Tips for Riding in the Heat

So the first (of hopefully many) Hack the Heat’s is coming up this week.  We’re expecting around 30 or so riders working 2 different courses (a 25 mile ride with a slow climb out and easy descent back and a 34 mile ride with a pretty exciting looking run up into Red Rock Canyon).  For many of us riding in the Vegas locale will be a new one. While we’ll be on the road early, it will still be hot and dry and if we’re really lucky it will be windy.  Here are some tips to stay hydrated and healthy during and after the ride.

1. Drink fluids the night before – Yes, it’s DefCon so you’ll be wanting to tie one on.  Try to avoid the alcohol and drink water and non-caffinated beverages instead.  Hydrating the night before (and getting a good dose of carbs) is key to having a good ride.  And by skipping the caffeine hopefully you can get a few hours of sleep before we rally at 5:30am.
2. Eat breakfast – Get your body fed right in the morning.  Having a breakfast of between 400 and 800 calories will help your body build up its energy stores for the ride and wake you up.  A cup of coffee will help your performance.. more than that and you’ll probably feel a little jittery.
3. Carry ice water – Keeping your core temperature down is key to having an enjoyable ride.  Using insulated bottles and filling them with ice cubes before you fill them with water will allow you to have cold (or at least cool) water for most of the ride.  I’ll be mixing in Cytomax with my water for the longer ride to give my body some calories to work with on what is likely to be a 2+ hr ride.
4. Replace electrolytes – Your body will shed salt and other electrolytes at a rapid rate in hot, dry weather.  Up to 2000mg/hr of salt will be lost through sweating (some ppl can lose even more than that if you can believe it).  Be sure to drink fluids that will replace not just water but electrolytes too.  Gatorade, Cyctomax, and HEED are a few examples of electrolyte-heavy drinks. Find one that works for you.
5. Drink early and often – If you feel thirsty, it’s too late.  Start sipping your water as soon as the ride starts. In very hot weather your body may lose nearly 2 quarts of water an hour. Unfortunately, the average person’s body can only absorb about 1 liter of water an hour.  So on very hot days when you’re pushing hard, you will not be able to replenish water as quickly as you lose it.  If the weather isn’t cooperating, take it easy and slow, and shoot for at least a liter an hour if not a bit more.
6. Wear proper clothing – Technical fabrics can help wick sweat away and increase cooling.  Avoid cotton and similar fabrics that hold water and don’t help you cool.  Also, as much as DefCon is a hacker con and hackers are known for their black t-shirt collection, wear light colored clothing to help reflect sunlight.