Overdoing the Exercise

Last night I got home from work & was in two minds whether to fix my MTB & go out for a ride, or to just go on the exercise bike. I figured the better workout would be the exercise bike and duly got changed and did 8.5 miles at a fairly constant 20.5mph. A good sweat was built up but fortunately the weather has cooled down some since last week although it was still a punishing pedal for me. I thought at some point this was supposed to get easier?

On getting off the bike I found my knees both felt kind of wobbly and throbbed a bit which was unusual, but duly jumped...well walked...in the shower. On turning off the shower and getting dry I suddenly felt very weak, shakey, sweaty hot and kind of ill - exactly the kind of way I feel when my blood sugar levels get dangerously low. Its at these times you must get something sugary inside you ASAP and I called for my wife to see if she could get me something. My first thought was a chocolate biscuit, which isnt a good sugar suppliment because it actually releases into your blood stream very slowly (chocolate isn't a problem for diabetics to eat hence why so called Diabetic Chocolate is a total waste of money). However it was better than nothing and served to at least get me a little energy to get dry and dressed.

I have to say that I then wolfed down my plate of Chili Con Carne, side salad & pitta bread like an animal. It wasnt until nearly half way through the meal that I completely stopped shaking and felt better.

So a lesson has been learned there, or rather a lesson has been re-learned. Its happened a half dozen times before, although not for a long time, and even though its always in the back of my mind, I only carry something to eat if Im out & about for a long time. Quite possibly if I had only gone for a proper bike ride last night my sugar level wouldnt have got so low, but I wouldnt have had anything with me to eat if it had, and I wouldnt have been near a shop either. These things can come on so damned quick its like you're fine and then literally 10 seconds later its full on sweats, shakes & you feel like you're going to pass out - which eventually you would.

However, I managed to scratch off another one of my goals which was to do a cumulative total of 70 miles on the exercise bike. I'm really glad I made these exercise bike mileage goals in 10 mile spans because its an incentive to get on and scratch off another goal if its close.