It’s been the season of sweat here in Savannah for over a month… 90 plus degrees and 90 plus percent humidity present some significant training challenges.
So hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Replace the fluids and the salts you are sweating out. If you are experiencing muscle cramping on both legs at the same time, there’s a very good chance dehydration is the culprit. Water and sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade will help solve that problem before, during and after your outings.
Proper hydration requires a before-during-and-after approach. Yesterday’s fluid consumption will affect today’s performance, so plan ahead. During hot/humid outdoor activities, drink at least 4 to 8 ounces of fluid every 15 or 20 minutes. And after your workout, keep drinking water until your bladder meter reads full
Is there such a thing as too much fluid consumption? Yes. If you take in so much fluid that your blood sodium level becomes too dilute, you develop a dangerous condition called hyponatremia. Taking ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can increase your risk for this condition. Please consider this before taking those little pills.
Sodium is one of those “electrolytes” which sports drinks replenish in your system. So if your outdoor activity during sweat season lasts over one hour, choose the sports drink over water.
But even in the midst of all this sultry stuff I’m planning ahead for a winter marathon. Those once-a-week long runs will feel so much better in October and November than they would in August, whew!
Plan ahead, plot the steps, increase the mileage gradually, maintain some fun cross training, and… voila, ready to race and celebrate at the finish line! Wish it were as easy as that makes it sound. Anybody want to keep me company? Or follow me with a bunch of water bottles? Anyone?
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