Fluid Facts....the "where?"

Thanks for the great questions you're asking via comments on my earlier posts! To give those questions more visibility, I plan to create a separate post for each question....stay tuned and I'll get those posts up soon.

This morning I just want to write a quick entry to continue on my Fluid Facts theme. We've covered the who, what, and when.....today we get to the "where"....

Where?

Well, clearly, in our case the "where" is going to be on a bike! And on the MS ride I anticipate that the "where" will include a lot of long rural roads. Although the "where" is obvious, I think it is still important to discuss because coordinating drinking while driving a bike is not a natural skill for everyone.

When biking outside, it can take some practice to feel comfortable reaching for the water bottle, drinking, and then getting the bottle back in the cage on the bike. Use your training rides to practice this. Truly. Practice works! I am not a naturally coordinated person, so I am an example of a person who had to practice to get comfortable with this skill... When riding on rural roads, I find that it's easiest to do this when I'm not in a big pack of riders and when there is minimal traffic. It's also a lot easier when on a slight incline because the bike is going a bit slower--I avoid drinking on the downhills (not that Illinois has that many "hills"!) For me, trying to grab the water bottle while going downhill is much more unnerving.

Of course, there is always the option to pull over and stop to take a drink. It can be easy to just keep going when you're biking ..... but if reaching for the water bottle while riding makes you uncomfortable, please do stop pull over and stop for hydration breaks. Remember, the MS ride is not a race, and for me the destination is not as important as the time on the road. On large rides like this, stopping from time to time can be a fun opportunity to cheer on our fellow riders as they pass by and ring those bike bells...... And also a chance to meet others who may very well take your lead and stop to hydrate as well.

I also am an advocate of backpack-type water systems (i.e., "Camelback" and other brands). With these you carry the water on your back and drink through a long bendable straw—the “hands-free” way to hydrate.

Next Fluid Facts......the "why" and the "how much"....

Ride on!
Shelley