The hot summer heat often blankets itself over Colorado this time of year. Yet this is a time when many of us will be squeezing in our long marathon and half marathon training runs. I always try to run during the first rays of dawn or long after the sun sets, because it’s cooler. But sometimes you just have to run or race in the heat, so remember to watch for signs of dehydration.
Many experts recommend drinking two cups of fluid about two hours before your training run. While you run, drink every 15 to 20 minutes to stay hydrated. Sports drinks will help you run longer and stronger. If you’re doing your long runs on sizzling hot days, you might want to weigh yourself before and after your run, then drink enough over the next few hours to bring your weight back up. You don’t want to stay dehydrated after a long training run, because it can slow your recovery!
While most of us are worried about dehydration during the summer months, we’ve all heard about hyponatremia in the news lately. Hyponatremia occurs from drinking too much water and other beverages with low sodium levels. While hyponatremia will never be a problem for most of us, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that athletes include sodium in their beverages if they are exercising for more than one hour to ward against it. And if you hear your stomach sloshing around, you’ve had too much.
Happy trails!
Derek