Two months of training left
This is a quick update, not least because of cold/hay fever, I’ve had to take a couple of weeks out of the schedule.
On paper at least, I’m ahead of the game. I am up to 60miles in 5 hours 35 minutes and doing that pretty confidently. I can actually cycle.
The first hour sees my body dumping out sugar. That needs to be replaced after that.
Heat has not been such a problem though I do tend to run out of liquid the first 50 miles. Both of these issues can be fixed. Torq gels give me 30g of CHO in a form I can use while riding. There’s one that tastes of cherry Bakewell tart only no texture or crumbs or anything. It’s very odd.
I’m still favouring coke and Soren mini loaves for my breaks and meals. That stops me getting the shakes. Weirdly, I have normal blood sugar (that’s to a suitable basal), but no energy which makes it really hard to cycle. The glucose definitely helps at this point.
That’s nice, so what’s next?
I’m spreading my wings a bit. 100km is next or 67miles to you and me, along a country route. That’s 60 km short of my final run, but I should be up to doing that in 5 hours 33minutes according to Ride GPS.
It’s still cold out there: only getting up to 14ºC and there’s a bit of wind, but that should mean I keep cool.
I’ll carry 2 litres of water with me, six 150ml cans of coke and six Soreen. 4 gel packs. From the first 15miles, I’ll alternate coke and Soreen with gel every 10 miles.
I wear padded shorts and use a gel pad on the bike. Together that should keep me comfortable.
I carry a spare battery for my phone too.
One thing I’ve noticed as the year has progressed is I’m still having trouble with air in-take. Even my nasal douches aren’t touching the sides and I just drip from the first couple of miles out. I guess paracetamol would help, but if I do that, I cannot use my Libre for my blood sugar measuring and that has been the best tool yet.
Not only during the ride (it can get so cold that it won’t work!) but for the recovery afterwards, preventing the muscle filling hypos.
Better stop typing, I need to get cycling 🙂
Posted: May 14th, 2019 under Diabetes, Prudential ride 2019.