Group Riding | Hyponatremia | Road Rage | Procedures | Resources
BRBC member has put together a helpful guide to pacelines and other group riding skills. Click here to download it.
Did you know that too much water can be fatal? Overdrinking, whether it's water or a sports drink, can lead to hyponatremia, which means abnormally low blood sodium levels. That is the news from a recent study titled Hyponatremia Among Runners in the Boston Marathon, published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Though the study was performed on runners, hyponatremia is a condition that can occur during any strenuous exercise--including bicycling. An article about the study, Study Cautions Runners to Limit Their Water Intake, appeared in the Health section of the New York Times on April 14, 2005.
Our own Jeff Brown knows all too well what can happen when you overload on water. He writes about his experience in an article we called Hinges of the Gates of Hell, in the April 2005 issue of the King's Chronicle.
Still, dehydration is far more common than hyponatremia among endurance athletes--and the results can be just as serious. On long distance events such as century rides, be sure to stay hydrated. Just don't overdo it.
Albert Einstein said "make things as simple as possible, but no simpler." To adapt his aphorism to bicycling, "drink as much water as you need, but no more."
If you are abused by a motorist, be sure to get his or her license plate number. Also record all details of the incident: location, date and time, road conditions, make and model of vehicle, and description of driver if possible. Send this information to the proper legal authorities. Also, the Bike/Pedestrian Task Force of Asheville is interested in riding incidences and tracking them looking for patterns. They would appreciate you filling out their incident report which can be found on their web site www.abptaskforce.org.
© Blue Ridge Bicycle Club Inc. 2007