roads traveled and lessons learned
Since the group ride today was scheduled to last over 5 hours and would include both Big & Little Walker mountains (roughly this route with some extra), I made sure to get some Mountain Dew on our early convenience store stop. However, since the sugar in regular Mountain Dew tends to make me irregularly hyper, I got Diet Mountain Dew.
Around hour 4, I started to feel drained and tired. Then, crossing the Eggleston Bridge, I became dizzy. After the bridge, there is a short, steep ascent. Just 30 seconds after I began the climb, I almost fell over. So, I unclipped my pedals, but this only made me more dizzy. As I tried to re-mount the bike, I feel over in a stupor that law enforcement officials would have described as DUI.
At this point, I was a minute or more behind the other 4 guys. Once I had gathered enough strength to make the climb, I mounted the bike going downhill and then turned back uphill. They were waiting at the top, taking the first group break in over 35 miles. I told them what happened and was immediately reprimanded with, “that’s what you get for drinking Diet Mountain Dew.”
Oh. That makes sense. Though I had been progressively eating chocolate granola bars, my sugar intake was otherwise nonexistent. My blood sugar was terribly low, particularly after I exerted myself so much going over both mountains where I earned the polka dots. Getting Diet Mountain Dew makes sense for someone who is going to be sedentary, but my body was turning any input food into energy the moment it hit my lips. Some extra sugars were necessary.
On the last 1.5 hours of the ride, I was taunted by the local litter. Mountain Dew cans, 24-oz bottles, 2-liters, even the 8-oz mini-cans - they all were roadside ready to mock my lapse of purchase earlier in the day. Without a doubt, the most common soda litter on the return trip home was Mountain Dew. Dozens of reminders to no longer buy Diet, Light, Zero, Plus. I should just start packing a little Ziploc bag of confectionary sugar on my longer rides to avoid such a disaster.
December 30th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
The commissaire has determined that you were outside the final time cut, and thus have to forfeit the polka dot jersey. Save some of that energy for the finish next time!
December 30th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
i beg to differ. by the time you had made it to the top of big walker, i had returned to a resting heart rate. but, you can’t blame my poor finish on energy; it was strictly a foodzone-related issue. strictly.
December 30th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
oh, i just realized what you meant. but, i will reiterate my excuse previously mentioned. had the sag vehicle provided ample nourishment, i would never have been put into such a difficult and delirious situation.
and i also bought gatorade mix to be adequately added to my water for added help.