May 27, 2010
Tucson’s Tour de Cure came and went in late February and my excuse for not doing it was that I hadn’t ridden since the 70.3 last October as all my training had been concentrated on a half marathon in late January. While training for the 70.3 last year, I had opportunities both in Tucson and San Antonio to ride with Edy. When Edy fell and fractured her pelvis and wouldn’t be able to ride in the San Antonio Tour de Cure, I wanted to be there for her and ride for her. Riding away at the start and seeing Edy standing there with her sparkly cane was difficult and that’s all I’m going to say, but knowing she would be at the end of 55 miles gave me motivation to have a great ride. I rode with the team formed by the practice where Edy is the CDE--Diabetes and Metabolism Specialists of San Antonio. Also riding for the team were Dr. Rodriguez; Jeff, Edy’s son; Joe (a nurse); Baldwin (also a nurse); and Akia, Baldwin’s young son.
This was very much a training ride for me for a few reasons: Symlin, dehydration, and fueling. Six weeks into using Symlin and this was the first use of it during a long training session. Based on how shorter training sessions had gone, I felt as though I would have no problems, but you just never know. I’m constantly dehydrated and have been trying to drink more water, but wondered if I had rehydrated adequately before the ride and would I be able to continue hydrating throughout. Listening to Marcey’s nutrition talk a few weeks ago, I knew I also needed to eat more during the ride to fuel the muscles. So how did I do?
I flew in Friday before the ride and immediately lost two hours. Wakeup on Saturday morning basically was at 3 am my time, but all I had to do was get dressed, put on sunscreen, eat, and get to the start. Eating at 3 am is a challenge on its own and eating with Symlin on board introduces more. We had picked up some tasty, dense, whole grain bread for breakfast, and eating and ingesting 58 g of carbs plus some peanut butter was difficult. For anyone who doesn’t use Symlin, one of the side effects can be nausea and, in my case, an immense feeling of fullness. I was full after one slice of bread, but knew I needed to get that last slice in me. Pre Symlin I’d eat in about 2 minutes, and after 30 or so, I was finally done. We drive to the start of the ride and it is warm, cloudy, and rain spits on us for about 2 minutes. Start the ride and the wind cools us a bit, intermittent sun and clouds. Pre-ride BS is 92. Sip some Xood along with water.
First rest stop, potty break and fill my water bottle. Joe is with me at this rest stop and we eat, take pictures and drink water. Down almost 24 oz. of water and refill it again before leaving. BS 87. Suck down a gel (27 g carbs) and get back on the bike. During the next ten miles I also take on 5 gummy Lifesavers for another 15g of carbs. Also try to sip more Xood along the way.Rest stop number two. Goal is to drink the rest of the Xood for carbs and electrolytes. The sun is now shining, it is warm, and I’m damp. Xood, never my favorite drink, is warm and tastes bad, so I dump it and get some ice cold Gatorade. Also eat a Fig Newton the size of two normal Newtons—no idea how many carbs. Joe, Baldwin and Akia are filling up on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, so while waiting check BS and it’s 136.
Back on the bike, turn left and head uphill! Dang, too long at the stop. Legs start to cramp. Get them going and the guys hold up for Akia. Decide to ride ahead without them. The route takes a left turn and finally the wind is now pushing me along. Feeling good and fueled I decide to push it a bit on the flat. That works fairly well, until the route takes another left turn onto a recently chip sealed road. I’m used to the pea sized chip seal in Tucson, not the golf ball sized rocks in Texas. Rough road slows me down a bit.
Rest stop number three at mile 35. Do I stop? I’m feeling good, but low on water. Get off the bike, walk around, fill up on water. 20 miles to the finish and 12 to the next stop. The guys ride in as I’m leaving so I wait as Akia gets in a sag vehicle. Akia is 11 years old or so and decides to rest for a bit until the next stop. Wise choice. The road from here on out is broken down chip seal and torture. Looking back I must have relied on the sensor for a BS check. No number in my meter.
Shortly before rest stop number four I’m feeling very hungry and the sensor has me in the 140s and stable. Two things enter my mind. The sensor is wrong or my BS is rising and I need to get a unit of insulin on board. Pull into the rest stop and BS is 87, nothing like being 60-70 points off! No wonder I’m hungry. ½ peanut butter and jelly sandwich, raisins and dried fruit, and pretzels. Some more Gatorade. No extra insulin taken.
The remainder of the ride is uneventful. It’s on smooth road and we group back together with other riders coming into the finish. Cross the finish and Edy is there along with Dr. Rodriguez, who had a much faster pace for the ride. I’m grateful for the support Joe and Baldwin provided along the way. Having people to ride with and talk with really does make the ride faster and more pleasant. Check BS and it’s now 167. Not surprising with all that I ate 8 miles ago. I make sure to drink more water. Jeff, who rode the 80-mile route finishes about 10 minutes after we did. Everyone is warm and it’s still muggy.
Post-race. I don’t eat any more at the end of the race, although the food provided is really great. We load up and drive back to San Antonio. Along the way we drop Dr. Rodriguez off, return the rental bike, pick up lunch, and head home. At the end of the race, BS was 167, half hour later, 164. Two hours later, before we eat lunch, it’s 71. Take Symlin again and eat about 70 g of carbs, bolus for 56 and don’t set a temporary basal reduction (this will become important later on). Three hours post meal BS is 119. We head to dinner about an hour later. Sitting in the restaurant, Jeff asks me a question and I’m not able to answer him, nobody is home. Look at sensor first, 87, then use meter. 41! (This is where the temp basal becomes important.) Edy, of course, pushes glucose tabs I want none of. I opt for some more of my gummy Lifesavers. Listen to Edy and forego Symlin at this meal. Bedtime BS is 105 and wakeup the next morning BS is 111.
Recap. The ride was a lot of fun. Hydration wise I needed to drink more. Probably could have eaten more earlier on in the ride. But I’m pleased with the results except for the 41 at dinner time. If you need a really fantastically supported ride, choose a Tour de Cure ride. The volunteers are spectacular, the sag support and the rest stops are some of the best. And as we all know, it supports a great cause.
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