Comments on: Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge – Climbing and Heat http://mariholden.com/2008/07/29/qualcomm-million-dollar-challenge-climbing-and-heat/ Cycling, lifestyle, training Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:39:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Doug http://mariholden.com/2008/07/29/qualcomm-million-dollar-challenge-climbing-and-heat/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Doug Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:29:15 +0000 http://mariholden.com/2008/07/29/qualcomm-million-dollar-challenge-climbing-and-heat/#comment-58 All good tips. Here's another, on days when the heat index is over 95 degrees, consider not riding at all. A few years back several of us went out on a very hot, sunny day to climb Palomor. But instead of the usual South Grade, which is shady, we tried the east grade which is much more exposed. This resulted in one guy getting heat exhaustion (I went down and took rt 76 and didn't even complete the climb). In very hot humid weather, like you get in the midwest or northeast in the summer, your body losesthe ability to cool itself. If you do a hard ride in that kind of weather, you will not get a quality workout like you can on a cooler day- your body is using a lot of its blood flow to the skin to cool itself. Reduced blood flow to the stomach will make it harder to eat and drink. I am always amazed when I see people riding at 2 pm on a very hot day. I go at dawn if I hear the heat index will be in the high 90s. Another tip is to carry an extra bottle of just plain water to pour on yourself. In drier climates you can get a lot of evaporative cooling from pouring water on your head and neck! You can also use insulated water bottles to keep your drinks colder. This will help lower your core temp in very hot weather. Don't guzzle down a liter of very cold drink at a rest stop. This is a big mistake, it will knot up your stomach. Drink slowly!! All good tips. Here’s another, on days when the heat index is over 95 degrees, consider not riding at all. A few years back several of us went out on a very hot, sunny day to climb Palomor. But instead of the usual South Grade, which is shady, we tried the east grade which is much more exposed. This resulted in one guy getting heat exhaustion (I went down and took rt 76 and didn’t even complete the climb).

In very hot humid weather, like you get in the midwest or northeast in the summer, your body losesthe ability to cool itself. If you do a hard ride in that kind of weather, you will not get a quality workout like you can on a cooler day- your body is using a lot of its blood flow to the skin to cool itself. Reduced blood flow to the stomach will make it harder to eat and drink.

I am always amazed when I see people riding at 2 pm on a very hot day. I go at dawn if I hear the heat index will be in the high 90s.

Another tip is to carry an extra bottle of just plain water to pour on yourself. In drier climates you can get a lot of evaporative cooling from pouring water on your head and neck!

You can also use insulated water bottles to keep your drinks colder. This will help lower your core temp in very hot weather.

Don’t guzzle down a liter of very cold drink at a rest stop. This is a big mistake, it will knot up your stomach. Drink slowly!!

]]> By: Kevin Davenport http://mariholden.com/2008/07/29/qualcomm-million-dollar-challenge-climbing-and-heat/comment-page-1/#comment-57 Kevin Davenport Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:02:27 +0000 http://mariholden.com/2008/07/29/qualcomm-million-dollar-challenge-climbing-and-heat/#comment-57 I had a blast on Sunday Mari! I stayed at the first SAG only long enough to refill my water bottles and left to attempt to catch 1a. Luckily Lisa dropped back a bit so I could have some company :) . See you tomorrow at Torrey Pines hopefully. I had a blast on Sunday Mari! I stayed at the first SAG only long enough to refill my water bottles and left to attempt to catch 1a. Luckily Lisa dropped back a bit so I could have some company :) . See you tomorrow at Torrey Pines hopefully.

]]> By: Joel Price http://mariholden.com/2008/07/29/qualcomm-million-dollar-challenge-climbing-and-heat/comment-page-1/#comment-56 Joel Price Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:56:50 +0000 http://mariholden.com/2008/07/29/qualcomm-million-dollar-challenge-climbing-and-heat/#comment-56 Great tips Mari! Thanks for sharing. I really wanted to do the Qualcomm Challenge this year but will be in London on biz. But my goal is to figure out a way to do it in '09. Great tips Mari! Thanks for sharing. I really wanted to do the Qualcomm Challenge this year but will be in London on biz. But my goal is to figure out a way to do it in ‘09.

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