JasonJones

So I was riding with my usual group this morning and having a pretty good ride. We were about 35 miles into the ride and I had been riding pretty hard, and then it just hit me like a brick wall. We had come to a stop at a light and when we started up again I was dead. I couldn't get above 18mph and my heart rate would not drop below 170. I backed off and ate a GU and drank some water to try and get some energy back, but I was spend. We came up to the last huge hill at the end of the ride. I wanted to skip it but I had been talking crap about doing this hill earlier so I refused to give in. So at the bottom of the hill my heart rate was already 170 and after 30 or 30 yards it was above 180. I pulled off to a side road and relaxed for a minute until it dropped to 160 and finished it above, again by the time I reached the top it was around 184.

So I only had a cliff bar before the ride this morning, and I had one about 4 or 5 miles before this started happening. I also drank about 120 ounces of water throughout the ride. So I feel like I shouldn't have been dehydrated leading to heat exhaustion.. but I am wondering if I just had to carbs left to burn or if maybe I had drank too much water and had depleted the electrolytes. I haven't had anything but water in three or four days.

So what do you guys think? And what can help avoid this in the future as not only is it unhealthy but also rather embarrassing...

2Tired2Shift

I think it doesn't really matter - you live in HI dude!

heddywouldgo

Shouldn't be. It's happened to all of us. I blew up on a ride the other week and rode home in tears. There, now you don't feel so bad

vpiuva

Think ya got it here.

2Tired2Shift

Tears? That rates pretty high on the gay-o-meter.

heddywouldgo

Gay, female, it's all the same right?

2Tired2Shift

Oh, you are a chick? Then the tears are ok.

ericgu

120oz of water is a considerable amount in that amount of time. If you were sweating a ton, it's very possible that you were low on salt. If you drink a lot of water but you don't have enough sodium, your body still keeps your blood volume low so that your sodium doesn't drop too low. That can lead to a higher-than-usual heart rate because each beat pumps less.

It doesn't sound like a bonk to me. The last time I bonked, I wasn't concerned about not giving in. I was just looking for a place to collapse. Also, you typically would see a far greater drop off of performance - like from crusing at 19MPH to barely being able to ride at all.

jpatkinson

I think that is how you can 'tell,' if you know what I mean ... straight guys are incapable of expressing their feelings, if I remember my developmental biology correctly.

I vote for the HEAT/electrolytes as the problem, regarding the OP question, BTW.

JasonJones

Thanks guys for your responses. As far as still pushing 18-19, that is nothing on the road. It is a slight downhill with 20mph wind pushing you. We usually ride between 28-30 down that road, so it was a considerable drop.

The only reason it embarrasses me is because I should have known better in the first place then to let it happen. So I just wanted to make sure I get more info to make sure it doesn't happen again.

powerglide

sh1t happens, no one can be hitting on all eight all the time.
que sera sera

Bike enthusiast

Hmmm... Your heart rate seems to be really high, is that normal for you or was that the first time it went that high? You may want to check with a doctor if 180 bpm is unusual for you. I had a friend who experienced the same thing during strenuous exercise (such as cycling) and the docs found out that he should ease it off for a few weeks... It could be life threatening....