Here’s how it works:
I don’t set an alarm unless I absolutely can’t miss something…and even then, it’s only as a backup. Ninety percent of the time I wake up within a few minutes of the target time anyway.
When it comes to my early morning rides, I’m up before 4 AM. Wake. Check weather. Debate. Usually get up, get dressed, grab a small cup of black coffee, and go.
These rides are called “BCFBs,” for “Black Coffee Fat Burners.” The concept (which I can’t really say works or not, actually), goes like this: when you wake up, your system is generally empty. You drink some black coffee (no cream, sugar, or anything else) to kick start your metabolism, and then you hit the road for an hour and some (my rides usually come in around 1:20). Since most of the food you ate the previous night has made its way through the system and been absorbed into the body, you end up digging into your fat reserves from the start. That’s what I heard at least, but truthfully, for me I think it’s more about getting out and enjoying the early morning coolness and fresher air. It’s a great way to start the day, and I recommend it.
This morning though I had an interesting surprise at the end of the ride. Everything was great – but it was extremely sweaty out. Humidity in the mid- to high-90s, and even with the short ride mostly in the dark (and under cloudy skies), I was my typical soaked through. And when I was done, my Garmin decided to tell me, “You are now 6% adapted to the heat.”
I honestly don’t know what to make of that statement. I mean, is it progress? I don’t think so. A warning? More likely. It ended its pronouncement with, “Keep track of your heat acclimation in the training status widget.” Maybe a good feature…but I already have a good idea of how “acclimated” I am to the weather here.
I’m not.
And yeah, it’s getting worse as I get older. I can see how it can get dangerous for those far older than me.
I remember some years ago when I first started to notice, actually. I look back on it and wonder how I did it at all, but my magic point was probably somewhere around one or two in the afternoon. That sun would beat down on my back and I’d tell myself, “I gotta start getting home earlier.” That’s where the concept of the BCFB came from, way back in 2017. Get out early, get home early. Works great. These days I have the help of web sites that’ll tell me the “feels like” temperatures. My mantra? “Finish before it ‘feels like’ 100.” That’s usually the first thing I check when planning a ride. Even more than rain. I can live with rain. I can’t live with baking to death.
So now I’ve got this – I’m 6% adapted to the heat. Nothing I don’t already know. Still, a reminder.
