Scott Martin

I'm writing this from the bathroom.

Actually, I've just come from the Little Cyclist's Room, my 17th visit so far today. You see, I'm hydrating.

It all started when I read something -- possibly my first mistake -- in a cycling magazine. "The most common problem with cyclists is that they under-hydrate during their training or racing," proclaimed a respected cycling coach. You should be drinking 3-4 water bottles per hour, he said.

So for a 4-hour ride, you'd need 12-16 bottles. Let's see: You can carry 2 bottles on your frame, plus 3 in your jersey pockets, which means you're only about 10 bottles short.

No problem. I'll just have my spouse drive behind and give me a fresh water bottle every 15 minutes. Now all I have to do is meet and marry someone who will promise to love, honor, cherish and hydrate.

Meantime, I also read somewhere - again with the reading - that for general health and weight control you should drink 96-128 ounces (eleventy-million milliliters) of water a day. That's 12-16 daily trips to the office water cooler with my trusty 8-ounce mug. Luckily the men's room is right around the corner.

Then I read in RBR (newsletter No. 304) about the dangers of over-hydration, or hyponatremia, which I believe is Latin for drowning. Apparently this is more of a concern for long-distance cyclists, but I still worry because I've always suffered from one of the key symptoms: "looking and feeling like the Michelin Man."

Over-hydrate ? Under-hydrate ? What a conundrum.

I need a drink. But not water.

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