Convenience breaks
rollemynot
Posts: 436
Just done my first sportive - etape caledonia. Needed to pee 2 times before the start and stop 3 times during the event. Didn't think I drunk excessively the day/morning prior to the race and consumed about a litre during the event. I used SIS electrolyte in my water bottles. It was a pain in the ar@e stopping because I kept leaving good groups I was riding with. Any advice for next time would be great.
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Just go in your shorts, no-one will judge you.0
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Thanks guys - I did expect more of a Tena men slight joke, but just doing it my shorts would get my socks wet! I assume it was the simple science of taking too much water in when by body didn't need it.0
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Rollemynot wrote:Just done my first sportive - etape caledonia. Needed to pee 2 times before the start and stop 3 times during the event. Didn't think I drunk excessively the day/morning prior to the race and consumed about a litre during the event. I used SIS electrolyte in my water bottles. It was a pain in the ar@e stopping because I kept leaving good groups I was riding with. Any advice for next time would be great.
I think that this is perhaps a bit more than many people, but not wildly off. I often find myself peeing a couple of times before the event, as I used to before I played hockey. I think this is the body's way of getting rid of fluid that it thinks will slow it down (in response to the adrenalin that is coursing round your body ready for the event). And also on the way to an event I try to drink about 500 ml of energy drink, which has to come out.
I often find myself needing to pee within about 30 to 120 mins of an event start - sometimes I manage to resist until a food stop, sometimes not.
You say you stopped three times during an event. This is definitely more than I would expect to, and more than I think that others do. But if anything, I'd say that your consumption during the race was too low - one litre during an all day sportive sounds minimal.
Sorry, no advice, just some observations.0 -
One other possibility: it was quite cold on Sunday, if you get cold then your body constricts the peripheral blood vessels -> less blood volume needed -> excess fluid is ditched. I find this particularly noticeable if you're waiting around getting cold before the start.
I often wonder if I go into these things under-hydrated, I have done the Etape C 5 times now and only once stopped for a pee - last year when it was quite warm and I took 2 litres with me. This year I was quite unwell in the morning and felt really sick forcing down a couple of litres of fluid over the course of a couple of hours before the event - but it seemed about right overall, I had a bit under 1.5l with me and ditched most of my second bottle before the Logierait turn which of course is frustrating when you think of carrying it all the way round!0 -
Well don't stop good hydration policy just to reduce the number of times you need to take a leak.
If you are riding a sportive then just stop and take a break APPROPRIATELY, as well... we get enough aggro as it is from non cyclists.. do it at a feedstation loo for example.
You are not racing therefore it is silly to fret over calls of nature ruining 'your times'.
(yes, I know a few racing cyclists will take one in the hedge just before the start time as well.. doesnt mean I approve of that either if done as a matter of routine, we are always reminded of such things in pre race briefing sheets not to upset the locals)0 -
tis really hard to pee in your shorts, you want to go but convention says NO ! so you need to practice this in training - usually done in a grp and on a long steady descent - make sure you r at the front - this is so everyone knows what u are doing and you dont get dropped, if this is a bit too much for you then.........
there is a school of thought that says dont drink any tea or coffee on the day of the event - if you have problems with excess peeing!
1l of water in the cold and wet is maybe quite alot on a shortish sportive? especially as you were riding in alot in grps and spending a fair bit of time cruising.0 -
Drinking a "wee" bit too much is way better than underdrinking and being underhydrated.
Everyone's different. I obsessively hydrate as I get really ill if I'm underwatered and if I don't have a couple of (clear, not dark yellow) pees during a long ride then it means I'm dehydrated and in a fair amount of trouble. If I pee twice or thrice on a 60 miler it's about right. For me.
On the Fred this weekend, at pee break times I just pulled into the verge and poked my fella out a shorts leg, no need to even get off the bike, little time wasted (not that it's a race anyway). I must've had at least six, as did my riding buddy. Other times a loo was available but I "just do it" rather than give myself a pain in the bladder, I don't really care if someone sees me peeing, who does, really?
In summary my advice: drink and pi ss plenty and don't listen to anyone who says otherwise.0 -
Next time you go on this ride wear one of those super absorbent nappies. But put a cut in the crutch so you can dump it easily when its full up. Should save you a few stops at the very least and you wouldn't have to wear padded shorts. Lots of good reasons for doing this, like faster time, dry socks, sore less crutch, etc..
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If you want to be a strong rider you have to do strong things.
However if you train like a cart horse you'll race like one.0 -
mamba80 wrote:1l of water in the cold and wet is maybe quite alot on a shortish sportive? especially as you were riding in alot in grps and spending a fair bit of time cruising.
I drank about 3 litres and only had to stop to pee once (about 3 miles after going past the last feedstop such is my luck, had to run behind a wall!). The Etape Caledonia's 81 miles. Most Sportives start at 65 and considering the headwind I doubt anyone was cruising.
Mx0 -
Also want to add... It took me long enough to go Bismark. I am NEVER peeing in my shorts.
Mx0 -
Peeing in your shorts????
Hang your heads in shame.............. ANIMALSchris0 -
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Muffintop wrote:mamba80 wrote:1l of water in the cold and wet is maybe quite alot on a shortish sportive? especially as you were riding in alot in grps and spending a fair bit of time cruising.
I drank about 3 litres and only had to stop to pee once (about 3 miles after going past the last feedstop such is my luck, had to run behind a wall!). The Etape Caledonia's 81 miles. Most Sportives start at 65 and considering the headwind I doubt anyone was cruising.
Mx
Its aload of rubbish that you HAVE to drink loads of fluids - everyone is different and the etap c isnt exactly the hardest ride around is it? and sitting in a grp on aheadwind is going to make it aload easier.
eg DivChamps yesterday - 80 odd miles approx 1800m of climbing ,15'c - the vast majority of riders started with max 1.5l and many finished without any extra drink or if they did 600ml extra, no loo stops and avg 22 to 24 + mph - depending if you were good or not!
many of these riders were 3rd cats or even 4ths so not exactly Elite cyclists either.
The op stated he was peeing a lot - suggesting a medical prob, too much caffeine OR he simply didnt need the fluid intake you did
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Muffintop wrote:Also want to add... It took me long enough to go Bismark. I am NEVER peeing in my shorts.
Mx
Go bismark? Same as going commando or what? :-D0 -
lef wrote:
Yeah - and like he says - no help at all if you're a woman....:-(0
