Am I a hybrid engine?

Books about cycling nearly always mention that riding burns both fat and carbs, aka glycogen. The proportion of fat-to-carb used depends on intensity. Riding at a steady, low-to-moderate pace burns a higher proportion of fat to carb; and as you increase the intensity of your efforts, your body starts to use up its glycogen stores.

Any rider has ample stores of fat in the body to fuel his or her rides; but this fat is comparable to a wax candle; and carbs are comparable to the candle\’s wick. The body\’s glycogen stores are quite small; and with intense riding are soon used up. Then, if you haven\’t been fueling — BONK! So we\’ve got to keep the wick from dwindling to nothing.

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I can\’t say whether my weekly long rides burn more fat than carb; or the other way around. Sunday before last I rode 37.5 miles; and I spent most of those miles in my steady-to-brisk heart rate zones; that is, Zones 3 and 4. If I\’m not in my max heart rate zone, does it mean that I\’m burning mostly fat?

Or does it really matter? It looks like I\’m a hybrid engine, no matter what I do. Besides, for those watching their weight, the most important thing is to burn calories.

Things do not look good for the Sunday ride. Ida is out there; and we were under hurricane watch before midnight last night. Trying to ride in hurricane conditions is foolhardy. Even if I have the strength to hold my own against such a wind, there are the hazards of flying debris and downed power lines.

I don\’t want to hit a power line. Hybrid engine I might be; but not an electric one!