First ever (metric) century!

[cyberknight]

well done !
as mentioned above the headache is likely due to dehydration due to the heat, it does get easier and more enjoyable as you do them .At one point i was doing one most weekends on top of commuting .

 

[katiewlx]

I wonder how some people survive to adulthood needing to be reminded to eat and drink. Also how did we manage to dominate all the other species before Wahoo and Garmin.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Id venture there isnt a single cyclist out there who hasnt gone on an extended distance bike ride for a few hours, probably in autumn/winter and got home and realised their drinks bottle is still virtually full.

its very easy when your focussed on other things on a bike ride to lose track of time, and keep on top of the essentials, alot of people still rely on feeling thirsty or hungry to trigger topping up, when we all (should) know by then its too late to fix how youre feeling on the bike

 

[katiewlx]

Nice one, keep at it, and it’ll become much easier

it never does

 

[Webbo2]

Id venture there isnt a single cyclist out there who hasnt gone on an extended distance bike ride for a few hours, probably in autumn/winter and got home and realised their drinks bottle is still virtually full.

its very easy when your focussed on other things on a bike ride to lose track of time, and keep on top of the essentials, alot of people still rely on feeling thirsty or hungry to trigger topping up, when we all (should) know by then its too late to fix how youre feeling on the bike

Could you explain how we have managed to survive as a species if drinking when your thirsty or eating when you are hungry is too late.

 

[Alex321]

Could you explain how we have managed to survive as a species if drinking when your thirsty or eating when you are hungry is too late.

It will rarely kill you to drink or eat later than you should, but it will make it much harder work overall than it could be if you do so when exercising.

 

[All uphill]

Could you explain how we have managed to survive as a species if drinking when your thirsty or eating when you are hungry is too late.

The mind prioritises urgent physical exertion over thirst/hunger.

More important to escape the tiger than stop to have a sip from the stream.

 

[Webbo2]

It will rarely kill you to drink or eat later than you should, but it will make it much harder work overall than it could be if you do so when exercising.

It might have back in the day when out hunting and suddenly you became the hunted. There was some research done with SA special forces re drinking when you are thirsty being too late and it was not be the case. There are more serious incidents with athletes consuming too much fluid rather than too little.

 

[a.twiddler]

It's useful to carry some energy bars (or even a Mars bar) in case you get it wrong and get the Dreaded Bonk. It's amazing how something like that can bring you back from what you might think at the time is the brink of death, and enable you to go on until you can get some proper food. Having experienced it, you will know what the signs are, and be able to avoid it on future trips. It will probably boost your confidence, too.

 

[Dogtrousers]

There are more serious incidents with athletes consuming too much fluid rather than too little.

Massive off topic warning.

I read a first hand story on t'internet (which I have never been able to re-locate) by a British guy relating his story of participating in one of the big continental sportives (la Marmotte, l'Etape something like that.) He was fresh over from Britain, unused to the hot conditions, nervous about the event and paranoid about dehydration. He drank too much and ended up being helicoptered out with hyponatremia (low sodium). Basically he diluted his body fluids too much.

It was very interesting and if anyone knows the story I'm referring to and knows where it is, do tell.

 

[Dogtrousers]

It's useful to carry some energy bars (or even a Mars bar) in case you get it wrong and get the Dreaded Bonk. It's amazing how something like that can bring you back from what you might think at the time is the brink of death, and enable you to go on until you can get some proper food. Having experienced it, you will know what the signs are, and be able to avoid it on future trips. It will probably boost your confidence, too.

Bonking is not something that has ever happened to me. I just get progressively more and more knackered.

The reason for this is probably that I normally lug around several kilos of pork pies, sandwiches and cake.

 

[Andy in Germany]

it never does

Physically, possibly, psychologically it certainly gets better: I still remember the first time I cycled over 70k, and then the first time I passed 80k, but it soon becomes normal, less "scary", and before you know it you're planning 200k rides...

 

[Andy in Germany]

The mind prioritises urgent physical exertion over thirst/hunger.

More important to escape the tiger than stop to have a sip from the stream.

My word, Somerset really got dangerous since I moved away...

 

[Andy in Germany]

well done !
as mentioned above the headache is likely due to dehydration due to the heat, it does get easier and more enjoyable as you do them .At one point i was doing one most weekends on top of commuting .

I find I sometimes get a neck/headache if I'm riding further than I have for a while, because my muscles aren't used to it. I also realised I was squinting on one particularly sunny ride, which didn't help: this is one reason I always wear a peaked cap or wide brimmed hat.

That said, I have had numerous headaches because I was focused on riding and forgot to drink enough...

 

[Webbo2]

Many years ago on a Rock climbing trip to the USA my mates and I pirated a trip to bottom of the Grand Canyon ( you are supposed to get a permit after they assess you) We went down one trail and then got to bottom of the trail out. Which said you will need a 2 litres of water per person as a minimum to attempt this trail and do not attempt in summer. Well it was July and we had 2 lites between 4 of us. So we battled our way to the top hiding in any shade we could find and taking a mouthful of water ( it was 112 degrees F ) and got the top with a thirst that’s seemed up quenchable.
I don’t remember getting a headache though.🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

[All uphill]

Physically, possibly, psychologically it certainly gets better: I still remember the first time I cycled over 70k, and then the first time I passed 80k, but it soon becomes normal, less "scary", and before you know it you're planning 200k rides...

I've done loads of 200k rides.

They usually took me four to five days. No problem.