A friend emailed me that Randonneurs USA, the organizing group for cyclists who do long, nutty rides of the type I’ve been trying for the last several years, is conducting a survey of riders who went to Paris-Brest-Paris this summer. PBP is not the longest or nuttiest of the rides, but it’s long and nutty enough (750-plus miles) and it’s older than any of them, including that big French tour race thing they do every July. I realized a sort of cycling dream by finishing PBP in 2003; I went back this year — it’s a quadrennial event — and succumbed to a sore Achilles tendon (and, yes, soggy morale after a prolonged ride in the rain).
Anyway, the survey includes a question on physical problems that riders might have experienced during PBP. The list itself says more than I ever could about the nuttiness rampant in this kind of event. Without further comment, here’s the litany of possible symptoms, ailments, and physical breakdowns from the survey:
numbness or tingling in fingers
numbness or tingling in toes
hot foot
swollen feet
Carpal Tunnel wrist issues
loss of toenail(s)
saddle sores
arm or shoulder weakness
Achilles tendon issues
Shermer neck (inability to hold head up)
disorientation or dizziness
visions or hallucinations
respiration issues
inability to swallow
headaches
leg cramps
digestive issues (nausea, vomiting)
falling asleep on the bike
acid reflux
hypothermia
mouth sores
genital injury
blurred vision
None
Other
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