got into the office, almost 60% of the back of my shirt was soaked right thru and my arms and belly the same. I looked disgusting, at least for 20 mins until it all dried up again in the heat. In June and July you need a shower 20 mins after you've had a shower. But the Japanese always look immaculate. Bugger

um. don't you have to wake up alot at night?
I've heard that once a person is properly hydrated that the body cycles water differently and having to piss often eventually goes away.