A few questions

Ray

I did a 55 km ride today and averaged 21.3 km/h according to
my bike puter. Even though it was really hot around here, I
felt good until around the 45-48 km range, then, I had to
slow down drastically (15-17 km/h) to keep my heart rate in
the 150-155 range. So I guess that was the bonking
point..LOL

I had a lower carb/prot bar around the 20km mark and still
felt good. Around the 35 km mark I stopped at the store and
got a small pita type sandwhich with a can of V8 juice, and
another 1.5 L of water to refill the Camel back.

Still didn't feel that bad once I got back to the truck so I
think it's just a matter of me ramping up again.

When I got home (30 mins after the ride), my blood glucose
(BG) was at 5.7 which is normal so I was happy about that.

Thanks for the info guys. I will keep biking, maybe try and
get 15-20 kms 2-3 times during the week evenings and a solid
50-65 kms for next weekend again.

BTW, I'm located in Hamilton.

Ray

"Tim McNamara" <timmcn@bitstream.net> wrote in message news:m2oemm5qyf.fsf@Stella-
Blue.local...
> "Ray" <ray_vachon@hotmail.com> writes:
>
> > OK, I've been riding for a few years, but in the last 2
> > have declined significantly..not sure why..negative
> > motivation maybe. But now, I'm starting out full swing
> > again. Keep in mind, I do this for fitness and the
> > enjoyment of the fresh air, and not to get from point A
> > to B under a certain time. My average speed is 20-25
> > km/h if the weather conditions are good.
> >
> > My bike is a pretty decent hybrid. 2003 Rocky Mountain
> > Metro like this one:
> > http://www.bikes.com/bikes/2003/excursion/metro.aspx
> >
> > Another thing to keep in mind is that I'm 32 years old,
> > have Type 2 diabetes, weigh 260 lbs on a 5'10"
> > frame...so yea, I'm fat and getting old...sounds grim
> > doesn't it? LOL
>
> Well, actually, that does sound grim in terms of your long
> term health prospects. I know way too many Type II
> diabetics missing legs, kidney function, eyesight... I'm
> sure you already know about this. IMHO it gives you two
> great reasons to ride a bike- it's fun and it'll improve
> your health. Heck, if you lost the 80 excess pounds your
> blood sugars might remain in the normal range without
> treatment.
>
> > I remember 2-3 years ago being able to do 75-100 km
> > rides and feeling it, but was still enjoyable, and I
> > still weighed the same as I do now. Now, I seem to bonk
> > out at 15-20 kms, where the rest of the trip after 20
> > kms is pure struggle. Now becuase of my diabetes, taking
> > pure carb gels or similar would be suicide. I have a
> > lower carb(15-20g carb), high protein bar around the 10-
> > 12 km range, but that doesn't seem to change anything.
> > Anybody have ideas? I've only done about 3-4 trips in
> > the 15-20 km range so far this year. Do I just need to
> > continue and ramp up the endurance?
>
> Has your medication changed in the intervening time? That
> can make a difference. You may very well need to adjust
> your hypoglycemics or your diet if you're getting more
> exercise. Many diabetics have their blood sugar drop when
> exercising more than a normal person does, and have to
> compensate for this.
>
> Of course, it may just be that you're less fit than you
> were before and need to build up, so your last question
> may hit the nail on the head. That'll just be a matter of
> time. I think if I were in your shoes I'd have a chat with
> my endocrinologist (or whatever doctor you see- I would
> recommend seeing an endocrinologist, however).
>
> > Second question. My hands have always been a problem on
> > long rides. Numbness, pain, etc...maybe cause of the
> > extra weight on them. I have the biggest, and softess
> > grips I could find, I wear padded gloves, and I also
> > have to end bars to give me a few different holding
> > positions. It does help somewhat, but I still suffer
> > quite a bit by the end of the ride. Anyone have any
> > suggestions or ideas that could help in this area, other
> > than "get a recumbant"? LOL
>
> There are several possibilities. Numb hands is a very
> common problem for bicyclists, especially in the little
> finger and outer half of the ring finger. This is caused
> by the compression of the ulnar nerve against the
> handlebar. I personally find that I cannot ride flat bars,
> with or without bar ends, without this being a problem
> within a half hour. Drop (road) bars, rarely a problem.
> Sometimes getting the bars up higher is enough to solve
> the problem. You might consider having a professional bike
> fitting done at a good bike shop (if you tell us where you
> live, someone may be able to suggest a specific shop).