Overtraining and dehydration - a warning!

Pokerface

Been going WAY too hard recently. Not taking on enough fluids during long rides. And messed up my nutrition over the weekend.

So - I'm out on a training ride yesterday with NapD - and all of a sudden I get a killer migraine. Can't see straight. And start losing all energy.

Have to be nursed all the way home, meanwhile the chills and fever set in.

Got home, collapsed and couldn't move for the rest of the day. Every time I got up I was dizzy and couldn't even see straight.

Been to the doctor today and told I had severe dehydration. Have to rehydrate and am not allowed to train for a week!!

So - thanks to NapD for saving my ass and getting me home, and a warning to all you good people:

don't overdo it!!

Here endeth the lesson.

Percy Vera

Are you sure it wasn't NapD's awesome Quad Power?
That's what he's telling us in another thread anyway.
A few metres with NapD and you need to rest for a week... oh my...

Pokerface

Percy Vera wrote:

Are you sure it wasn't NapD's awesome Quad Power?
That's what he's telling us in another thread anyway.
A few metres with NapD and you need to rest for a week... oh my...

All my problems started after he powered up a climb and I had to give chase. It WAS the awesomeness of his QuadPower that did me in!

MatthewBulmer

Sounds pretty awful.

Just out of interest, how much/how hard have you been training and what has your water intake been like over the last few weeks?

Pokerface

MatthewBulmer wrote:

Sounds pretty awful.

Just out of interest, how much/how hard have you been training and what has your water intake been like over the last few weeks?

I do a lot of turbo training (up to an hour and a half) and rarely take on fluid during those sessions.

I did a hard hour on the road on Saturday. No water.
I did 3.5 hours on Sunday that featured some heavy climbs. 2 bottles of water.
I did 2.5 hours on Monday. Slow pace. 2 bottles of water.

Doc just called me back to confirm the diagnosis and tell me I have to go back for further blood tests later in the week and am not allowed to touch my bike this week!

Pokerface

P.S. I used to use energy drinks on my rides - that replenished my electrolytes as I rode. Been using only water recently, but will be going back to the energy drinks.

andrewJohnson

Glad you're ok. I seem to be under-training atm, need to get on the bike more.

BeaconRuth

Pokerface wrote:

I do a lot of turbo training (up to an hour and a half) and rarely take on fluid during those sessions.

Why? :shock:

Ruth

Pokerface

BeaconRuth wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

I do a lot of turbo training (up to an hour and a half) and rarely take on fluid during those sessions.

Why? :shock:

Ruth

Why do I not take on fluids? Or why do I do a lot of turbo training?

Fluids - because I don't normally feel like I need them on the turbo. Guess I was wrong!!!

BeaconRuth

Pokerface wrote:

BeaconRuth wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

I do a lot of turbo training (up to an hour and a half) and rarely take on fluid during those sessions.

Why? :shock:

Ruth

Why do I not take on fluids? Or why do I do a lot of turbo training?

Fluids - because I don't normally feel like I need them on the turbo. Guess I was wrong!!!

And I was beginning to build up an impression that you might know what you're on about. Where's the smiley for shaking my head in disbelief? Guess I'll have to roll my eyes instead. :roll:

I'm sure I do extremely embarrassing and silly things myself from time to time but I tend to keep quiet about it if I do.

On a course I was on at the weekend a physiologist who was in the support team for one of the teams in the Junior Tour of Ireland commented that every rider in the team was given a sample bottle and told to provide a urine sample to him every morning - to check their hydration levels. It's an extremely important issue which I thought nobody who is thinking carefully about their riding and training could possibly fail to miss........ ( :roll: once again)

Ruth

jacster

A schoolboy error Colin. :roll:

DaveyL

I sweat buckets on the turbo - even with a fan. I can go through 1.5 - 2 x 750 mL bottles in a 70 min session, and still have lost fluid (weighing before and after) !

andy162

It'll be those dry Turbo sessions that have done you in. I don't think that you've overtrained as such but rather under hydrated, probably over a long period until you've popped.

A very simple test for hydration is to look at the colour of your urine. If it's dark, you need fluids.

Remember the wise words of Father Jack Hackett...DRINK!

Pokerface

andy162 wrote:

A very simple test for hydration is to look at the colour of your urine. If it's dark, you need fluids.

Yeah, when I started weeing blood, I should have cottoned on.

Pokerface

BeaconRuth wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

BeaconRuth wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

I do a lot of turbo training (up to an hour and a half) and rarely take on fluid during those sessions.

Why? :shock:

Ruth

Why do I not take on fluids? Or why do I do a lot of turbo training?

Fluids - because I don't normally feel like I need them on the turbo. Guess I was wrong!!!

And I was beginning to build up an impression that you might know what you're on about. Where's the smiley for shaking my head in disbelief? Guess I'll have to roll my eyes instead. :roll:

I'm sure I do extremely embarrassing and silly things myself from time to time but I tend to keep quiet about it if I do.

On a course I was on at the weekend a physiologist who was in the support team for one of the teams in the Junior Tour of Ireland commented that every rider in the team was given a sample bottle and told to provide a urine sample to him every morning - to check their hydration levels. It's an extremely important issue which I thought nobody who is thinking carefully about their riding and training could possibly fail to miss........ ( :roll: once again)

Ruth

I think I was trying to spare others the pain and suffering I'm enduring by admitting my foolishness Ruth!

Yes, a very silly mistake to make, and one I won't be repeating any time soon. And hey - a good week off the bike will probably do me a world of good and allow me to come back stronger!

phil s

I drink plenty when I ride but can't bring myself to drink enough when I don't. It's a pretty serious thing, though. I've had kidney stones three times in the past (pre-cycling) and don't want to revisit that scenario. This thread has been a good reminder to stay topped up on fluids!

rake

easily done i think. thirst is apparently a very poor indicator. your already dehydrated when thirst sets in. i suppose it could be masked by the cold wet weather and not having to sweat as much. it can take a few days to rehyrate as well which surprised me. good luck .

chrisw12

Pokerface wrote:

BeaconRuth wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

BeaconRuth wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

I do a lot of turbo training (up to an hour and a half) and rarely take on fluid during those sessions.

Why? :shock:

Ruth

Why do I not take on fluids? Or why do I do a lot of turbo training?

Fluids - because I don't normally feel like I need them on the turbo. Guess I was wrong!!!

And I was beginning to build up an impression that you might know what you're on about. Where's the smiley for shaking my head in disbelief? Guess I'll have to roll my eyes instead. :roll:

I'm sure I do extremely embarrassing and silly things myself from time to time but I tend to keep quiet about it if I do.

On a course I was on at the weekend a physiologist who was in the support team for one of the teams in the Junior Tour of Ireland commented that every rider in the team was given a sample bottle and told to provide a urine sample to him every morning - to check their hydration levels. It's an extremely important issue which I thought nobody who is thinking carefully about their riding and training could possibly fail to miss........ ( :roll: once again)

Ruth

I think I was trying to spare others the pain and suffering I'm enduring by admitting my foolishness Ruth!

Yes, a very silly mistake to make, and one I won't be repeating any time soon. And hey - a good week off the bike will probably do me a world of good and allow me to come back stronger!

and if you believe that, you'll believe anything.

Htfu man! It's bad enough that you've brought shame on you family, now you want to take a week off as well!

BeaconRuth

Pokerface wrote:

I think I was trying to spare others the pain and suffering I'm enduring by admitting my foolishness Ruth!

A very laudable aim, Pokerface. 10/10 for altruism and the sacrifice of your own reputation for the common good.

I would've said "Hey everyone, I've got this friend who's been a real idiot and got himself into a terrible state by not drinking enough........."

Ruth

chrisw12

Then Nap would have come on here bragging about his 12 extra watts saying who the 'friend' was.

The lesson here is never ride with people who you play with on an internet forum.

BeaconRuth

chrisw12 wrote:

Then Nap would have come on here bragging about his 12 extra watts saying who the 'friend' was.

The lesson here is never ride with people who you play with on an internet forum.

Yeah, that's a point. We haven't heard from NapD on this issue yet........... I hope we're going to!

Ruth

Pokerface

BeaconRuth wrote:

chrisw12 wrote:

Then Nap would have come on here bragging about his 12 extra watts saying who the 'friend' was.

The lesson here is never ride with people who you play with on an internet forum.

Yeah, that's a point. We haven't heard from NapD on this issue yet........... I hope we're going to!

Ruth

He's currently stranded in Dublin. Constantly rehydrating himself with pints of Guinesss from what I've read!

Pokerface

chrisw12 wrote:

Htfu man! It's bad enough that you've brought shame on you family, now you want to take a week off as well!

Doctor's orders! Plus, if I could stand up right now without wanting to pass out again or make the headaches stop, I probably would climb back on my trusty steed! I'm hoping to be better by the weekend.

(And I have no family, so the shame is all mine) :roll:

Splottboy

Doc issued me with Naramig, I think it's called. Small green half-moon shaped tablets,
So strong, you can only take 1 per day.
Got rid of my migraines.


Had such a bad one returning from Mtb w/end, didnt see speed sign and coppers camera!
Felt I was dyingn, literally.

Took a few hours but Naramig saved the day - and my Life!

sandbag

Healthy recovery.

This is why it's a good idea to drink a pint of water before you start.

No water or too little water during ride, and your screwing up the recovery as well.

and taking water at same time you take carbs, is a good thing.

SBezza

Glad you are OK Pokerface.

You need to hydrate throughout the day as well, I did a couple of long rides at the weekend, with only 1 750ml bottle of energy drink (only got one bottle cage on my CX bike), and this saw me through OK, but then again I do drink about 3 litres + of fluid a day.

I may get dehydrated during the ride, but always hydrated by the following day, I will also get through a 750ml bottle of fluid on the turbo, and I am still dehydrated I would presume, but again with recovery drinks and other drinks throughout the day, would be fully hydrated fairly quickly.

sampras38

Pokerface wrote:

MatthewBulmer wrote:

Sounds pretty awful.

Just out of interest, how much/how hard have you been training and what has your water intake been like over the last few weeks?

I do a lot of turbo training (up to an hour and a half) and rarely take on fluid during those sessions.

I did a hard hour on the road on Saturday. No water.
I did 3.5 hours on Sunday that featured some heavy climbs. 2 bottles of water.
I did 2.5 hours on Monday. Slow pace. 2 bottles of water.

Doc just called me back to confirm the diagnosis and tell me I have to go back for further blood tests later in the week and am not allowed to touch my bike this week!

Poker, can I ask why you don't usually take on fluids during a turbo session?

That seems a bit crazy to me.

I did the Sufferfest Fight club last night and pushed a bit harder than I have done before, and went through 500ml of squash quite easily. I'll then replace fluid lost after the workout.

Pokerface

A few days on and I still don't feel any better. On the SIS Electrolyte drinks today. Still have bad headaches and muscle aches.


I guess I don't THINK to take on water when turbo training because I don't get thirsty! I now know this was foolish to overlook. In fact, even on short rides of an hour I don't find I get thirsty. But hey - once you get thirsty it too late!

sampras38

Pokerface wrote:

A few days on and I still don't feel any better. On the SIS Electrolyte drinks today. Still have bad headaches and muscle aches.


I guess I don't THINK to take on water when turbo training because I don't get thirsty! I now know this was foolish to overlook. In fact, even on short rides of an hour I don't find I get thirsty. But hey - once you get thirsty it too late!

Thing is, you should be taking on fluids before you feel thirsty, as by then you are already dehydrated. But I guess you know that now..;-)

ironmike

sounds like you got your legs ripped off and are now just making up an excuse

holmeboy

While on the subject of (De)hydration , can anyone tell me why sometimes I can drink a lot in a day and very seldom urinate, and other times the opposite, Barely drink but pee a lot. I think i drink pretty much the same every day. :?