Howdy, fellow Texas cyclists!
Welcome to the 96 new subscribers and another edition of the WheelBrothers newsletter that covers all the bike rides in our great State of Texas.
This is the week we all have been waiting for. It’s Hotter’N Hell week, so it must be time for the longest, hottest bike ride of the year! Let’s be honest, most of us look forward to and train all year for this one event. We train, we suffer, all while trying to keep our eye on the prize.
It’s hard to overstate the awesomeness of the annual Hotter’N Hell weekend. Nowhere else can you find such a fun and cycling-centric event like this one.
Just look at this year’s agenda:
COME HANG OUT WITH THE GODFATHER!!!
Before we get to the heat talk, some fun news: this year you can find yours truly at the Consumer Expo, hanging out at the New Genesis Vitality booth, right between the Hotter’N Hell gear and Bike Mart. Come say ‘Hi’, talk bikes, talk peptides, or just hang out for a bit.
Meeting you all in person is the best part of this whole gig, so don’t be shy. And of course, keep an eye out for the orange WheelBrothers jerseys all weekend!
The Godfather rumbling into the finish last year!Beat the Heat: Tips and Tricks for Your Best HHH Ever
They don’t call it Hotter’N Hell for nothing, and this section is the one you should actually read twice. I’ve combined our own hard-earned lessons with wisdom from the legend himself, Bikin Mike. The man has been preaching heat survival for years, and he knows what he’s talking about.
It’s all about the day before
Hydrate your brains out 24 hours before the ride. Use water or electrolyte solutions. If you are not drinking, then you’re not allowing the individual cells to retain the fluids that they will desperately need.
Slow down & endure, don’t conquer
Bikin Mike’s number one rule: once temperatures climb above 91 degrees, the environment turns hostile, and your body has to work overtime just to cool itself. Your heart rate can run 25 beats higher at the same effort. Don’t make it worse by hammering. Find the balance between ease and effort, watch your heart rate, and as Mike says: live to ride another day.
Hydrate to cool the motor
Think of your body as an engine and water as the radiator fluid. Drink before, during, and after. Small, frequent sips beat chugging a bottle every 20 miles. A CamelBak or insulated bottle keeps your water cool enough that you’ll actually want to drink it. Make sure you have plenty of rehydration packs with you like LMNT or Liquid I.V..
Are you urinating?
If the answer is no, then significantly increase the volume. I want everyone screaming they have to pee at the second or third rest stop. Douse yourself at rest stops to lower your core temperature.
To beat the heat, remember to EAT
Here’s one most riders get wrong: cooling your body down burns calories. Research says up to 65% of your calories in hostile heat go to cooling alone. So eat as you go and stick to calorie-dense snacks rich in carbs, protein, and fat. Don’t skip meals this week either: dinner fuels the morning, breakfast fuels the afternoon, and lunch fuels recovery. (Sign up for the spaghetti dinner Friday and the MPEC breakfast buffet. Problem solved.)
Keep your jersey ON
To the fellas planning to ride bare-chested for the all-over tan: the HHH folks will tell you the more skin you expose, the faster you dehydrate. Your polyester jersey holds sweat against your skin and lets it evaporate slowly. It works like a little air conditioner. Same goes for the sleeveless crowd. Keep it on, stay cooler.
Sunscreen, then more sunscreen
You’ll be out there 5+ hours. Apply before the start and reapply every 2 hours minimum. Don’t forget the back of the neck, backs of the legs, and tips of the ears!
Pack early & sleep like it’s your job
Double-check your gear the night before, arrive early for parking, and bank extra sleep Wednesday and Thursday. HHH Eve nerves are real.
Ride smart, ride together
Draft only if you’re comfortable and ask permission first. Tap your hip or flick your elbow before finishing a pull, and call out debris for those behind you. Mobile medical units are at every rest stop, and about 4,000 volunteers make this thing run. They rock. And don’t be too proud to take the 100K or 75-mile cutoff if the 100 isn’t your day. Finishing strong beats limping into the finish with your pride in pieces.
Want to go deeper? The HH100 website (hh100.org) has the full schedule, FAQ, and route info. Give it a look before you head out.
Most of all, HAVE FUN!!!
Whatever you do Saturday, don’t forget to refuel at the Finish Line Village with a post-ride beer or whatever celebratory food or drink you desire.
You earned it!
A word from our sponsor: New Genesis Vitality
Since you’ll find me at their booth anyway, you’ve heard me talk peptides. They’re the reason I dropped from 243 to 226 and stopped feeling every century ride in my knees the next morning. New Genesis Vitality is the real-deal version: board-certified docs, reading your lab work, using regulated US pharmacies, not some mystery vial shipped from overseas.
If your recovery drags a week when it used to take a day, come chat with us at the booth. Or book with Dr. Beaty or Dr. Baker, mention you’re a WheelBrother, and they’ll knock 25% ($50) off your first visit.
Visit NewGenesisVitality.com →
Hotter’N Hell Hundred Event Overview
Since 1982, this ride has grown into a 4-day festival of activities including trail rides, the endurance ride, kid- and family-friendly rides, a gravel ride, criterium races, and a trail run, plus the Consumer Expo and several meals to fill you up along the way. Over 13,000 riders from across the globe come to Wichita Falls for the “Ride of Passage” of Texas cycling. The endurance ride rolls out Saturday, August 29 at 7:05 am from 104 Scott Ave in downtown Wichita Falls. Make sure you sign up for the spaghetti dinner and the MPEC breakfast buffet while you’re on the registration site!
Wichita Falls, TX
940-322-3223
