Went out today, started around 0600 when it was beautiful and cool. I should have tried to get the entirety of the ride done before lunchtime but we stopped in a pub for a very very nice lunch. Leaving the pub the heat was brutal. The last 50 kilometers after the pub really dragged. My Garmin cycle computer told me that I should have consumed about seven and a half liters of water during the ride and I think I only consumed about five over the whole 160k.Â
I don't know how on earth the pros do it on the tour de France. I am sitting here in my back garden a broken man and I consider myself to be fairly fit.Â
One word of warning, a friend who's also relatively fit boinked hard at 130km. I had to end up waiting for him just to suck down water and food in the shade for about 45 minutes until he managed to compose himself. Both of us were surprised at the how quickly it came on. I've never boinked on a cycle ride before - I think the heat really takes it out of you. Today was a balance between wearing least layers to regulate your temperature but try not to get too badly burned.
