Heat zapped me today!
 

We've been having a record heat wave here but the humidity's been down, and it hasn't been that bad. With the holiday today, I thought what a great time to get the old hybrid out (it's been awhile since I've ridden it) and do a nice long ride.

My plan was to go ove to the Katy Trail and do 62 miles. I figured start early, beat the heat, it's nice & flat, I'll get it done in 4 hours or so.

Well I get over there, and discover my brakes are rubbing, and the bike is all out of adjustment. Back home for repairs, and back to the trail. Now its8:30 instead of 7, and starting to get hot & humid already. Today hotter much quicker, and way more humid. I'm struggling to maintain 12 mph! Ugh!

I decide to turn around at 20 miles, and it's a struggle to get home. I probably stopped 6 times in the last 10 miles. My HR was WAY up for a flat ride. Weird. I swear another mile or two, and I'm not sure I could have made it. Came home and took a big nap. I never sleep during the day. Been feeling like crap ever since. Just starting to feel normal now 6 hrs later.

Heat exhaustion?
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hea...ustion/DS01046

Good thing you turned around when you did.

It got me today too. I rode 50 and didn't get started until 10:30. It was 98. I went through 5 bottles and took an a/c break at McDonalds. Their Cherry Berry Chiller is great on a hot day. The last 10 miles were a grind. I took it as easy as I could and kept pounding fluids but I really should have cut my ride in half.

Started out late today at 10 and plan was for 40 miles. After the first 12 when I went through a bottle and a half I got smart for a change and turned around. 24 was enough. Good thinking going hone and felt the same way but sat in the pool all afternoon with a hat on.

Every time I do this (like today, for instance) I swear I'm going to use more sense next time, then I do it again. I hope it doesn't catch up with me. I was flat out catatonic at my daughters house this evening. Funny thing was about 30 minutes after the ride I was only 1% body weight down. Still felt like crap.

I was getting close this morning. My lower legs felt like they were seizing up and I drained the water bottle about 2 miles from the end of the ride. Fortunately I had some sports drink in the truck.

I rode 20 miles on a vintage Schwinn..was in the high 90s, no problem stopped once for a no sugar Monster

Heat always zaps me these days. No matter how much I drink it never seems to be enough.

Getting hot down here as well, rode 37 miles total, 5 miles from home had to stop and get more fluids after downing two 24oz bottles. I tried what I have read here, froze one bottle full, other half full then topped off before I started, seemed to help a lot. Crushed ice doesn't last long lately.

I was hit with a mild case of heat exhaustion last weekend after a fast 30mi. Had all the symptoms but really wasnt too bad until the next day. Ab cramps, nausea, sluggishness....and even a heat rash on my back. I've ridden much hotter weather but I was going all out, climbed the biggest hill with no recovery and blasting the flat on the back side of the hill going a steady 21mph for the next 2mi....that kind of stuff even in just 82deg weather is what knocked me back.

These days, I make sure to go out at first light, and make sure I'm back home before 7:30am. For any errands after that, I wait till late afternoon or evening, then hop from one air-conditioned building to the next, going even more slow and easy than my usual pace. ;)

Our power grid is starting to feel the strain, with the power popping off and on a few times per day since yesterday.

Yesterday I planned 62 miles here in North Carolina. I finished 50, 96F when I stopped. Went home and drank 1.5 gal of fluid, and didn't pee until 3.5 hours later. I think I know what I can do better next time...:twitchy:

Went out yesterday morning for 26 miles at 5:30am, it was 75 degrees but so humid it was hard to breath. I also had sweat dripping down my face which usually never happens to me. Can't wait for the humidity to get out of here....
Went out again this morning at 4:30am, still humid but felt a little better and even though it was humid at least the morning sun wasn't beating down on me...

Is that the first time for you?

It surprises me how quickly I can go from "feeling fine" in hot weather to "totally cooked". I've been told that once you've had heat sickness the more susceptable you will be to recurrences. The same is true of frost bite. I wonder if they are somehow related.

I've decided not to ride this week. I've had enough issues without adding heat problems to them.

I was going to start a thread like this, you beat me to it!
Yesterday, my wife did a here and there ride, where we decide where we are going once we get started. First was the diner for 'brunch', we started way later than we had planned. It got hot fast, and I had a problem with a tube. We decided to go to the local EMS, which meant we had to go up a mild hill. I usually don't shy away from hills, but I took one look at it, and just knew it would not be fun at all. I just couldn't get the power to as usual. After that, we went to one of our favorite places to cruise around, Duke Farms, But it too was as much fun, it felt like riding in an oven. Even the normal breeze from riding was hot, so we decided to just go home, and have a dip in the pool. The pavement on the way home was just radiating heat. I was glad to get home. After just 18 easy, stop and start miles, we where knackered.

Yesterday I got up at 5AM to start around 5:30 or so. Forecast showed rain 45% by 7 and around 85% by 8. I didn't want to ride in the rain so I went back to bed...thought about a quick 25 miles, but fell asleep. I finally got up around 7:30AM and the forecast drastically changed to 0 to 10% chance of rain the rest of the day(was already 78ºF with a heat index of 83). Quickly got my gear on, scarfed down a banana, 16Oz of water, and half a slice of Rye and set out. Began to think I wasn't going to be able to do 35 and was figuring on only 25 but I got a second wind and did the whole 35.8. By the time I finished, 119 min(10:10 AM) it was near 88ºF and a heat index of 93 or 94.

Today, I did start early but the heat and humidity still drained me...still managed 36½ miles.

Found out the hard way that pre-hydration is key for me. I take a ton of fluids with me as well. Warm up slowly. Use a HR monitor if you have one, easier for me personally to gauge my effort when it's hot. If it's hot and windy, like I ran into yesterday, my rides will be shorter and closer to home.
Heat and wind drive the HR way up for me when I climb anything.
Just take it easy baby!

Once you are dehydrated its too late you are screwed,,you are right you have to be pre hydrated

I've reduced the length of my rides a bit and have been starting a little earlier in the day. I've been drinking two large glasses of water before I start a ride. I'm "doping" with Hammer Endurolytes.

I've noticed that I am sweating profusely as was noted in a previous post. That's probably a good thing. The drawback is that my glasses and rear view mirror get salty in short order.

I got so hot and sweaty while working in the yard today that I felt shaky and decided to skip the club ride this evening.

I did a fast (for me) 26 mile traaining ride at about 98 degrees Tuesday night, then got up Wednesday for a 54 mile club ride that started at about 80 and went up to 100 by the time I finished. I felt completely gassed the rest of the day, and today I've felt weak and listless, with a low-grade headache all day. Since it was over 100 again today I blew off this evening's training ride. I hope I feel better tomorrow.

I've had to approach the last three days as if they were recovery days. It was a much easier pace and shorter distance. I do think, I'll acclimate better to this 98+ degree plus high humidity in the next week or so.

Almost overheated last Saturday on a 30 mile club ride. Have not been back on the bike yet this week but plan to change that in the AM. We need to be careful out there folks.

Pre-hydrate, leave early, monitor your heart rate closely and keep it where it works well for you in any weather, don't try to keep up with people you can't keep up with, down calories regularly with whatever works for you, drink the fluid that works for you and go. That's what works for me in heat. I ride year round and just acclimate. I've always lived in hot summer weather. Oh, did I say rest as needed. Sometimes that's the best part it seems. Sometimes it's best to just pass on a ride now and then to keep it from ruling you.

108F forecast for Central NJ on Saturday, and heat index up to 120, depending on humidity. A good day to stay inside with the AC on.