“It’s kind of a miracle I haven’t just passed out.” That’s how Lael Wilcox described the heat exhaustion that ended her bid to break Mark Beaumont’s around-the-world cycling record this week. A European heat wave did what training and grit couldn’t. Reading her words, I felt the particular dread that’s become familiar lately — the recognition that the conditions we plan our riding around are no longer the conditions we actually get.
You can read more about her decision and the circumstances that led to it here: Lael Wilcox abandons Around the World attempt amid health concerns.
The increasing summer heat is terrifying, and people are dying. Probably, when there are health warnings against outdoor exercise, it’s not the best time to try to break a world cycling record. I know the loss of summer riding is a small thing compared to all the horrible effects of our warming world.
Me, I’m planning my long-distance rides for the fall. I’m switching it up and moving some of my exercise indoors in the summer. That feels strange and awful, but it’s where we are.
Here’s some of my past posts about summer heat:
Riding bikes on two heart alert Sundays nine years apart
Cycling in a climate worsening world: Sam is scared
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Yes, it’s awful. And our president is doing all he can (which is FAR too much) to ignore the reality. It might reduce his net worth, and that of some of his donors…
If you want summer riding though, come to SF. Fog pretty much every night, micro-climates galore. We certainly see the effects (think wildfire season) but at least we don’t have to slow down our riding time.
Tough times.