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7-21-2009 Newsletter

Greetings!

Hope your summer is going well. I'd like to take this opportunity to expand on three frequently asked questions at this time of the year:

1. Hydration tips for riding in hot weather.
2. Registration for the 2010 MS150.
3. Upcoming organized rides.

Proper Hydration

It has without a doubt been one of the hottest summers in Houston in recent time. If you are cycling or involved in outdoor activities in
this heat, you may find useful the following extract from the MS150 Safety Zone:

* A well-hydrated body suffers less fatigue and fewer headaches and greater flexibility.
* Proper hydration starts long before any ride. Drink 6-8 8oz.glasses of water every day during the training season & a minimum of 8oz
the morning before a ride.
* The day after a ride, the first and best response to feeling 'off' is to start drinking fluids immediately.
* Being dehydrated by as little as 2% can hinder performance by as much as 10%. When dehydration increases to 5% performance declines by 30%. If you're already 2% dehydrated when you start a workout, there's a pretty good chance you'll be 4-5% dehydrated during it.
* Mixing carbohydrates and a small amount of proteins enhances fluid absorption and retention.
* Maintaining a 2:1 ratio of water to sports drink will decrease the possibility of dehydration. This can be done simply by having 2
bottles, one filled with water and the other sports drink, and monitoring consumption.
* Drinking on regular intervals early in a ride allows for elevated energy levels later in the ride.
* On average, the equivalent of 1 24oz. bottle of fluid should be consumed per hour. Take into account drinking more the higher the
humidity and heat index.
* Hydration and eating go hand in hand in the successful, comfortable completion of any long ride.
* Consuming carbohydrates and protein, through drinks or eating, immediately after riding helps in both recovery and in "preloading" for
the next day's ride.

For additional information, please visit the Safety Zone at: http://www.ms150.org/ms150/SafetyZone/index.html

2010 MS150 Houston-to-Austin

Following is a preliminary timeline for the 2010 MS150. Exact dates and details will be announced nearer time.

- Mid Sep, '09, Registration begins with Team Shell.
- Early Oct, '09, Registration begins for the 2010 MS150 > Houston-to-Austin.
- Mid Nov, '09, Registration begins for the 2010 CP training series.
- Early Jan, '10, Start of CP training series and other MS150 training rides.
- Apr 17-18, '10, (Date to be confirmed) MS150 Houston to Austin.

Priority registration for the 2010 MS150 will be granted to the following participants:

- 2009 Club 300 members (plus two guests each).
- Participants who raised more than $1,000 in the 2009 MS150.
- 2009 Top Fundraising Teams. Note that Team Shell finished in 6th place and therefore qualified for priority registration. As such, we
will have approximately 430 spots reserved for us which I believe will be enough to accommodate both returning and new riders.

The remaining rider population who do not belong to one of the above three categories will have to go through a lottery-based registration
process and thus will not be guaranteed a spot.

Tour de Pink - Sunday Sep 13

The annual Tour de Pink is a very special event benefiting the Pink Ribbons Project to fight breast cancer through awareness and education programs and the support of proper screening for the medically underserved. Join Shell teammates and thousands of other riders this year as we celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Tour de Pink, scheduled for Sunday, September 13th, at Prairie View A&M University outside of Houston, Texas. Routes are available for all levels: 12, 23, 47, 63, 80 and 100 miles!

To Register:
1. Go to: http://www.tourdepink.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=1080
2. Click on the link that says: "Click here to join an existing team"
3. Enter Team Shell in the team name box and follow the instructions.

Other Upcoming Rides

Sat August 29, Hotter 'N Hell, Wichita Falls
http://www.hh100.org/

Sat August 29, Sean Ashley House Tour d Autism, New Waverly
http://www.seanashleyhouse.org

Sun September 13, Tour de Pink, Prairie View
http://www.tourdepink.org/

Sat September 19, Tour de Cure, Houston
http://tour.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TDC441018030?pg=entry&fr_id=6010

Sat October 3, Pineywoods Purgatory, Lufkin
http://www.pineywoodspurgatory.com/

Sat-Sun October 3-4, Bike MS: Valero 2009 Alamo Ride to the River - San Antonio
http://nationalmssociety.org/chapters/bikeMSValero2009/join-the-ride/index.aspx

Sat October 10, Pedal Palacios, Palacois, TX
http://www.pedalpalacios.org

October 10-11, Lyondell Bike Around the Bay, Anahuac
http://www.bikearoundthebay.org/

Sat October 17, Weimar Lions Club Weimaride, Weimar, TX
http://www.weimaride.com

Sun October 25, Livestrong Challenge, Austin, TX
http://www.livestrongchallenge.org/site/c.frKPI1PAIoE/b.3921455/k.C604/Austin.htm

Sat November 7, NovemberFest, San Felipe
http://www.novemberfestmetriccentury.org

See you on the road!

Afif
Team Captain
Shell Cycling Team