Ways To Cool Down

To go along with yesterday's post relating to hot weather acclimatization, here are a few tips for staying safe in the heat...

• Respect your limits. Heat and humidity increase the physical challenge of running, and health problems can occur when you push beyond what your body can handle. Do not aim for a personal best on a warm, sticky day, particularly if you are not used to such conditions.
  
  
• Acclimate. It takes roughly two to three weeks for the body to acclimate to keeping cool at higher temperatures. Give your body time to adjust.
  
  
• Know the signs of heat problems. If you feel faint, dizzy, disoriented, or your skin is clammy and abnormally hot or cold, slow down or stop running. If symptoms continue, sit or lie down in the shade and seek medical help.
  
  
• Drink enough. Drink throughout the day, so that your urine remains plentiful and pale yellow. Even mild dehydration (scant, dark-yellow urine) will make you feel sluggish and tire early during exercise, and can increase the risk of heat-related problems during exercise. In the heat, sports drinks are even better than water because the sugar and salt they contain form an "active pump" that transports fluid to cells more quickly than water alone. Before workouts or races lasting longer than one hour in the heat, drink 16 ounces of fluid several hours in advance, another 16 ounces in the hour before, and more just before the start if your urine isn't pale.
  
  
• Don't drink too much. Overhydrating before and during exercise can cause a dangerous condition known as hyponatremia (water intoxication). This drop in the body's sodium levels can cause nausea, fatigue, vomiting, weakness, and in the most severe cases, seizures, coma, and death. To avoid hyponatremia, do not overdrink, include pretzels or a salted bagel in your pre-run meal, and use a sports drink that contains sodium. During exercise, drink no more than a cup of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes.
  
  
• Eat a good pre-race meal a few hours before the run. Try a bagel with peanut butter and a banana—the protein and carbs will fuel your effort and aid in recovery.
  
  
• Consume salt. Eat salted foods like a salt bagel, salted pretzels, or salted nuts. If you’re planning to race, eat salted foods all week prior to the event. On race day, consume one fast-food salt packet at the start line. Have another salt packet halfway through the race.
  
  
• Protect yourself from the sun. Wear a cap or visor to shield your head, face, and eyes from the sun's burning rays, and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. Use sunscreen on exposed skin, even on overcast days.
  
  
• Check your meds. Do not consume products like cold medicines, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or anti-diarrhea medicines with dehydrating agents in them. They may increase your risk for heat illness. Caffeine products are only OK in doses you are used to taking on training day. Do not start taking a caffeine product on race day.
  
  
• Wear synthetic fabrics. Unlike cotton, synthetics wick moisture from your skin so cooling evaporation can occur. Synthetics also decrease chafing and don't cling and cause a chill. Look for loose-fitting garments with mesh inserts under the arms, on the sides of the torso, down the arms, and on the outer thighs. Acrylic socks keep feet dry and cool.
  
  
• Use water along the course (cups, spray stations) to cool yourself during races. If you are overheating, a cool spray will cool you down quickly and have a lasting effect as the water evaporates from your skin. Keep in mind, though, that drenched clothing will cling to skin and prevent evaporation, and wet socks can cause blisters, so use this strategy wisely.

Summer Running Tips

Maybe I should have titled this, "Summer Wading Tips"...

Ever had one of those days where you were running as hard as you could, but somehow you felt like you weren't getting anywhere? Well, today is one of those days. You see, I had intended to work up a race report or two (I am very anxious to provide some details about the adventure race from Sunday) by today, but the weather has had other plans for me. I woke up in the middle of the night to additional flooding in my basement, much to my surprise. Fortunately, I've been able to keep it under control (more due to the weather system subsiding in our area than to my own expertise) though I have much more carpet drying out now. Once I have these issues contained, I promise to whip up some decent blog posts for you all to savor over (and, Topher, I take tags seriously).

For now, here's some thoughts on tips for summer-weather running. Stay hydrated, cool, and safe this summer!

1. Avoid dehydration!!! You can lose between 6 and 12 oz. of fluid for every 20 minutes of running. Therefore it is important to pre-hydrate (10-15 oz. of fluid 10 to 15 minutes prior to running) and drink fluids every 20-30 minutes along your running route. To determine if you are hydrating properly, weigh yourself before and after running. You should have drunk one pint of fluid for every pound you're missing. Indications that you are running while dehydrated are a persistent elevated pulse after finishing your run and dark yellow urine. Keep in mind that thirst is not an adequate indicator of dehydration.
   
   
2. Avoid running outside if the heat is above 98.6 degrees, body temperature, and the humidity is above 70-80%. While running, the body temperature is regulated by the process sweat evaporating off of the skin. If the humidity in the air is so high that it prevents the process of evaporation of sweat from the skin, you can quickly overheat and literally cook your insides from an elevated body temperature.
   
   
3. When running, if you become dizzy, nauseated, have the chills, or cease to sweat…STOP RUNNING, find shade, and drink water or a fluid replacement drink such as Gatorade. If you do not feel better, get help. Heatstroke occurs when the body fails to regulate its own temperature, and the body temperature continues to rise. Symptoms of heatstroke include mental changes (such as confusion, delirium, or unconsciousness) and skin that is red, hot, and dry, even under the armpits. Heatstroke is a life-threatening medical emergency, requiring emergency medical treatment.
   
   
4. Run in the shade whenever possible, avoid direct sunlight and blacktop. When you are going to be exposed to the intense summer rays of the sun, apply at least SPF-15 sunscreen and wear sunglasses that filter out UVA and UVB rays. Consider wearing a visor that will shade your eyes and skin, but will allow heat to be transferred off the top of your head.
   
   
5. If you have heart or respiratory problems or you are on any medications, consult your doctor about running in the heat. In some cases it may be in your best interests to run indoors. If you have a history of heatstroke/illness, run with extreme caution.
   
   
6. DO wear light colored breathable clothing. DO NOT wear long sleeves or long pants or sweat suits. Purposefully running in sweat suits on hot days to lose water weight is dangerous!
   
   
7. Plan your route so you can refill water bottles or find drinking fountains. City parks, local merchants, and restaurants are all good points to incorporate on your route during hot weather running. Be sure to tell someone where you are running how long you think you will gone, and carry identification.

Winter Biking Tips

Welcome to a new year! I've been incognito for a few days here, as my cold continues to rage onward, but I am excited about getting back outside to my passion of running now that the weather is finally reaching above single digits. It seems that every weekend, except this one, has included significant accumlations of snow and artic temperatures. Just crazy! And I'm just dying to get out and try my new YakTrak-Pros!

In fact, I have been considering pulling my mountain bike out for a few snowy trips around the local lake trail. I really admire those who bike during the winter. They really are die-hard, winter weather enthusiasts. We are fortunate to have a great rider's group around here, with plenty of seasonal rides and races to participate in. They also have a solid base of riders who devote themselves to cold commutes to and from work via bike all winter long. It's something I've often considered doing myself.

In the spirit of those who brave the wintery months one two wheels, I thought I would share some tips to safe winter bike commuting:

1. Follow the plow
   Unbeknownst to many summertime riders, bike trails are regularly plowed in many major metro areas.



2. Ride straight
   Believe it or not, the medium during most winter commutes is often the same dry pavement as in the summer. Sand, salt, sun and snowplows eliminate ice and snow from roads in the days after a storm. But for slippery stretches riders should slow down and stay loose. Brake only on the rear wheel to avoid spinouts on slick surfaces. And be prepared to take your feet off the pedals if the bike starts to tilt.



3. Watch out
   Cars are less aware of bikers in the winter months. Ride defensively and make eye contact with drivers.



4. Choose the right ride
   Don’t use your $3,000 LeMond or full-suspension mountain bike in the snow. Sand, salt and grit can destroy suspension and gears. Instead, go with an older bike you designate for cold-weather use, adding fenders, bright lights and winter wheels. Many cyclists employ single-speed models in the winter, as they have fewer moving parts and require less maintenance.



5. Cold and clean
   Unless you plan to clean it off, keep your bike cold and store it in the garage. A room-temperature bike in new snow can cause ice to form on brakes and gears more easily. Also, keep your chain and gear cassette lubricated for best operation.



6. Go studs
   Carbide-studded tires can increase grip on snow and ice. Many cyclists swear by them.



7. Protect your core
   Any outdoorsy person knows that layering is the key to staying warm and managing sweat in the cold. The best configuration for biking includes a wicking base layer on top followed by an insulating fleece or similar mid-layer, then topped with a waterproof and windproof shell jacket. For the legs, use long underwear topped off with a shell pant.



8. Heads up
   Jacket hoods are a no-no, as air funnels in as you move, inflating a hood like a sail. Instead, riders wear balaclavas and sunglasses or ski goggles. Tight-fitting (but warm) fleece skull caps are popular. Top it off with a helmet, perhaps sized larger in winter to fit over all the insulation.



9. Warm hands and feet
   Switch out gloves for mittens or bifurcated “lobster”-style handwear, which keep fingers close together and warmer. Winter boots, not bike shoes, are best for the coldest days, but use platform pedals with aggressive tread for good grip as you crank. Above 20 degrees, many riders get away with bike shoes, employing neoprene covers to add insulation and buffer warm air.



10. Use public transit
    Many metropolitan trains and public busses allow bikes, letting riders surrender on the worst days and hop a ride home. Bike near a bus route and you have bail-out points should the commute prove too long or laborious in the snow.