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What are you guys doing to beat the heat?

Olo

Cruising
May 8, 2013
3
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I went through at least five pages of posts on the general thread and couldn't find anything related.

Any tips? I know you aren't just staying indoors! The heat has been so brutal lately I've been thinking of starting my next long trip at 10pm and riding through dawn. Well?
 
But yes, some days it's really hot.

Your choices:

1. It's unfair you should have to suffer. Not fair. Waaagh.
2. HTFU and acclimatise. Get out there and do it anyway. Millions of people do.

Unless you are under 5, over 70, or pregnant, the heat won't really hurt you so long as you don't try to do too much too soon. Hydrate. Hydrate.

Today I had rain showers both going to and coming from work. It was wonderful.
 
Not a quick fix but I've found that lowering my body fat percentage has really helped me cope with the summer heat. I used to find it unbearable but now I actually enjoy the heat.
 
Let your muscles atrophy, like mine. When your legs have as little pumping power as mine do, the temperature becomes merely a minor factor.

(That aside, we very rarely use the air conditioner at home -- certainly it hasn't been on once this week -- and maybe this helps acclimatize me.)
 
I'm loving the summer. There are several rivers on the routes I ride, with numerous places I can just jump in. I always have my swimming shorts stuffed in my back pocket and get in a swim or two most rides. There is also a large waterfall I sometimes get under, monk style, about 30km from my place. It's just over the top of a long climb, it feels so good to under that!

Boasting aside, I actually enjoy the heat, while I'm moving.

We don't have an air-conditioner in the house.

Acclimatize, drink a lot. I find myself drinking about 4 - 5 times what I would in the cooler months. The vending machine companies are making a killing on me.
 
Start early in the morning or ride late. Drop the pace a notch or two. Ride where there are trees or other shade. Water-soaked long sleeves feel great. Get used to the heat because it won't be over soon.
 
1/. I do not use airconditioning at home and at night - HTFU once you get used to it you wonder why you bothered in the first place - also a great way to lose weight!
2/. 10 minutes a day at either tempo or Threshold will anable you to climatize to the heat.
3/. Before the summer season kicked off, do your rides same time every time - My morning and afternoon training sessions are done this way and as the summer has rolled in I have noticed the increments of temp.
4/. HYDRATE!
 
Night rides.
Less heat, no sunblock necessary, almost zero traffic(1am-4am).
 
I like my drinks ice-cold. Here's my routine at a typical 7-Eleven when starting a ride not-at-home.

Buy:
1.1 kg bag of rock ice ¥241
500 ml water ¥98 or whatever

I have two 24 oz. (i.e. 710 ml) Polar Bottle insulated bidons. Cram as much ice in each as possible. Add water. Run to the bathroom to fill the now-empty PET bottle with tap water. Use that to fill the Polar bottles to the brim. One HIGH5 tablet in each bottle.

There's still lots of ice left over. Perversely, smaller packs of ice are more expensive - at least at 7-Eleven. Obviously I'll share the ice if I'm with other cyclists. But if I'm solo then I fold up the bag with the remaining ice and cram it in a jersey pocket. There it melts, whilst cooling my lower back, producing water safely sealed in the bag that can be used later to top-up my bottle.

Today I did this routine twice, at the same 7-Eleven in front of Ome station, about 8 hours apart!
 
HTFU!
 
X911
 
500 ml water ¥98 or whatever

I have two 24 oz. (i.e. 710 ml) Polar Bottle insulated bidons. Cram as much ice in each as possible. Add water. Run to the bathroom to fill the now-empty PET bottle with tap water. Use that to fill the Polar bottles to the brim. One HIGH5 tablet in each bottle.
Perversely, smaller packs of ice are more expensive - at least at 7-Eleven.

Like your comment re:ice it is usually cheaper to just buy a 2 l bottle of water - around Y88 here. Always seems wasteful to me though, as ended up tipping the rest of it over me yesterday. Saves you having to run to the bathroom.
 
One thing I find makes a difference is what I do when I get home. If I just have a shower, the heat tends to creep up on me during the rest of the day. However, a cool bath adding more and more cold water as I adjust and sitting in it until the point where I think, `What am I sitting in a cold bath for?` helps prevent this.
 
I keep turning down the temp on the shower, sometimes until the water heater doesn't kick on any more.

Decades ago in Korea (peace corps) cold showers were the norm thru the summer months and more. Keep your qi down and cold water is actually okay.
 
1/. I do not use airconditioning at home and at night - HTFU once you get used to it you wonder why you bothered in the first place - also a great way to lose weight!
2/. 10 minutes a day at either tempo or Threshold will anable you to climatize to the heat.
3/. Before the summer season kicked off, do your rides same time every time - My morning and afternoon training sessions are done this way and as the summer has rolled in I have noticed the increments of temp.
4/. HYDRATE!

Yes. I can't stand air conditioning. The heat shocks you when you come out of a cool place. Most of the people today cannot imagine living without aircon even in such places like Canada or northern Europe. But once you get used it as FarEast mentions above it is not a big deal.
Anyway, it's summer and summers are hot. At least it is not India or Texas.
Good luck.
 
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