rforsythe
July 29th, 2010, 02:15 PM
I know Rybo already mentioned it, but with the forecast showing low 90's even with the possibility of rain, take the time to take care of yourself!
Did you know:
- Dehydration is a significant cause of rider fatigue! If you are racing endurance in a couple days, starting on it now may be the difference between you maintaining a useful pace throughout and finishing well, and not finishing at all.
- Being dehydrated causes muscle cramps, headaches, decreased visual acuity, slower reaction times, and crappy decision making. At a minimum it's one hell of a distraction that will slow you down. At worst, well, dehydration = fatigue = crashes.
- Your body needs time to absorb water. IIRC it can realistically take in 0.5L per hour on average, though under periods of heavy exertion you can actually sweat out up to 1L per hour or more (like when you strap yourself into a sealed leather suit, and sit on top of a 200-degree motorcycle). This means you can start out being overly hydrated, and even drinking 0.5L/hr still end up dehydrated. Start out dehydrated and you're going downhill before you even begin the race.
- That giant bottle of water you slammed 5 minutes before the race isn't helping you much. You still only absorb 0.5L/hr of it, and the majority is going to end up flushing your bladder. Drink a lot, but drink slowly enough to let your body take it in.
- Medics don't like to cause pain, but if you're dehydrated enough to need IV saline your semi-collapsed veins are going to cause some while they try to hit one.
It takes at least 2-3 days to reach a level of hydration that won't leave you feeling like crap at the end of the race. Start now if you haven't already!
Did you know:
- Dehydration is a significant cause of rider fatigue! If you are racing endurance in a couple days, starting on it now may be the difference between you maintaining a useful pace throughout and finishing well, and not finishing at all.
- Being dehydrated causes muscle cramps, headaches, decreased visual acuity, slower reaction times, and crappy decision making. At a minimum it's one hell of a distraction that will slow you down. At worst, well, dehydration = fatigue = crashes.
- Your body needs time to absorb water. IIRC it can realistically take in 0.5L per hour on average, though under periods of heavy exertion you can actually sweat out up to 1L per hour or more (like when you strap yourself into a sealed leather suit, and sit on top of a 200-degree motorcycle). This means you can start out being overly hydrated, and even drinking 0.5L/hr still end up dehydrated. Start out dehydrated and you're going downhill before you even begin the race.
- That giant bottle of water you slammed 5 minutes before the race isn't helping you much. You still only absorb 0.5L/hr of it, and the majority is going to end up flushing your bladder. Drink a lot, but drink slowly enough to let your body take it in.
- Medics don't like to cause pain, but if you're dehydrated enough to need IV saline your semi-collapsed veins are going to cause some while they try to hit one.
It takes at least 2-3 days to reach a level of hydration that won't leave you feeling like crap at the end of the race. Start now if you haven't already!