cyclist2000

Could it have been low blood sugars?

teeebone

Few months back I went out to a paved trail around 90 minutes from my house and I wanted to do a 40 mile ride (which I have done a lot of in the last year I have been riding). My pace is usually nothing real fast - maybe 14-15 mph for the entire ride. For whatever reason I ended up turning around after 18 miles to do only 36 miles. I started to feel funny around 25 miles in when it started getting hot out....at 32 miles or so I felt so off I got off and started walking my bike back towards my car. I ended up back on the bike for the last few miles, got in my car and hopped on the highway to go home. I started feeling so lightheaded and started seeing double as I was driving on the highway. Luckily there was a rest area I pulled over at - I thought I was having a stroke or something (I am 62 years old) so I called 911, an ambulance came and took me to the hospital. My blood pressure was down to 95-52 (its usually like 120-75) but once I got to the ER I was feeling better. Turns out I was so dehydrated - your pressure drops when that happens, you get light headed, dizzy, etc. They wanted to do some tests for blood clot but because of the dehydration my kidney levels were off and they could not because of the dye. I really knew nothing about hydrating - only started drinking later in the ride when I got thirsty. Huge mistake. From now on if I am going anything over 30-35 miles I have a camelback with bladder in addition to my 2 bottles, I hydrate before and during the entire ride from start to finish. (I am careful not to over hydrate which I know could be an issue but you really have to drink a ton for that). Haven't had that issue since.

Milton Keynes

I never have a problem with over hydration on the bike, since it will leak out of my skin and usually a rest stop or two will take care of the rest. But on long, hot rides I make sure to take some electrolyte tabs with me because in the past I used to only drink water on the bike, and when it's really hot out I was washing all the electrolytes out of my body. That resulted in bad leg cramps. I've really learned my lesson since then.

teeebone

I hear ya - I do know you have to drink an extra ordinary amount of water to over hydrate (I forget what its called but it is a condition ). One bottle is always filled with Gatorade for the electrolytes and I also pack a couple energy gels which also contain some electrolytes.

Milton Keynes

Drinking too much water can lead to water intoxication. But you have to chug like a couple of gallons of water or something to get to that point. I remember many many years ago reading about the contest some radio station in Florida (I think?) was putting on where the contestants had to drink the most water in whatever time frame, maybe like 15 minutes or a half hour or so. One lady drank so much water that she died. Her family sued the radio station and that was the end of stupid contests for them.



That's what I do, one bottle filled with ice water, the other filled with ice water with electrolytes. I'll either carry electrolyte tabs with me or Gatorade powder and mix it a little on the weak side.