Wine-ing While Riding

Nutrition is huge when you're doing endurance events. I have learned this the hard way after bonking a few times on the bike and during long runs. I know what I have to do to prevent it, especially with my food intake the day before, but I don't always follow what I should be doing.

Last night we had dinner and drinks with Ted & Lauren and Amy & Dale at our favorite local hang out. I love the interaction outside of workout clothes, when we can discuss things other than exercise. There's always something you can learn about someone that you didn't know already, or just enjoy the company they bring to the table. We enjoyed ourselves so much that I didn't think twice about what I ate... or didn't eat.

I picked at my salad. I had filled up on a couple glasses of wine while we laughed and laughed and discussed everything from interesting conversations about TMJ issues to mercenaries. And I was pretty much breathing mayonnaise from the spinach artichoke dip I inhaled.

I knew we were biking 50 miles in the morning, but the company and conversation during our night out made the upcoming ride in the early hours of the morning seem like everything would be OK, somehow. Well, that was the wine talking.

When my alarm went off at 4:25, my gosh, I think I still had some beverages flowing through me. Not good. It took every amount of focusing at that hour of the morning to get myself together and get out the door to meet up with the group. Looking back, I am surprised I didn't wipe out on the way to meet up with Aim!

What a gorgeous ride today though-- we went into a beautiful part of the state, farms aplenty & horse manure filling my senses -- love nature! About 30 miles in, I was more than "wining" and I could feel myself becoming more and more fatigued. I dropped out past my house at 47 miles and took a long hot shower.

I showered until the water ran cold.

I think Amy said to me 6 times on the ride, "I can't drink anymore." "No more drinking for me."

Well, certainly not on the eve of a long ride or run.

Now for some cheese to go with that whine....