Staying healthy in the heat

When riding in the heat it's extremely important to follow some tips to stay happy and healthy.
1) Stay hydrated! Take sips of water every 10 minutes instead of gulping it every half hour. Have one bottle water and another an electrolite mix to help you absorb your water and utilize it.
2) Eat only ealisy digestable foods (gels, bananas, etc). It takes too much energy for the body to digest bars/sandwiches (the exception is a ride over 60 miles).
3) Wear light colored clothing.
4) Pick a shady route if possible.
5) Dump water over your head and neck if you start to feel exhausted and then rest in a shady spot.
6) Ride early or late. The heat of the day is between 2-6pm.

Riding tip

Well, it looks like "chip seal" season is in full swing. When riding on roads that have been recently sealed, try to stay in the wheel tracks that cars have made. Hold your line, slow down and brake slowly. Remember that cars will spray gravel when they pass you. If you hear a car coming up behind, slow down and move off to the side until they pass. Corners often have piles of gravel so take extra caution turning. Finally, "scrub" your tires when you get onto a clear road to help prevent flats if gravel has stuck to your tires.

Cycling tip

Osteoporosis in cyclists
There have been studies that have shown that cycling alone without some sort of cross-training can cause low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue over time. This is because cycling is considered a low impact sport. One study compared the bone densities of cyclists, runners and weight lifters, and found the cyclists had the lowest. I personally know of a couple riders from our area who in the past have been evaluated with brittle bone disease. Of course this can come as a surprise to a rider that logs at least 5,000 mi. per year. Consider doing some sort of weight training, at least in the off season, and increasing your calcium intake to at least 800 mg daily, and women about 1,200 mg. Vitamin D is also essential to bone health, and while sunshine is an excellent source, wise use of sunscreen can block vitamin D production. Many multivitamins contain anywhere from the daily value of 400 International Units (IU) up to more likely effective and appropriate dose of 800-1,000 IU daily.

Tips

Hello all! From time to time I'll be posting some tips on the blog. Remember that all cue sheets for our Saturday rides will be sent via e-mail not blog.
Tip#1
Avoiding serious injury in a crash
Even though your natural tendency is to put your hands out to catch yourself during a fall, try to remember to keep them tucked in close to your body. Some coaches suggest keeping your hands on the bars during a crash. You have just a split second to react in this situation, but it could make a difference between being off the bike for 4-6 wks. and being able to ride away.