Picture yourself four miles into your long run on a swelteringly humid summer afternoon. Are you sweating right now? You better be. A sudden cessation in sweating is your body's way of telling you it needs water and fast! There's no doubt that as this summer progresses, we will likely reach record breaking temperatures yet again, affecting runners across the entire country. For runners this means being extra cautious and staying hydrated!
There are ways to tell if your body is becoming dehydrated. Of course, you may find yourself feeling extremely thirsty, but this isn't always a reliable method of assessing your need for water. Other signs and symptoms of mild dehydration include a dry or sticky mouth, dry skin that has lost some or all of its resilience, drowsiness or exhaustion, constipation, decreased urine output, headache and dizziness. Severe dehydration will result in little to no urine, low blood pressure, a lack of sweating and even delirium or unconsciousness.
An excellent sign of dehydration is the color of your urine. As a rule of thumb, the darker your urine, the more dehydrated you are. For most healthy adults, dehydration can be treated simply by refueling with water and Gatorade. If you find yourself suffering from one or more of the above symptoms, stop running immediately and get fluids into your system!
During large summer races, we are so caught up in the excitement and adrenaline, we too often forget that the heat and humidity can be deadly. Know in advance what the weather is going to be like come race day. Pay close attention to what your specific race will do if temperatures rise to dangerous levels. Many races are now adopting a heat and humidity measurement standard that is in accordance with the American College of Sports Medicine's recommendations for participation in endurance events through use of the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature. These races have flags throughout the course to tell a runner what their risk is. For example, a yellow flag indicates a moderate risk in which runner's should slow their pace as the heat increases. A complete list of these can be found on the Chevron Houston Marathon's website.
So what can you do to beat the heat on your outdoor summer workouts? First, always run early or run late. Running in the hours just after sunrise or before sunset allows you to avoid the most intense rays and heat of the day. If you typically train as part of a group, you could even try working out after nightfall. Another method to stay cool is by running with a hydration pack. These are especially useful if you are conditioning for a marathon or ultra-marathon in which you are logging a large number of miles on a daily basis. If you don't find the hydration pack comfortable, as these can be heavy, you might consider a hydration belt instead.
There are ways to tell if your body is becoming dehydrated. Of course, you may find yourself feeling extremely thirsty, but this isn't always a reliable method of assessing your need for water. Other signs and symptoms of mild dehydration include a dry or sticky mouth, dry skin that has lost some or all of its resilience, drowsiness or exhaustion, constipation, decreased urine output, headache and dizziness. Severe dehydration will result in little to no urine, low blood pressure, a lack of sweating and even delirium or unconsciousness.
An excellent sign of dehydration is the color of your urine. As a rule of thumb, the darker your urine, the more dehydrated you are. For most healthy adults, dehydration can be treated simply by refueling with water and Gatorade. If you find yourself suffering from one or more of the above symptoms, stop running immediately and get fluids into your system!
During large summer races, we are so caught up in the excitement and adrenaline, we too often forget that the heat and humidity can be deadly. Know in advance what the weather is going to be like come race day. Pay close attention to what your specific race will do if temperatures rise to dangerous levels. Many races are now adopting a heat and humidity measurement standard that is in accordance with the American College of Sports Medicine's recommendations for participation in endurance events through use of the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature. These races have flags throughout the course to tell a runner what their risk is. For example, a yellow flag indicates a moderate risk in which runner's should slow their pace as the heat increases. A complete list of these can be found on the Chevron Houston Marathon's website.
So what can you do to beat the heat on your outdoor summer workouts? First, always run early or run late. Running in the hours just after sunrise or before sunset allows you to avoid the most intense rays and heat of the day. If you typically train as part of a group, you could even try working out after nightfall. Another method to stay cool is by running with a hydration pack. These are especially useful if you are conditioning for a marathon or ultra-marathon in which you are logging a large number of miles on a daily basis. If you don't find the hydration pack comfortable, as these can be heavy, you might consider a hydration belt instead.
Dr. Andrew Schneider is a podiatrist in Houston, TX. He is dedicated to educating runners and triathletes about the health and safety of their feet. For more information about foot health in sports, including informative videos, visit his website.
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