This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

hi, sorry for the double post but i did not get any responses in the physical fitness forum:

i am doing the waves to wine ride this year in SF and i'm super excited! i formed a team and we are planning to do the century on saturday and the 40 mile ride on sunday. i just went to the doc and got oodles of blood work and have an ultrasound scheduled to take a look at my heart murmur--just want to make sure everything is on the up and up.

are there any PwMS here who have done a bike MS or century ride? what did you do to prepare for the ride? i am looking at century ride training schedules and it looks like a lot of it is cross training--things like swimming, spin classes, pilates, etc. in addition to one short ride and one long ride per week. i'd love to hear about what worked for you.

i am a little bit concerned about the heat. the ride takes place in september and it will be sunny and HOT (ok, so i consider hot 75-80, especially if i am physically active) and there will be lots of hills on this particular bikeMS ride. did you take any additional precautions because of your MS when you rode? how did all of the training effect your fatigue level? i will probably give the cooling vests a look so if you have any feedback on those if you used one for the ride i'd love to hear about it.

my current fitness level is not good--for the last 2 years i have had very little exercise and the effect on my body is noticeable in terms of lost muscle mass. i am not overweight and feel like i could make quick gains in terms of fitness, since prior to my bike accident 2 years ago (the event that sent me spiraling downwards until i was diagnosed a year later) i rode nearly everyday, went to the gym, did yoga, and jogged minimally (never have enjoyed running. ever.). i recently went to a pilates class and i felt like a fish flopping around on dry land. clearly, i have some work to do! but i'm excited and looking forward to the experience.

_________________
Dx: 9/8/11 RRMS
Gluten and dairy free diet
copaxone x3: let's hope the third time is the charm!
http://mylaceybrain.wordpress.com

GREAT for you!! What a good challenge to prepare for! A friend lives in the the Bay Area and she's done this ride a few times. She said once it was hot and sunny, once cool and rainy. But she's loved it and been especially inspired by those on her team with MS.
I haven't done a century ride (yet!) but did do a 60 mile rid on dirt road and trails with a mountain bike last summer. That's got to be close to the same physical challenge! It was the first time I'd done anything like that. Other than preparing for that much time in the saddle, I didn't do any special training. My biggest issue was muscle cramping during the ride. I started out hydrating only with plain water and next time, I will hydrate with some kind of electrolyte drink. I don't suffer from heat or fatigue like other MSers so I can't offer advice there. But it seems like wetting down would cool you off well. Personally, I don't like the idea of wearing a cooling vest while hunched over my handlebars, but you have time to figure that out. And I do think you can find a lot of training guidance out there, and from the event organizers.
You're going to have a great time. Just ride as much as you can, and enjoy all the rewards of getting back into shape!!

Before MS, I used to ride quite a bit having done a few ~ 50 mile rides. I have kevlar belted tires on my bike and they're great for avoiding flats. You might want to look into these. Be prepared to spend about $20 or so per tire though.

I agree with the above statement about cooling, evaporative cooling might work best. You could wet down a bandanna or do-rag and put it on your head. You could also loosely tie a wet bandanna around your neck to help cool your blood. Keep the water for your cooling, but drink something with electrolytes in it.

Regarding training, having been inactive for a couple of years, it will be difficult. Start out slow and work your way up. The more time you can spend on your bike the better.

By the way, if you don't have one already, get one of those bags that mounts under your seat. These are great for carrying small tools in case you need to do some roadside repairs.

By the way #2, regarding tires, get tires rated for high pressure and keep them inflated at their max psi. On my road bike, I used to keep the tires at 90 psi. It mikes riding so much easier.

Oh, as far as the terrain is concerned, you can look it over using the topographical option of one the several online map sites. In addition, I would expect that the ride organizers should have a pretty good description of the route available.

Although I miss bicycling, I hope that it works out great for you.

NHE