Cyclists Gear Up For Tulsa Tough

Riders are gearing up for the 12th annual Tulsa Tough races.

Tonight through Sunday, more than a thousand pairs of feet are expected to pedal 38, 66, or 103 miles. Racers are warming up for the first event that will start around 5 p.m.

A feat like that requires extra sustenance. In Tulsa's summer heat, it's vital for racers, and even spectators, to stay hydrated throughout the weekend.

That's why organizer Bill Hadley says staff makes sure riders have an oasis to get out of the Tulsa sun, including rest stops every 10 or so miles.

Riders will have fig bars, pickle juice, Clif bars and fresh fruit available to them at the rest stops, Hadley says.

"We'll have mobile mechanics that are out on course to take care of folks as well," he says.

But it's not just the cyclists who should beware of the Oklahoma heat.

"It's the bystanders that don't realize that you also have to hydrate the night before, before coming out there and being in the heat all day," says Kim Richards, EMSA operations manager.

Richards especially warns those coming out to Crybaby Hill on Sunday.

"Sunday's usually our really busy day because there's a lot more people at Crybaby Hill that injure themselves and get heat-related incidences," she says.

For more information, visit Tulsa Tough's website.