bikeguyinvenice

So after moving in to a new apartment with my fiance, and finally getting settled in I had the day today to go riding. I went to one of my favorite trails, the withlacoochee. My normal rides are 28 miles, with one rest stop at the turn around point. So I wanted to challenge myself, I planned to ride 40 miles. That turned out to be a bad idea I ran out of power at about the 26 miles mark and it went downhill from there. In the last 14 miles I must have had to stop 10 times with two stops that were about 30 minutes. The last 30 minute rest I actually vomited the water I drank, at that point I wasn't even sure I could make it back. I'm not sure but I think it was heat exhaustion. The weather was partly to mostly Sunny with temps about 90. I've never had an experience like that. What do you think happened to me?

fietsbob

Odd sentence, title That.

Machka 

-- you bonked ... your blood sugar levels dropped too low because you didn't eat enough

-- you experienced hyponatremia ... you drank too much water without enough electrolytes

-- you experienced heat exhaustion ... too much heat, not enough water and other cooling activities

-- you're not fit enough to tackle 40 miles just now


Hard to tell from your story which of those it might be ... or it could be a combination of them.

mrodgers

This happened to me. I've been riding for about a year. Longest ride to date was 30 miles, a ride that was planned on for 12 miles and I just kept continuing beyond my 6 mile turn around point. Rode that 30 miles no problems. I did have unlimited water as there are 3 natural springs coming out of the mountains. It was a hot day and I get some pretty bad headaches from heat so I stopped with 6 miles to go (at my normal turn around point) on the way back and let water cascading from the tunnel ceiling fall on my head and subside the headache. Refreshed, I rode 6 miles back without incident. The headache wasn't cycling related. It was a normal occurrence that would happen no matter what I was doing in the heat and humidity.

I had been wanting to ride a particular trail way out in the middle of nowhere. It was 18 miles between 2 rural mountain towns. I was carrying 2 water bottles. I rode the 18 miles and had drank 1 of the bottles dry. I had the 2nd bottle for the ride back. Upon reaching the trail head at the other side, I found myself in a really nice park to take a break. I saw a water fountain so figured I'd freshen up real well with the water. It wasn't a very hot day but I filled my water bottle up and dumped it on my head to cool down several times. I think I drank 2 water bottle full there, refilled for the ride back and departed. About mile 28-29 of my ride I had lost all energy. If I tried to pedal, my heart rate soared and I lost the ability to breathe in a normal elevated way while riding. I could not spin the pedals at all. I did however find that I could mash my way down the trail. Tossed the chain onto the largest gear (48/11) and mashed my way back to the car at 8 mph. That gearing and speed gives you an idea on how slow and hard I was able to pedal vs. spinning normally at 80-85 rpm that I couldn't go at all at.

I finished both water bottles that I had on the bike on the 18 miles back. I had 2 water bottles in the car and drank both of those when I got back to the car. At no time was I feeling drained of energy while not spinning the pedals. I could stop, walk around, check out the scenery, I just could not spin at a normal cadence at all without my breathing becoming extremely labored and my heart rate soaring extremely unusually high. I pedaled non-stop for that last 6-8 miles mashing away at 8 mph in that 48/11 gear combination with no problems at all. It was only trying to spin at a normal cadence that I could not handle.

I don't know what happened. I wasn't putting a hard effort in the entire ride. I was riding to enjoy the scenery. I had several quick stops all along the trail for photographic moments and I did take something to eat. I had one of those extra large Payday candy bars. I hate half of it at mile 12 and the other half a good bit before I lost the ability to spin the pedals. This was the first time I had ever taken something to eat with me riding the bike.

As I said, I'd had about a years worth of cycling in, longest to date was 30 miles, and I also had quite a few 20-25 mile rides under my belt. I didn't expect this at all with 36 miles. This was also a trail along a creek in the woods so it was a perfectly flat trail. Possibly the flattest ride I've done ever. I'm certainly not new to putting forth effort riding since I routinely ride around home where it is non-stop up and down 6-8% grades with no flats at all. It was a very strange feeling not to be able to spin the pedals at all, but able to mash away at I would guess 35-40 rpm for 6-8 miles to get back to where my car was. It ended up being 3:51 riding time and approximately 5 hours overall time with a few stops for the camera and 2 decently long breaks.

linnefaulk

Wow. That is a big challenge to increase your ride by 50%.
I hope you feel better soon and will build up your riding gradually.

MRT2

It happened to me back in May of this year. I had been on my bike 7 or 8 times in March and April and quickly worked my way up to 25 to 30 mile rides, and I went on a group ride of, what I thought would be about 25 mile rides. When I got to the start of the ride, it turns out the ride was more like 36 miles, which in practice turned out to be closer to 40. And it was above 80 degrees for the first time that season.

So the group splits into 2, and I hang with the faster group for awhile. Then I think to myself, I shouldn't burn myself out trying to hang with the fast riders or I will bonk by the end. So I sit up and wait for a group of what I think are about 10 slower riders, including two women one riding a mountain bike and another, a hybrid. So I figure this being a long ride, I will just take it slow. A minute or two goes by and the only people who appear are the leader and 2 pretty strong riders. The rest of the slower riders gave up and went back. So the leader is kind of a d-ck and pushes us hard to catch the main group, including rushing through the rest break, basically saying that since we were so far behind the main group. Though I brought 2 water bottles, it wasn't enough. I ran out of water at the 28 mile mark and hit the wall shortly after that. I got dropped by the group on what was, supposedly a no drops ride and struggled. About 3 miles before the end of the ride, the "fast group"caught me. (they had taken a wrong turn and were actually behind us) I felt sick for a couple of hours after the ride.

andr0id

My worst ride ever was when I lived in Lafayette, LA. I started out on a 40 mile loop that went north through Opelousas and back around into town from the east. This area has a lot of rice fields, farms and swamps.

Frogs live there, lots of frogs. Frogs hop across the road and get run over. They do this so much people invented a game called Frogger where frogs hop across the road and try not to get run over. The real frogs did not master this game and they only get one turn.

Frogs that get run over turn into frog potato chips when they dry out in the sun. This is fine. Until it rains. Half way through my ride it started raining. Frog potato chips rehydrate and then get flung by the wheels all over me and the bicycle. Being covered in re-hydrated frogs and frog bits is gross. Very gross.

MRT2

Sounds almost biblical.

fietsbob

It would involve crashes, that broke bones.

rumrunn6

try it again and see what happens

J.C. Koto

Man, that is messed up

Leebo

Yup, heat stroke. Try ice water in the camelbak, and listen to your body. Try gatorade, a banana and maybe a pbj on wheat bread. Food, it make you go. FL , good luck with that.

delcrossv

I think we have a winner!

Northwestrider

[QUOTE= The last 30 minute rest I actually vomited the water I drank, at that point I wasn't even sure I could make it back. I'm not sure but I think it was heat exhaustion. The weather was partly to mostly Sunny with temps about 90. [/QUOTE]

How long did it take before you were able to drink water normally ?

icepick_trotsky 

My worst was a 25 mile time trial. It was my first race. I got a pinch flat while warming up. Fortunately, a kind stranger took pity on me and gave me a spare tube. Unfortunately, the valve was faulty. I had to pull over multiple times to reinflate the faulty tube. I also crashed badly near the end and had road rash for weeks. I didn't stick around to find out my time.

Kaminokaze

The Worst Experience Ever! July 4th, Getting taken out by a driver that had crossed the center line on a blind corner and left me no place to go. Life flight off the Mtn and 200k in medical bills to date. I did get a new titanium rod in the leg. Lots of scars and pain and a funny limp.

Keith99

I tried one time trial also 25 miles.

It is not a good thing to play Rugby Saturday, drink at the reception and then show up at the start line for TT still trying to get rehydrated.

Maxillius

Worst experience ever: Cycle commute home from work 1 mile in 6 inches of wet nasty snow that stopped the buses. Seriously, the buses were spinning their tires in the bus stops. I'd've laughed my tail off if I wasn't cranking my tail off in granny gear to keep momentum through that crap. I did get a couple thumbs up from the bus drivers though.

wphamilton

Aside from crashing, the worst experience for me was the 2013 Tour de Cure south of Atlanta. It wasn't the distance or hills because I had plenty left, but the weather - I got caught out on a stretch with multiple tornado sightings (which I hadn't known about), and the wind, lightning and sheer volume of water was tremendous. Nowhere to seek shelter, nothing else to do but just plow on through until finally finding a building to shelter.

Jaywalk3r

My leg became infected on tour. I was afraid I would have to end my tour prematurely.

BigRedClydesdal

Worst ride ever was about 20 years ago. At the time I was commuting to work on a mountain bike. There was a flood and I thought I might try taking the bus home. Until the announcement that the buses were cancelled. I called my father for a ride but he wasn't able to traverse the roads in his vehicle. It was the first time my bike and I shared the work; I rode it until I hit high water, then I carried it through deep sections. The worst was getting home and finding out that most of it was from backed up sewers -- Gross!

Second worst was earlier this year. I had just got back on the bike after being sick for a while and was trying slowly to get more fit. Took the day off work and hit the trails with my hybrid. Went to check out a protected wetland area. Ten kilometers in, my back wheel bends. I realize my wife and everyone I know is at work. And if I could call for help, they can't get the car in where I am. I also have to half-carry the bike back out as it doesn't roll well. And that's when I realized I forgot to apply sunscreen (I'm a red head). Ran into the shade and found that's where the mosquitos/deer flies/horse flies/black flies were waiting for me. Constantly ran between sun and shade, sizzling and being bit.

congaree

I haven't had a bad bicycling experience yet (been riding 3 months now)...but keep 'em coming. This has the makings of an epic thread.

bikeguyinvenice

Well I went out this morning and did 32 miles without incident. So what ever it was it was just a one day thing.

rumrunn6

right on!

Doohickie

I bonked once or twice. The most memorable was riding with a club, doing long, rolling hills. I latched onto the wheel of the fastest guy and actually passed him just before the regroup spot. I was whooped and could barely stay upright. I drank the water I had and figured if I couldn't move any further I'd have to call for a sag. By the time the rest of the group caught up I had just enough energy to press on.