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7/19/2013
Location
Philadelphia, PA
US
Edited Date/Time
6/26/2019 9:12am
It is that time of the year. What are your favorite survival tips for riding in the heat?
Focus on hydration at least 24 hours before I ride
I have always tinted my truck / van windows and gotten a windshield blocker, so I can crank the AC between motos and cool down faster
Electrolyte powders with: sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, and phosphate
Towels in the ice chest to put on the neck after motos
Focus on hydration at least 24 hours before I ride
I have always tinted my truck / van windows and gotten a windshield blocker, so I can crank the AC between motos and cool down faster
Electrolyte powders with: sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, and phosphate
Towels in the ice chest to put on the neck after motos
X100 on hydration. I was having bad leg cramps and symptoms of heat exhaustion a couple months ago until i improved on that area.
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Make sure not to cool your body down too much with AC and Ice. If you're on the starting line with an ice cold body you're gonna struggle even more in the heat.
And make sure you have ventilated gear. A couple of years ago I raced with Scott pants that had no ventilation at all - I had to retire, couldn't handle the heat in the legs anymore
Spalter is the best:
I always dunk my jersey in cold water just before going to the line. Put that baby on and it helps to wake you up and once the race starts it's great! Lastly if you feel "weird" on a hot day STOP EVERYTHING and listen to your body, don't ignore the signs. Lightheaded, puffy fingers (me), stop sweating (probably the worst of all), fuzzy hearing, tunnel vision. I've had all of these at one time or another and they're not to be ignored.
Have a fun safe summer racing out there!
Pit Row
And yes, hydration is critical and best to always be hydrated, but you can certainly drink too much water! How much salt are people adding to their water?
I love the Fox vented gear. I also ditch the thick socks for thinner running socks.
Baby powder in the gloves helps with blisters too.
Also, around here in SE Texas most tracks open at 10 AM which is retarded. Takes 1 hour for the slop to break in good lines so now you are riding in the hottest part of the day. Several riders have died due to heat in our area. One went into his truck to cool off w/ the AC and had a heart attack.
This is the main reason I built my track. I ride from 7:30 to 8:30 AM then jump in the pool to cool off after a 1 hour moto.
The heat and humidity here will literally suck the life out of you. A cold beer after riding seems to replace the electrolytes the best and all the sweet drinks like gatorade just taste nasty.
I would also disagree with the "you must hydrate longer than 24 hours before the event". Of course, hydration every day is important, but if you're hammering water all the time and not watching your sodium levels you are probably risking hyponatremia. Moreover, it really only takes the body about an hour for your body to process water unless you are severely dehydrated. No idea where you guys are getting 72 hours from, other than the fact that it's always good to stay hydrated. When I said 24 hours, I meant that it is critical to drink the right amount of water and do some sodium / electrolyte preloading the day before.
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