Multiple Sclerosis Bike Tour
 

This weekend, I rode the MS bike tour -- 55 miles one day and 60 miles the
next day. I did not carb load at all for the first day, although I did
drink some carbs during the ride. The last 5-10 miles was brutal: it was
"hot" (this is CT and not AZ or TX, after all!) and hilly. I rode too
fast, as my average heart rate for the last 2 hours or so was about 89
percent. (My HR monitor freaked out at a rest stop and I had to restart
it, as it took me about 3.5 hours to do the 55 miles). That day, there was
nothing but high carb food to eat, although I tried to stay away from bread
and eat as much "meat based" dishes as possible. Sunday, the hills were
all in the beginning and it was cool. I had a hard time of it the first
few miles, but I got much better as the day wore on.

In fact, some bikers made me mad, because they kept running red lights. To
me, this is improper, as it makes people in cars think we're all going to
run the light. And, it allowed them to catch me, then pass me, then I'd
catch up to them, they'd go through the red light, I'd stop, I'd catch
them, they'd run a red light, I'd stop, etc. So, I got so mad that I just
put the hammer down and rode as hard as I could (my HR went to about 98
percent and stayed there for a while, then I backed down to 95%). This was
at about the 55 mile mark, and I caught and blew past the first two riders,
then I caught and passed the third rider. The third rider caught me again
(at a stop light, of course), but I passed him again.

Now, I find this very strange, as I weigh about 212 and my biking weight
used to be 165. I have at least 30 and more like 40 pounds over these
guys, yet they were going as fast as they could and I felt great. The main
thing I can attribute it to is low carb. I do take in carbs during my
ride, but it's a paltry amount. Today (Sunday), I felt great and had no
energy problems whatsoever. I also attribute my ability to withstand high
heart rates at least partially to being heavy and riding in hills. My HR
on my normal training rides is always hitting the low to mid 90% range. If
I was 165, I'd never hit that range, as I'd have no need. Anyway, I
finished the ride in just over 4 hours, at an average HR of 149 (about 81%)
..

So, if they say you must carb load, they're high.

--
Bob M in CT remove 'x.' to reply

Multiple Sclerosis Bike Tour
 

I can't wait until I've developed enough skill and endurance to attempt a
tour of this nature.

I'm wondering exactly what you mean when you say "hilly". I mean, I
obviously know what a hill is, but I'm sort of wondering if you find mean
really steep & long hills or just a lot of small hills. Hmm...I guess a
really long but not so steep hill could be quite challenging too.

You sound pretty competitive, Bob. I'm guessing that had you ran those
lights, you will have left them in the dust!

It sounds like getting used to riding in hills is a good thing -- and that's
good for me since there seem to be plenty of them right near where I live!

Bob M wrote:
:: This weekend, I rode the MS bike tour -- 55 miles one day and 60
:: miles the next day. I did not carb load at all for the first day,
:: although I did drink some carbs during the ride. The last 5-10
:: miles was brutal: it was "hot" (this is CT and not AZ or TX, after
:: all!) and hilly. I rode too fast, as my average heart rate for the
:: last 2 hours or so was about 89 percent. (My HR monitor freaked out
:: at a rest stop and I had to restart it, as it took me about 3.5
:: hours to do the 55 miles). That day, there was nothing but high
:: carb food to eat, although I tried to stay away from bread and eat
:: as much "meat based" dishes as possible. Sunday, the hills were all
:: in the beginning and it was cool. I had a hard time of it the first
:: few miles, but I got much better as the day wore on.
::
:: In fact, some bikers made me mad, because they kept running red
:: lights. To me, this is improper, as it makes people in cars think
:: we're all going to run the light. And, it allowed them to catch me,
:: then pass me, then I'd catch up to them, they'd go through the red
:: light, I'd stop, I'd catch them, they'd run a red light, I'd stop,
:: etc. So, I got so mad that I just put the hammer down and rode as
:: hard as I could (my HR went to about 98 percent and stayed there for
:: a while, then I backed down to 95%). This was at about the 55 mile
:: mark, and I caught and blew past the first two riders, then I caught
:: and passed the third rider. The third rider caught me again (at a
:: stop light, of course), but I passed him again.
::
:: Now, I find this very strange, as I weigh about 212 and my biking
:: weight used to be 165. I have at least 30 and more like 40 pounds
:: over these guys, yet they were going as fast as they could and I
:: felt great. The main thing I can attribute it to is low carb. I do
:: take in carbs during my ride, but it's a paltry amount. Today
:: (Sunday), I felt great and had no energy problems whatsoever. I
:: also attribute my ability to withstand high heart rates at least
:: partially to being heavy and riding in hills. My HR on my normal
:: training rides is always hitting the low to mid 90% range. If I was
:: 165, I'd never hit that range, as I'd have no need. Anyway, I
:: finished the ride in just over 4 hours, at an average HR of 149
:: (about 81%) .
::
:: So, if they say you must carb load, they're high.
::
:: --
:: Bob M in CT remove 'x.' to reply

Multiple Sclerosis Bike Tour
 

Fantastic Effort.. produced a Fantastic Result for you :)
You seem to be very proud.. and you should be ! :)

I was excited just reading your post.
I loved to bike before I gained so much weight... Perhaps in the
spring I should consider getting back into it.
Obviously in a much smaller scale than you .

Congratulations on a good ride... for a worthy cause :)
~Karen~



On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 23:10:12 GMT, Bob M wrote:

This weekend, I rode the MS bike tour -- 55 miles one day and 60 miles the
next day. I did not carb load at all for the first day, although I did
drink some carbs during the ride. The last 5-10 miles was brutal: it was
"hot" (this is CT and not AZ or TX, after all!) and hilly. I rode too
fast, as my average heart rate for the last 2 hours or so was about 89
percent. (My HR monitor freaked out at a rest stop and I had to restart
it, as it took me about 3.5 hours to do the 55 miles). That day, there was
nothing but high carb food to eat, although I tried to stay away from bread
and eat as much "meat based" dishes as possible. Sunday, the hills were
all in the beginning and it was cool. I had a hard time of it the first
few miles, but I got much better as the day wore on.

In fact, some bikers made me mad, because they kept running red lights. To
me, this is improper, as it makes people in cars think we're all going to
run the light. And, it allowed them to catch me, then pass me, then I'd
catch up to them, they'd go through the red light, I'd stop, I'd catch
them, they'd run a red light, I'd stop, etc. So, I got so mad that I just
put the hammer down and rode as hard as I could (my HR went to about 98
percent and stayed there for a while, then I backed down to 95%). This was
at about the 55 mile mark, and I caught and blew past the first two riders,
then I caught and passed the third rider. The third rider caught me again
(at a stop light, of course), but I passed him again.

Now, I find this very strange, as I weigh about 212 and my biking weight
used to be 165. I have at least 30 and more like 40 pounds over these
guys, yet they were going as fast as they could and I felt great. The main
thing I can attribute it to is low carb. I do take in carbs during my
ride, but it's a paltry amount. Today (Sunday), I felt great and had no
energy problems whatsoever. I also attribute my ability to withstand high
heart rates at least partially to being heavy and riding in hills. My HR
on my normal training rides is always hitting the low to mid 90% range. If
I was 165, I'd never hit that range, as I'd have no need. Anyway, I
finished the ride in just over 4 hours, at an average HR of 149 (about 81%)
.

So, if they say you must carb load, they're high.

~Karen~
225/194/fit and fab
start Jan17/03
Started at the gym September/03

Multiple Sclerosis Bike Tour
 

Bob-

As a person who has MS, I just wanted to say a personal "THANK
YOU"!!! for your efforts in the MS race.


Christy :)