Sorry this is going to be long, but I need to get all the information out so I can figure this out. Does anyone else find themself severly affected by heat and humidity?
I race the sport classes in the East. Our races are generally 15 miles long. I train for these races riding the road about 12 hours a week. My rides are generally 3 hours in length and very in intensity depending on the day (hills, sprints, recovery, etc.). I ride off-road once a week for 2 hours at most - unless there's a race.
My problem is the heat and humidity kill me in the races. Sure it slows everyone down, but it nearly stops me in my tracks. I hydrate well before, during and after the race. I don't drink so much that I have to use the bathroom during the race. I drink enough during that after the race it's clear or close enough.
My road rides don't start before 4pm (job). My off-road rides start about 6:30pm. Neither of which are during the worst of the day. The races start between 10 and 11am. I can hang with the guys i train off-road with at night, but not during the races.
My first thought is not using a camelback for the races. It holds in too much heat on my back. On the road I rarely get that hot. I use water bottles and the breeze riding creates keeps me cool enough. Off-road in the woods there's hardly a breeze and I'm not going fast enough to make my own.
I'm 6ft at 160lbs., so it's not like I'm overweight. I am fair skinned and usually try to avoid the sun. I don't have air conditioning at home, so it's not so much an adjustment thing. I've always been "warm blooded." I break a sweat at the slightest exertion - even in shape.
My second thought is to try some kind of heat training. Maybe wearing long sleeve jerseys on my road rides - maybe even wearing my cammelback Tights, etc. Just something to conidition my body to the heat/humidity. In the races I would then wear the normal jersey/short combo and not use the cammelback.
I've lived here my whole life, so the heat/humidity is nothing new to me, though I've only been racing mt. bikes for 2 years.
That's it. Any suggestions or similar experiences?
I race the sport classes in the East. Our races are generally 15 miles long. I train for these races riding the road about 12 hours a week. My rides are generally 3 hours in length and very in intensity depending on the day (hills, sprints, recovery, etc.). I ride off-road once a week for 2 hours at most - unless there's a race.
My problem is the heat and humidity kill me in the races. Sure it slows everyone down, but it nearly stops me in my tracks. I hydrate well before, during and after the race. I don't drink so much that I have to use the bathroom during the race. I drink enough during that after the race it's clear or close enough.
My road rides don't start before 4pm (job). My off-road rides start about 6:30pm. Neither of which are during the worst of the day. The races start between 10 and 11am. I can hang with the guys i train off-road with at night, but not during the races.
My first thought is not using a camelback for the races. It holds in too much heat on my back. On the road I rarely get that hot. I use water bottles and the breeze riding creates keeps me cool enough. Off-road in the woods there's hardly a breeze and I'm not going fast enough to make my own.
I'm 6ft at 160lbs., so it's not like I'm overweight. I am fair skinned and usually try to avoid the sun. I don't have air conditioning at home, so it's not so much an adjustment thing. I've always been "warm blooded." I break a sweat at the slightest exertion - even in shape.
My second thought is to try some kind of heat training. Maybe wearing long sleeve jerseys on my road rides - maybe even wearing my cammelback Tights, etc. Just something to conidition my body to the heat/humidity. In the races I would then wear the normal jersey/short combo and not use the cammelback.
I've lived here my whole life, so the heat/humidity is nothing new to me, though I've only been racing mt. bikes for 2 years.
That's it. Any suggestions or similar experiences?