Yesterday might of been the hottest day I’ve ridden in ever. I’m not sure, but it seemed pretty hot. Okay, really hot. The funny thing is that you’d think it would be cooler coasting downhill, but it actually was hotter. Opposite of wind chill I guess. I think that anytime you get over 98.6 degrees, body temperature, that will be the case. I know evaporation and humidity has a bunch to do with this, but it was definitely the case yesterday. (Feel free to correct me here if I’m wrong.) When I spent a winter in Grand Forks North Dakota, I rode my bike at -25 below, so yesterday riding at 109 makes it a 134 degree temperature span. That is enough for me, I don’t need to try to break that anytime soon.
Anyway, we had a 21.1 mph average for a little over a hour and a half. That was pretty quick. I didn’t feel too bad. I actually never felt hot, but like I’ve stated here before, I don’t seem to have an ability to judge how hot it is when it get extremely hot. I just feel the effects of it when it’s too late to correct the downward spiral.
Today is forecast to be just 107. But, yesterday was forecast to be 103 and it was 109, so it could be pretty ugly again. I was replacing a brake caliper on my car, late morning, and had to stop when I couldn’t pick up the tools anymore because they were too hot and my hands were so slick, from sweat, that I was having a hard time keeping hold of them.
I always race in long finger gloves. I haven’t been wearing gloves at all training recently. That has changed. I hurt my right wrist/hand crashing at the Jingle Cross last November, and ever since then, my right hand goes numb. Actually, it is only my thumb, index finger and middle finger that go numb. If I shake my hand, the feeling comes back pretty quickly. Anyway, not wearing gloves when my hands are so sweaty, makes me grip the bars much tighter, making my hands go numb much more consistently. So, I’m back to gloves in training again.
Back to yesterday, it amazed me that I heard the never ending noise of roofing nailers firing all afternoon. I don’t understand how these transient roofers can work throughout the day in these temperatures. They must be hating life. An unlimited amount of work and it has been record temperatures for the past three weeks. It has to really slow down their productivity. But, that being said, those guys are much harder than I could ever hope to be.
I got a Nike Ice Vest in the mail a couple days ago. Thanks Ben. I tried it for a little bit today, but don’t think I have it down. It is a small/medium, so it is pretty tight on me. I froze it overnight, but the stomach area had been cut out and the baffles leak, so it might take some jerry-rigging to make it work efficiently.
Okay, deciding about racing this weekend. I need to race for sure. I’m probably not going up to Elk Grove. There is another race near St. Louis with good prize $$$. There is also a couple races in Denver that Brian wants to go do. The first, a hill climb up Lookout Mountain and the 2nd, a Criterium somehow affiliated with the PRO Challenge. I’m planning on eventually going West, so maybe it’s not such a bad time to head that way.
Update – the high is now forecast to be 110 degrees. That is way into triple digits.
The Nike Ice Vest from the back. It is just baffles that you fill with water and freeze.
Trudi sent this from downtown Lawrence at 3 pm this afternoon. It's now 111 here.
At 5:05 pm.
This only makes me feel like I’m being a pussy here. I especially like the high on Thursday. I don’t know how you do it Matt Ankeny.
I set a new high heart rate of 204 and spent 47 seconds with HR over 200. Kind of freaky.
I’ve been wanting to try an Ice Vest. Do you like the Nike one? Sounds like you grabbed a used one – I’m heading on over to ebay to check out the options 🙂
Yesterday in St Louis the huntsman for Three Creek Bassets and I took out 8 couple (16) of hounds for a walk, not on leashes, one mile down the driveway, one mile back, at the fastest walking pace before you start running, and amazingly six couple stayed together, three stragglers, and one hound who just wasn’t up to it – in 100F heat, 80% humidity – the kennel is 100 yards from the Missouri river. Soaked with sweat after that, sat in front of a fan for half an hour and drank cool water – that heat was brutal.
Steve,
Great blog — but be careful about the hand injury. Sounds like some kind of radial nerve injury/ inpingment.
those are median nerve symptoms your having on that hand, the carpal tunnel syndrome one. Could be a lot of reasons why, but you likely just banged it up and now its sensitive.
cut your hair 🙂
When I’m telling people to NEVER go to your part of the world in the summer time, I’ve told them about the fact that you can’t put the windows down in a car because the air blowing in will burn you. It is true because in Equatorial Kansas the humidity is maxed out. Normally wind accelerates evaporation and that causes evaporative cooling to happen. You need to vacate that area during that type of weather and put caution tape around it so no one else goes into it.
leave the hair alone
its fucking rad
For the record. 112 degrees today in Topeka. Not seen since 1934. The heat index had to be plus 116 degrees. Heard there was a study that says this makes red blood cells. Not sure they replicated 112 degrees with crazy heat index…..And, Hudson, walking the hounds sound way fun; but, a coursing on a horse might have been preferable. Can’t believe there’s not an open invitation to Topeka et al. Tomorrow? Mid-ninties. Probably okay to ride outside again.
Yep.
Agreed about keeping the hair.
It’s totally boss.
Hey Steve, Roger Lomshek is hosting the state RR and Crits this weekend. It would be really great if you and your crew could come down and support it by racing in it? It’s a great crit course and well organized, plus if you know anyone who can provide a wheel vehicle for sunday’s road race, the race entry for you would be free!
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