Ugh, Humidity... How to Ride in the Heat

Recently I moved from the Bay Area of California back to the mountains of North Carolina where I grew up. I was very excited about this move for a couple of reasons, one being that the riding, mountain and road, in Western North Carolina has always held a special place in my heart. I longed for the lush spring, green summer, colorful fall, and mild winters of my childhood that kept me outside and on two wheels. In all of my recollections of amazing trails and after school cycling sessions, how I was able to block out the crazy hot and humid weather that is prevalent back in the southeast is beyond me. So now that I am back and have been all but slapped in the face with a nice dose of humid ninety plus degree weather I have been trying to remember for the life of me how I survived spending almost every possible waking moment outside as a kid. Plowing through the recesses of my brain on one of my more recent rides I kept trying to uncover the secret and continually came up empty, just like my water bottles on this excruciatingly hot day. After a lot of trial and error trying to adjust to the humidity I have decided to share with you a couple of basics I have learned for riding in crazy hot weather.

The number one defense you have against dehydration in any weather, especially hot, is hydration. The usual amount of water you should consume on the bike is about one sixteen ounce bottle per hour and in hot weather that can up to quadruple depending on your body weight and how much water you lose on a given ride. Not only do you need to hydrate while on a ride but it is just as important to drink water before and after your ride. Drinking before to make sure that you are not starting your ride behind the eight ball and after to continue replacement of the water that you lost. Figuring out how much weight in water you are trying to replace upon completion of a ride can be done by weighing yourself before and after your ride. If you weigh less after you ride drink up and if you weigh more drink less to avoid over hydration. On shorter, easier rides of an hour or less I usually take just water and on longer more intense rides I will take water and an electrolyte replacement drink. This is just an example of what works for me and I encourage you to find out what works best for you.

Another basic tip for riding in hot weather is to try and time your rides during the cooler times of the day, like early mornings or later afternoons. Be sure that you take your lights with you when riding during these times because visibility can be tricky. I know that changing around your training schedule can be tough when you have a lot of other things on your plate but finding alternatives to doing intervals in the midday sun will keep you healthy and on your bike. If changing around your schedule is not possible and suffering in the sweltering heat is cramping your training it maybe worth considering getting an indoor trainer as an alternative. I would also recommend seeing if there are any local spin classes available through your local bike shops or gyms during the hot months. This would be a good idea for those cyclists who live in areas that have harsh winters as well. Whether it is cold or hot extremes in temperature that you are trying to avoid, cross training with other activities more suited for the weather at hand can be a good way to complement your cycling experience. Like swimming in the summer and skiing in the winter. Just remember to drink water whether you are swimming, skiing, or cycling.

Water please,

Sara