Fitness problem - another spoiled ride ...

[Steve Kish]

Be wary of adding just salt! As well as sodium, you will lose potassium and traces calcium and magnesium. Much better to get a balanced fluid replacement drink or a tablet to add to it.

[stewartpratt]

Be wary of adding just salt! As well as sodium, you will lose potassium and traces calcium and magnesium. Much better to get a balanced fluid replacement drink or a tablet to add to it.

I'm with you on the bit after the exclamation mark, but the bit before it sounds like you're saying that adding salt can be worse than not adding it. Is that the way you meant it?

Keeps the cramp at bay for me, anyway. But I'm no medical type.

[Steve Kish]

it sounds like you're saying that adding salt can be worse than not adding it. Is that the way you meant it?

No, a small amount of salt will contain sodium and chloride but AFAIK, hardly any potassium.

Adding a small amount of salt could be beneficial if you're lacking sodium and/or chloride but a specific electrolyte tablet like High5 or Nuun should provide all three.

[Jonty]

I find hills challenging never mind steep ones. What height are you? What sort of build? If you're 6 foot 4 and solidly built you may only be a few stones overweight, if that.
On the other hand if you're 5 foot 8 and 18 stones of solid muscle you may make a good prop forward, especially for the French team, but you're never going to be good on the hills on a bike.
I go along with Yakdriver's advice and suggest first things first. Have a breathing test done by your doctor in case you have late on-set asthma before you play around with the other suggestions.
Do you smoke or have you smoked?
jonty

[westofsouth]

Friday's ride doesn't look too bad, hill-wise, so I will go on the basis that they carry on without me if it happens again, but I will be consciously hydrating in advance this time - with added salts - and I'll wear a hat right from the start.

To help you decide, here's an extract from your local CTC website:

Friday 29th April
Shirenewton - Scenic, medium paced ride of about 42miles over the old Severn bridge. Morning break at Chepstow Garden Centre. Lunchtime stop at a village pub. Approx 3000ft of ascent (and descent!).

[gentlegreen]

I find hills challenging never mind steep ones. What height are you? What sort of build? If you're 6 foot 4 and solidly built you may only be a few stones overweight, if that.
On the other hand if you're 5 foot 8 and 18 stones of solid muscle you may make a good prop forward, especially for the French team, but you're never going to be good on the hills on a bike.
I go along with Yakdriver's advice and suggest first things first. Have a breathing test done by your doctor in case you have late on-set asthma before you play around with the other suggestions.
Do you smoke or have you smoked?
jonty

I'm 6 foot 2 and fairly powerfully built. I meet people who refuse to believe I'm even overweight, but I have a doughnut around my middle that means I buy 42 inch shorts to be comfortable in all circumstances, and wear my tee shirts un-tucked to hide it.

I am lucky enough never to have smoked tobacco. I used to play the clarinet. No hint of asthma.

I was 12 1/2 stone in my early 20s, and I may have got down to that in my raving days (late 30s) - though some thought I was too thin. I used to out-dance the room of kids then limp 2 miles home with the very few viable leg muscles left.

[gentlegreen]

medium paced ride of about 42miles... ... Approx 3000ft of ascent (and descent!).

Same ride leader.

We had a brilliant ride to Tintern last year where I kept up well, but a week or two later I couldn't resist a ride further north in spite having the tail end of a cold. I was absolutely fine for the first 25 miles or so - no hint of what was to happen later. I think it was the Wentwood reservoir we went past and on the way up there I started feeling bad. We stopped for lunch and I couldn't actually eat anything - Thereafter I felt like I had the flu. I spent several hours resting in a pub this side of the bridge and got home very late.

I felt very guilty and decided there and then that if my nose runs on the way to the start point, I'm not fit to continue.

[Jonty]

I find hills challenging never mind steep ones. What height are you? What sort of build? If you're 6 foot 4 and solidly built you may only be a few stones overweight, if that.
On the other hand if you're 5 foot 8 and 18 stones of solid muscle you may make a good prop forward, especially for the French team, but you're never going to be good on the hills on a bike.
I go along with Yakdriver's advice and suggest first things first. Have a breathing test done by your doctor in case you have late on-set asthma before you play around with the other suggestions.
Do you smoke or have you smoked?
jonty

I'm 6 foot 2 and fairly powerfully built. I meet people who refuse to believe I'm even overweight, but I have a doughnut around my middle that means I buy 42 inch shorts to be comfortable in all circumstances, and wear my tee shirts un-tucked to hide it.

I am lucky enough never to have smoked tobacco. I used to play the clarinet. No hint of asthma.

I was 12 1/2 stone in my early 20s, and I may have got down to that in my raving days (late 30s) - though some thought I was too thin. I used to out-dance the room of kids then limp 2 miles home with the very few viable leg muscles left.

You need to eat less and loose about 3 stones.
jonty