Hotter n Hell 100 report – August 25, 2018
This was my 10th Hotter n Hell 100 bike rally. My first was in 2008 a few months before my multiple myeloma diagnosis in February 2009. I have done this rally every year since, except 2014, when I had valve replacement surgery. There are a number of ride options other than the 100 miles (really 104), including rides of 25, 50, 60 and 75 miles. I have always done the full 100 miles, have never not failed to finish, and wanted to make sure that on my 10th trip I would continue that streak.
The rally is relatively flat with less than 2,000 feet (610 m) of climb over the 104 miles. What makes this rally so challenging are the weather conditions. For the last couple of years, the conditions have been mild, with temperatures in the upper 80s (30 C) to mid 90s (35 C), overcast skies, and mild wind conditions. When I did this with Andrew last year, we were able to maintain an average speed of 18 mph and we only stopped twice to refill water bottles. The temperature last year was not a factor and we finished with a total time of just over 6 hours.
This year it was more like a typical HHH with clear skies, a sustained southerly wind of 14-18 mph with gusts to 25 mph. The temperature was 79 F (26 C) at 7:00 AM and topped out at 101 F (38 C). It hit 100F when I finished at 2:45.
This year was also tougher on me for reasons other than the weather, as my multiple myeloma treatments are more aggressive due to an indolent relapse. On Wednesday before the Saturday rally, I had a shot of Velcade, 10 mg of Revlimid, and 20 mg of dexamethasone. I also took Revlimid on Thursday and Friday nights. I did not get much sleep on Thursday and given I had to get up at 4:30 Saturday morning for the rally, only about 6 hours of fitful sleep in the bunkhouse at the church camp Friday night.
Due to this increase in treatment, I am a bit anemic, so I cannot get the same level of oxygen to my legs as I did in the past. I was well aware of that going into this, so planned accordingly. I used my time trial bike, which I knew would do better when we turned into the south wind and planned to stay within myself.
I was able to average 17.3 mph for the first 60 miles of the rally. I had stocked up on food and two full water bottles filled with 50% water and 50% Powerade. I did not stop at a rest stop until the one at mile mark 60. However, the southerly wind and heat started exacting a toll and after that rest stop the course turned south. My average speed plummeted and I was only able to average 13.3 mph for the rest of the rally. It was such a beat down that I stopped at every rest stop (every 8 miles) starting with the one at mile mark 75. Those were extended stays as I was trying to cool off and hydrate. One of the stops had ice water in small plastic swimming pools and I took full pitchers of ice water and dumped them over my head and torso. There is no shade on the return and the road is mostly rough stony asphalt we call chip seal. With the heat beating down and wind in your face, you start thinking about giving up and taking the SAG truck back in. I fought off those thoughts and finished the rally in a total time of 7 hours and 40 minutes. It took me over 1 ½ hours longer than it did the previous two years. A cool shower after that ride was refreshing.
Even though the ride was grueling and I was slow, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. If I do this next year, I may consider doing one of the shorter distances, since I fulfilled my goal of doing the full distance this year for the 10th time.
Forums
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Good for you Ron, doing this amazing bike ride which would be a challenge for any competitive cyclist. I see from your posts that you have been writing about this event since 2012, which is the same year I started writing columns! i guess that us 'old timers' have to encourage each other to carry on, at whatever we enjoy doing.
I have been a spectator at some triathlons, for my sons-in-law. For the cycling part of the event, there are problems sometimes with flat tires, broken handlebars, not feeling well during the event, and more! So this is not as simple as getting on a bike and cycling. Once a rider flew in front of 0ne son-in-law and crashed into the ditch. But the athletics is an encouragement to train year round and that is good for one's health.
I am riding a bit and will write that up in my next column! Take care and hope the anemia clears up soon.
I have been a spectator at some triathlons, for my sons-in-law. For the cycling part of the event, there are problems sometimes with flat tires, broken handlebars, not feeling well during the event, and more! So this is not as simple as getting on a bike and cycling. Once a rider flew in front of 0ne son-in-law and crashed into the ditch. But the athletics is an encouragement to train year round and that is good for one's health.
I am riding a bit and will write that up in my next column! Take care and hope the anemia clears up soon.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Nice job Ron. Glad that you were able to finish. Sounds pretty grueling.
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goldmine848 - Name: Andrew
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Glad to hear you didn't need the sag wagon Ron!
I will be riding my first event since my transplant in a couple of weeks, but I have scaled down my goal of riding the full century to the metric century. I have learned that my multiple myeloma / maintenance therapy have changed my ability to gain endurance and also how I deal with heat, nutrition, and the way my body responds to efforts longer than my carbohydrate balance.(2,500-3,000 calories).
It has been interesting how my ability to climb has returned fairly well, but my ability to ride for more than 3 hours has been a struggle. I have been experimenting with my ride nutrition and I am not yet satisfied with the results; I still bonk (run out of energy and lose strength) at about the three-hour mark. My last ride was a bit less than that at only 40 miles, trying out a new nutrition scheme with a protein / fat / carbohydrate mix in my water bottles that might help, I plan on riding over the three-hour mark for somewhere over 50 miles this weekend to see if my new mix will work, along with a couple of solid food options at the 15-20 and 35-40 mile points.
Once I have that down, I am planning on at least one other ride this year, maybe a full century, and then 4-6 century rides next year. We have some good rides here in Alabama, called the Alabama Backroad Century Series, with 13 events this year, so I have plenty of choices without having to travel too far.
My biggest surprise has been how my riding has reduced the peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet. My perceived pain has been reduced by about 50 percent, with some days reaching 90 percent, compared to before I started riding. They are still sensitive to external inputs; stepping on something without a shoe will still hurt worse than without PN, but the normal walking around pain has gone down significantly. Another good reason to get out there and ride!
I will be riding my first event since my transplant in a couple of weeks, but I have scaled down my goal of riding the full century to the metric century. I have learned that my multiple myeloma / maintenance therapy have changed my ability to gain endurance and also how I deal with heat, nutrition, and the way my body responds to efforts longer than my carbohydrate balance.(2,500-3,000 calories).
It has been interesting how my ability to climb has returned fairly well, but my ability to ride for more than 3 hours has been a struggle. I have been experimenting with my ride nutrition and I am not yet satisfied with the results; I still bonk (run out of energy and lose strength) at about the three-hour mark. My last ride was a bit less than that at only 40 miles, trying out a new nutrition scheme with a protein / fat / carbohydrate mix in my water bottles that might help, I plan on riding over the three-hour mark for somewhere over 50 miles this weekend to see if my new mix will work, along with a couple of solid food options at the 15-20 and 35-40 mile points.
Once I have that down, I am planning on at least one other ride this year, maybe a full century, and then 4-6 century rides next year. We have some good rides here in Alabama, called the Alabama Backroad Century Series, with 13 events this year, so I have plenty of choices without having to travel too far.
My biggest surprise has been how my riding has reduced the peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet. My perceived pain has been reduced by about 50 percent, with some days reaching 90 percent, compared to before I started riding. They are still sensitive to external inputs; stepping on something without a shoe will still hurt worse than without PN, but the normal walking around pain has gone down significantly. Another good reason to get out there and ride!
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Doug from AL - Name: Douglas Gerard
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2017
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
All things considered, Ron, what a tremendous job! Congrats!
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Mank - Name: Mank
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: February 2017
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Doug,
Sounds like you are making decent progress. I think you will notice the endurance return as you are still recovering from the transplant. Andrew can shed more light on how long it took him to regain endurance after his transplant. Eventually, though, he was doing over 10,000 miles a year and rode the Blue Ridge Parkway!
My next big test is the Texas Time Trials in Glen Rose Texas. It is part of the Texas Ultra Cup series of ultra distance cycling races in a time trial format. I signed up for the 12-hour solo ride. I did a 12-hour time trial earlier this year, but it was on a flat course near Houston. This one is hilly, and it will still be warm in North Texas in late September but should not be 100 F. I am planning on trying to complete 5 laps on the 26.5 mile course. There are about 1,300 feet (400 m) of climb per lap, so that means I will be doing a total of 6,500 feet (2000 m) of climbing for the day. The time trials are all about meeting individual challenges. I normally do this as part of a 2-man team, but my teammate from last year has decided not to take part.
Sounds like you are making decent progress. I think you will notice the endurance return as you are still recovering from the transplant. Andrew can shed more light on how long it took him to regain endurance after his transplant. Eventually, though, he was doing over 10,000 miles a year and rode the Blue Ridge Parkway!
My next big test is the Texas Time Trials in Glen Rose Texas. It is part of the Texas Ultra Cup series of ultra distance cycling races in a time trial format. I signed up for the 12-hour solo ride. I did a 12-hour time trial earlier this year, but it was on a flat course near Houston. This one is hilly, and it will still be warm in North Texas in late September but should not be 100 F. I am planning on trying to complete 5 laps on the 26.5 mile course. There are about 1,300 feet (400 m) of climb per lap, so that means I will be doing a total of 6,500 feet (2000 m) of climbing for the day. The time trials are all about meeting individual challenges. I normally do this as part of a 2-man team, but my teammate from last year has decided not to take part.
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Doug,
I am not sure where you are post-transplant, but if you keep at it, the endurance will return. My transplant was in January and that season just ok. But by the next season the endurance was back. For me, the key was doing back-to-back longer rides of 3.5 to 4 hours.
I am not sure where you are post-transplant, but if you keep at it, the endurance will return. My transplant was in January and that season just ok. But by the next season the endurance was back. For me, the key was doing back-to-back longer rides of 3.5 to 4 hours.
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goldmine848 - Name: Andrew
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
I was a half-marathon runner, rather than a biker, pre-diagnosis. I haven’t run in over a year, other than some treadmill work last winter. I was unable to run pre-transplant, and now i’m almost 100 days post-transplant, and walking daily, but still not running. I’ve also had a pacemaker implanted last March, so that complicates things. Your biking experience gives me hope. I keep hoping that I can regain more of my strength and endurance, but I seem to be hesitant to get out and work. The little biking I’ve done also reminds me how out of shape I am. Was there a point post-transplant when you could feel some of your fitness returning?
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michaelgreer - Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 10/25/17
- Age at diagnosis: 68
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Michael,
It definitely took awhile to regain fitness, and I went into the transplant in good shape. My legs were sore while riding for months after I started back up. So I would start slowly and increase a little at a time. It will hurt, but do what you can.
It definitely took awhile to regain fitness, and I went into the transplant in good shape. My legs were sore while riding for months after I started back up. So I would start slowly and increase a little at a time. It will hurt, but do what you can.
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goldmine848 - Name: Andrew
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Ron,
What a wonderful exciting topic you started! Thank you for burning this fire.
My story is that I was diagnosed several weeks ago a hard way. Looking back, I understand that I had multiple myeloma for a while. I was a competitive swimmer until sophomore year, then switched to running and got in top 3 at NCAA (I was much worse in swimming despite longer training).
I kept running after college with varying degree of intensity depending on family and professional development. After turning 50, I decided to get ready for the Master Worlds and significantly intensified my training. At that point I noticed a new strong ammonia smell on my t-shirts and shorts. Since I kept intensifying my training, the smell was growing too. I had to hang my running gear in the garage to scare skunks that were walking by sometimes. My family was released from the ammonia smell and skunks disappeared.
By 2015-2016, data from Strava indicate that I started breaking untouchable records around my area set by thousands of runners of international, national and local caliber despite being 50+ and competing against college and post-collegiate athletes. However, besides the smell, I noticed that my coronary fitness was off. When I was young, mile was my best distance. I could pick an under 1-minute pace per lap and keep it for 4 laps. Now I could go only 1 lap with this pace because of the lack of oxygen. Sometimes I couldn’t breathe after an intense interval. But the young speed was still there. Therefore, all my Strava records are for 200-400m. Too bad we didn’t have GPS watches in 80’s!
In the end of this June I got into a hospital with an ammonia poisoning right after the World Championship. For no other hypothesis, they decided that it was alcohol poisoning without telling me! Their first treatment made everything worse. Then test results came that showed multiple myeloma and very high ammonia. The doctors were puzzled, oncologists said that they never saw multiple myeloma with this high ammonia. But everyone needed to make the right decision and to act fast, because the previous treatment brought me to an aspiration, sepsis, coma sequence with 10% survival rate.
My home team found an article telling that there were several cases of multiple myeloma with high ammonia. Both patients who didn’t get treatment died. Several dozen who got treatment showed 68% survival. Oncologist was convinced and started weekly VD (Velcade and dex) cycles, and the ammonia level dropped right away.
I got out of coma after 3rd cycle, weighing 40+ pounds less. At first I could only talk and swallow food, the rest of the body didn’t have enough muscles left to move anything, including toes and fingers. Gradually during first week I learned how to move arms and other parts of the body. What is this strange tingling feeling in my three fingers and lower back? Aaaaah, it’s neuropathy and bed sores. Good to know!
By the second week I learned to eat by myself and was able to go to the bathroom. After that I was promoted to a rehab. I stayed several days in rehab and was released home after learning how to use a walker and climb stairs (one at a time). At home, rapid recovery continued, and in 2 weeks I took my first independent shower and shaved! VD cycles were giving me setbacks for the afternoon after a shot of Velcade. I was back to where I was only by the next day. After 6th my three finger neuropathy got reduced to one, but I got a leg one and my elbows started tingling. I had a good guess what it means. Therefore, I was very happy to hear from a myeloma specialist (and not my general oncologist) that I need to stop VD and do more refined tests. I was ecstatic - no setbacks and no neuropathy! Now, two weeks later, I have only one finger neuropathy and the leg one got reduced at least 5-fold. Two weeks on nothing and I feel better every day. I understand that it may not be remission, but I’m hopeful that it’s not too far.
I’ve been itching to start training for a while. My wife is very afraid of losing me or deteriorating any processes. I’m trying to convince her that light training to the opposite should strengthen. I’m ready to start with a stationary bike just for 5 minutes. My case was so dramatic both going down and up that I don’t know myself whether training increases the level of ammonia or decreases it thru sweating. Ammonia is what poisoned my liver, kidney and brain.
What a wonderful exciting topic you started! Thank you for burning this fire.
My story is that I was diagnosed several weeks ago a hard way. Looking back, I understand that I had multiple myeloma for a while. I was a competitive swimmer until sophomore year, then switched to running and got in top 3 at NCAA (I was much worse in swimming despite longer training).
I kept running after college with varying degree of intensity depending on family and professional development. After turning 50, I decided to get ready for the Master Worlds and significantly intensified my training. At that point I noticed a new strong ammonia smell on my t-shirts and shorts. Since I kept intensifying my training, the smell was growing too. I had to hang my running gear in the garage to scare skunks that were walking by sometimes. My family was released from the ammonia smell and skunks disappeared.
By 2015-2016, data from Strava indicate that I started breaking untouchable records around my area set by thousands of runners of international, national and local caliber despite being 50+ and competing against college and post-collegiate athletes. However, besides the smell, I noticed that my coronary fitness was off. When I was young, mile was my best distance. I could pick an under 1-minute pace per lap and keep it for 4 laps. Now I could go only 1 lap with this pace because of the lack of oxygen. Sometimes I couldn’t breathe after an intense interval. But the young speed was still there. Therefore, all my Strava records are for 200-400m. Too bad we didn’t have GPS watches in 80’s!
In the end of this June I got into a hospital with an ammonia poisoning right after the World Championship. For no other hypothesis, they decided that it was alcohol poisoning without telling me! Their first treatment made everything worse. Then test results came that showed multiple myeloma and very high ammonia. The doctors were puzzled, oncologists said that they never saw multiple myeloma with this high ammonia. But everyone needed to make the right decision and to act fast, because the previous treatment brought me to an aspiration, sepsis, coma sequence with 10% survival rate.
My home team found an article telling that there were several cases of multiple myeloma with high ammonia. Both patients who didn’t get treatment died. Several dozen who got treatment showed 68% survival. Oncologist was convinced and started weekly VD (Velcade and dex) cycles, and the ammonia level dropped right away.
I got out of coma after 3rd cycle, weighing 40+ pounds less. At first I could only talk and swallow food, the rest of the body didn’t have enough muscles left to move anything, including toes and fingers. Gradually during first week I learned how to move arms and other parts of the body. What is this strange tingling feeling in my three fingers and lower back? Aaaaah, it’s neuropathy and bed sores. Good to know!
By the second week I learned to eat by myself and was able to go to the bathroom. After that I was promoted to a rehab. I stayed several days in rehab and was released home after learning how to use a walker and climb stairs (one at a time). At home, rapid recovery continued, and in 2 weeks I took my first independent shower and shaved! VD cycles were giving me setbacks for the afternoon after a shot of Velcade. I was back to where I was only by the next day. After 6th my three finger neuropathy got reduced to one, but I got a leg one and my elbows started tingling. I had a good guess what it means. Therefore, I was very happy to hear from a myeloma specialist (and not my general oncologist) that I need to stop VD and do more refined tests. I was ecstatic - no setbacks and no neuropathy! Now, two weeks later, I have only one finger neuropathy and the leg one got reduced at least 5-fold. Two weeks on nothing and I feel better every day. I understand that it may not be remission, but I’m hopeful that it’s not too far.
I’ve been itching to start training for a while. My wife is very afraid of losing me or deteriorating any processes. I’m trying to convince her that light training to the opposite should strengthen. I’m ready to start with a stationary bike just for 5 minutes. My case was so dramatic both going down and up that I don’t know myself whether training increases the level of ammonia or decreases it thru sweating. Ammonia is what poisoned my liver, kidney and brain.
