CBD and Me!

Almost exactly one year ago today, on May 5, 2019 (my, how times have changed!), I rode in the Belgian Waffle Wafer Ride, in San Marcos, California, just northeast of San Diego. Belgian Waffle (BWR) is a mixed terrain race with two editions: the full length Waffle Ride of approximately 140 miles, and the shorter, Ripper friendlier, Wafer edition, of approximately 75 miles.

In BWR’s own words, “IS THE WAFER REALLY ONLY HALF AS FILLING? The Wafer is much harder than doing half of the Waffle. Its dirt-to-road ratio is much higher, and the course is slightly longer. 75(ish) miles with plenty of climbing and sand incorporate to form this famous route through North County San Diego. In short, the Wafer is a tough day on the bike… for anyone.”

And man, was that last sentence an understatement for me. In short, I was not ready for this race when I attempted it. May 5 is still early in Park City, with days and sometimes weeks when riding outside is not an option. And you already know from prior posts, including I Hate Spinning, But…, that I am not a fan of riding inside on a trainer. So when I saddled up for this race, I now know I was doomed from the start.

At around mile 56, with less than 20 miles, but some tough climbing still to come, I thought I had it made. Then mile 57 struck. I stopped at a stop light, unclipped my feet, put them down on the ground and almost passed out. It was my first bonk ever. I was dizzy and unsteady. When the light changed, I clipped back in, turned onto a downhill stretch, and thought I would recover as I glided to the next climb. Unfortunately, there was a significant headwind, and there was no gliding to be had. After 3 more miles, I turned onto a dirt section, at the beginning of a climb, less than a quarter mile from the next and final aid station. I was done. I could not muster the strength and energy even to get to the aid station, and I knew that if I went any further, it would be more difficult for Gail to find me to rescue me, so I called it a day, 15 miles short of the finish line. My first and, to date, only DNF.

My friend, Josh, a Ripper in Training who was riding with me that day, had already made it to the aid station when he realized I had stopped. He generously rode back down the hill to make sure I was ok (meaning he had to climb back up a second time!). When he arrived, I had been resting in the shade, waiting for Gail, and he snapped this shot. When Gail arrived, he valiantly got on his way and successfully completed the entire Wafer. Great job Josh!

But isn’t this post supposed to be about CBD? Oh, yah, I almost forgot! Sometime before my bonk, I developed a stiffness in my neck from being in the riding position on drop bars for so long, after not having ridden much since the fall. By the time I stopped the ride, I could not turn my head in either direction, and could not find a comfortable position even to rest.

At the finish expo, there was a booth for Floyd’s of Leadville, a CBD producer and retailer founded and owned by none other than Floyd Landis, a former Tour de France winner who was stripped of his title for performance enhancing drug use. Floyd has found new life as a business person, and has seen great success with this venture. I approached the booth and described my issue. They let me try a sample of their Sports Cream, a shaving cream like lotion that you rub on muscle aches and soreness. Within an hour, my pain was gone, and I was comfortable for the next eight hours! The cream is a THC-free CBD isolate from hemp. No hallucinogenic properties. No “high”, just relief. I’m no expert, but as best I can tell, it acts as an anti-inflammatory, not a painkiller. Once the inflammation is tamed, the body feels better. I now use it before rides on my knees and neck with good results.

An article in the Harvard Health Blog published by Harvard Medical School describes CBD: “CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients of cannabis (marijuana). While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant. While CBD is a component of marijuana (one of hundreds), by itself it does not cause a “high.” According to a report from the World Health Organization, ‘In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential…. To date, there is no evidence of public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.’”

All 50 states have laws legalizing CBD with varying degrees of restriction. The Federal Government still considers CBD in the same class as marijuana, but it has not been enforcing laws against hemp based CBD. There is a bipartisan movement in Congress to make hemp based CBD legal. Most of the online providers of CBD sell hemp based, and not marijuana based, CBD. All three of the companies I refer to in this post sell only hemp based products.

Since my BWR experience, I have sampled various CBD varieties, and have purchased refills of Floyd’s Sports Cream. My favorite product so far has been Sleep Full Spectrum drops from Hello Blue CBD. It’s a gentle sleep aid for people who need some help getting to sleep at night, staying asleep or just adjusting to a time change after travelling. It contains 1000mg – 2000mg of Full Spectrum CBD and other Terpenes and 300mg of Melatonin in Organic MCT Coconut Oil to help nudge you to sleep. Full spectrum, sometimes called “whole plant,” means the full plant extract is included. According to Hello Blue, full spectrum provides more of the plant’s molecules, which some people find provides a greater benefit. I find that it helps me get a sounder sleep through the night, with fewer wake-ups and quicker fall backs!

I have also used Hello Blue’s Chug Hydrate, a hydration sports drink mix that has no added sugar, but helps replenish what you lose during a workout, and their Muscle Butter, which helps to relieve pain and reduce inflammation that can result from exercise.

In the interest of full disclosure, we are members of the Hello Blue Partner Program. If and to the extent you purchase any products from any of the above Hello Blue links, Senior Ripper gets a small piece of the proceeds, which helps support our site. But in exchange, you can use our coupon code, SENIORRIPPER, at checkout and save 15% on everything you purchase!

We have no other relationships with any of the other companies mentioned in this post. We are only seeking partnerships with companies and products that we use and feel comfortable recommending, so rest assured, Hello Blue products have the Senior Ripper stamp of approval!

Finally, I’ve also used Ikor Labs Full Spectrum Hemp Extract CBD Spray, which purportedly, improves sleep, reduces anxiety, decreases inflammation, and is an antioxidant. But frankly, I haven’t noticed any benefits, so I can’t recommend it. I know others who swear by it, but it doesn’t seem to make any difference to me.

I want to stress that none of these products contain any THC, the element from marijuana that causes the “high”. You’ll have to go elsewhere for that, if you are so inclined!

Let us know if you try any, and what you think.