JudyShatir - Retackling the Tevis Blog - Full Story
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
by Judy Houle
Ever start a ride out without caffeine? Once on the Swanton 100, my new cigarette lighter powered coffee maker refused to work, and I mounted my horse caffeine-less, and instructed him to do the driving until I woke up. He had done the ride before, luckily, so it was no problem for him.
As I approached to first stop at about 30 miles I realized that if I didn't find a form of caffeine at this stop I was going to be in big trouble due to caffeine addiction. I wouldn't just get a headache, I was in danger of getting a migraine. As if endurance riding wasn't hard enough, that kind of pain would be a deal breaker.
So I mention this to a rider who was trotting along beside me, and she said, "oh, I have just the thing for you!" and pulled out a double caffeine Powergel packet. She said, take this, it'll straighten you right out". These things are designed to hit your bloodstream in 10 minutes and give you instant energy. I downed it and literally, ten minutes later I went BING!! my head popped up, and I was a new person! They weren't kidding. So I've been using them ever since (another brand is called GU) both before, and in the latter parts of the ride to stay awake...
Read more here:
http://judyshatir.blogspot.com/2021/04/caffeine-endurance-riders-best-friend.html
