Get Fit, Stay Fit, Feel Good - 2026

[stangmx13]

Anyone have any tips for how to not get sick while traveling? I can’t remember the last time I managed to make it through a round trip flight without catching a cold.

My list so far is:
- wash hands often
- don’t bite my nails
- don’t touch my face
- wear a mask in the airport and plane

 

[Abacinator]

TBH I keep the air nozzle directed on me the entire flight. I don't know if it actually helps (I just like the air blowing on my face), but I've never gotten sick after flying.

 

[two wheel tramp]

Anyone have any tips for how to not get sick while traveling? I can’t remember the last time I managed to make it through a round trip flight without catching a cold.

My list so far is:
- wash hands often
- don’t bite my nails
- don’t touch my face
- wear a mask in the airport and plane

Maybe take a little extra vitamin C and echinacea?

 

[Sharxfan]

Anyone have any tips for how to not get sick while traveling? I can’t remember the last time I managed to make it through a round trip flight without catching a cold.

My list so far is:
- wash hands often
- don’t bite my nails
- don’t touch my face
- wear a mask in the airport and plane

I haven't done any of those and haven't gotten sick while flying.

now getting sick before getting on a plane that is my forte and that is why I carry severe cold and flu pills with me in my backpack.


Like Abacinator I have that little jet of cool air always on and directly pointed at my head as well.

Even during the height of Covid I didn't really do anything special unless I had to and didn't catch anything but was also fairly up to date with the booster and had no issues.


Also got a good nights sleep last night so think I am over whatever it was I had this weekend so looks like the gym is back on for tonight.

 

[Holeshot]

Race is done. Drum roll…..

Fuck ya! 121% on a borrowed bike!!!

There's something to that whole "borrowed bike" thing. Anything different about how it rode, or how you rode?

I think that I would feel full if I ate something prior to working out. Maybe I'll try to eat a banana or 1/2 of it tomorrow am prior to working out.

Caffeine is great for workout energy, IME. Banana, not so much. I'm not in favor of eating close to a workout; I don't want to be in digestion while working out. There are plenty of natural pre workout formulas, or you can make your own. Post workout: Vegan protein powder with some BCAA's and Glutamine.

Not sure what I ate yesterday but I spent most of 4am to 8am with stuff forcibly ejecting out of both orifices.

Think you may have the sickness that's hitting around the country? Your description sounds like what several friends have had recently.

Anyone have any tips for how to not get sick while traveling? I can’t remember the last time I managed to make it through a round trip flight without catching a cold.

My list so far is:
- wash hands often
- don’t bite my nails
- don’t touch my face
- wear a mask in the airport and plane

I can't remember the last time I got legitimately sick...and I'm an allergy and asthma bomb to boot. I used to get sick into my 30's, but somewhere things changed. I credit daily powder vitamin/ health additives, but there's no science behind it. None the less, I've been around sick people all day and still remain fine. Part of it could be low nose air volume, and. mouth breathing. IMO, Vit D3+K2, ascorbic flushes, and an oral BPC-157 for gut health may be the reason.

Masking on the airplane is superfluous. The ventilation from overhead is almost all fresh air. Chris's comment about pointing it at yourself is spot on. Sleeping on the flight may help as well with lower respiration level. All without much science, but more "in theory".

 

[Mike95060]

How Do Airplanes Get Fresh Air (And How Much Is Recycled) - Sciencing

Airplanes get their fresh air from outside the plane after it has been compressed by the turbine engines and cooled by an AC system.

www.sciencing.com

 

[stangmx13]

I wonder if the air vent can overcome the uncovered sneeze droplets from the jackoff in the row behind you.

Our hypothesis about why I get sick from travel is that I’m never around sick people. I’m never really around people because I’m a home body with outdoor hobbies. My immune system is rarely tested or educated.

Honestly, I’m prob just as likely to get sick from the airport bathroom as the airplane.

 

[Mike95060]

I wonder if the air vent can overcome the uncovered sneeze droplets from the jackoff in the row behind you. ( )

Our hypothesis about why I get sick from travel is that I’m never around sick people. I’m never really around people because I’m a home body with outdoor hobbies. My immune system is rarely tested or educated.

Honestly, I’m prob just as likely to get sick from the airport bathroom as the airplane.

This was my suspicion. If you have very little exposure to kids or crowds you are probably at risk in any group of people. Security at the terminal, lines at check in, all of that is going to be risky for you. Especially if you are race ready with tons of pumped up red blood cells circulating from training and only a normal number of white blood cells keeping you from getting sick. I have herd antic dotes that highly trained athletes are actually more susceptible to colds because of the higher proportion of red to white cells in their body. I don't have any papers to back that up though.

 

[stangmx13]

Yep here’s a paper with that result. Athletes may have fewer of a specific white blood that makes them more susceptible to respiratory tract infections.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396422002080

Learn something new every day

 

[Ridley]

Just lick a few door knobs every month, your immune system will be tip top in no time.

 

[Sharxfan]

Just lick a few door knobs every month, your immune system will be tip top in no time.

Every time one of our PMs said we had a Go-Live coming up I would say great going to Walmart to lick the floor so I can use my sick days at that time.

 

[two wheel tramp]

It’s nice when your heart, lungs and muscles decide to cooperate.

In other news, there were a bajillion bugs out this evening.

 

[Ridley]

It’s nice when your heart, lungs and muscles decide to cooperate.

In other news, there were a bajillion bugs out this evening.

Protein and you were doing exactly what Robert suggested, eat while exercising. Win win.

Aaaaaand there will be less bugs to bug you after you get home. Win win win.

Always gotta look at the positives.

 

[two wheel tramp]

Ok, Robert, @stangmx13, let me pick your brain. I want to do a 49-mile ride. At my pace, that is about 4.5 hours/2700 calories. So I should ingest about 1000 calories on the ride?

Talk snacks with me, please. I can only carry one bottle on my city bike. I bought cycling jerseys so I can carry a sammich. (TRUE STORY). I am stopping for a burger with a GF at the end of the ride. Just looking for bonk prevention.

 

[Tally Whacker]

Will this ride be urban or rural? If it’s urban enough, you don’t need to carry all that much, since you can restock at any mini mart you pass.

But yes, eat and drink as you go. If your pace is mellow enough you can ride pretty much forever like that.

 

[two wheel tramp]

Will this ride be urban or rural? If it’s urban enough, you don’t need to carry all that much, since you can restock at any mini mart you pass.

But yes, eat and drink as you go. If your pace is mellow enough you can ride pretty much forever like that.

It's in the bay area but a good bit of it will be away from towns. Whether in town or not I just want a little guidance. In my 20s I used to just fling myself out and go. I'm old and not as fit now so I want to be a little smarter so I can achieve my goal.

 

[stangmx13]

Ok, Robert, @stangmx13, let me pick your brain. I want to do a 49-mile ride. At my pace, that is about 4.5 hours/2700 calories. So I should ingest about 1000 calories on the ride?

Talk snacks with me, please. I can only carry one bottle on my city bike. I bought cycling jerseys so I can carry a sammich. (TRUE STORY). I am stopping for a burger with a GF at the end of the ride. Just looking for bonk prevention.

A good starting point is eating half the calories you’ll burn, so ~1350. If you think it will be an intense ride, do more. A PB&J sandwich is 300-500Cal, and it’d be really hard to eat 3-4 on the ride. You’ll want another 800-1000Cal of sugar. You can put 200Cal on your bottle w a drink mix. Then you can refill with Gatorade from gas stations for another 150Cal each. You should drink 3-5 bottles on the ride - 3 if it’s cold, 5 if it’s hot. That could be enough. Add 1-2 bags of candy or cycling foods and you’ve definitely got it. And carry an extra in case you’d rather drink water.

Here are my favs that you can buy. Try REI or any cycling or running shop - kid in a candy shop vibes.
- SIS Beta Fuel Gel in Strawberry Lime, 160Cal
- Clif Bloks, any flavor, 200Cal
- GU Stroopwafel, 150Cal

I avoid granola bars cuz chewing sucks, especially if it’s hot and your mouth is dry.

There are good way to add another bottle to any bike. Strap cage mounts work well

https://a.co/d/03L5htxD

 

[two wheel tramp]

A good starting point is eating half the calories you’ll burn, so ~1350. If you think it will be an intense ride, do more. A PB&J sandwich is 300-500Cal, and it’d be really hard to eat 3-4 on the ride. You’ll want another 800-1000Cal of sugar. You can put 200Cal on your bottle w a drink mix. Then you can refill with Gatorade from gas stations for another 150Cal each. You should drink 3-5 bottles on the ride - 3 if it’s cold, 5 if it’s hot. That could be enough. Add 1-2 bags of candy or cycling foods and you’ve definitely got it. And carry an extra in case you’d rather drink water.

Here are my favs that you can buy. Try REI or any cycling or running shop - kid in a candy shop vibes.
- SIS Beta Fuel Gel in Strawberry Lime, 160Cal
- Clif Bloks, any flavor, 200Cal
- GU Stroopwafel, 150Cal

I avoid granola bars cuz chewing sucks, especially if it’s hot and your mouth is dry.

There are good way to add another bottle to any bike. Strap cage mounts work well

https://a.co/d/03L5htxD

Thank you!

I super appreciate the input. I have a fondo in April that is 38 miles with like 1400 feet of climbing, which is NBD for me. I am a bit nervous about the one in mid-May that is 67 miles with 4400 feet of climbing, BUT none of the climbs seem much harder than what I pedal on around my house.

This 49 mile ride will be a nice training ride for me. I don't doubt my ability to go the distance, but I realize I have become bored with much of my local riding, so I turn around and head home. I need to get a bicycle rack for the Jetta so I can go explore some more.

Oregon Gran Fondo Medio Route 2026

Amazing route, Amazing Roads! - 70.0 mi, +4188 ft. Bike ride in Cottage Grove, OR

ridewithgps.com

Oregon fondo route.

 

[Mike95060]

Get your gearing, snacks and pace correct and you can do a big day. Keep the ticker in zone 2 and keep going!

 

[two wheel tramp]

Get your gearing, snacks and pace correct and you can do a big day. Keep the ticker in zone 2 and keep going!

The gearing is going to get changed on the city bike. I'm changing it to an MTB drivetrain 1x11 like my bike here in Oregon eventually. It's currently a 1x9 and I could really use a more granny-tastic gear although I am pretty impressed at some of the hills I climbed on it when I rode with @Mario.