1. Hydrate all day long. Drink water throughout the entire day. Most people actually start their training runs already dehydrated. Especially when the temperature reaches triple digits, it is important to always have that water bottle near by.
2. Prepare for your longer training runs and rides. This means dropping water bottles along the route before you start or making the route circle around many times so you can stop and pick up more water at your starting point.
3. Drink a mixture of sports drink and water. Definitely mix it up. I always have a bottle of each on my bike.
4. Consider salt tablets if you are running or biking more than 2 hours. Unless you can carry salty pretzels on your run, salt tablets are a must if you are sweating heavily.
5. Never be afraid to get off your bike and run through a stranger’s sprinklers! You may look like an idiot, but cooling off and wetting your clothing can only help you stay cool! Putting ice down your shirt can also be helpful!
6. Listen to your body. Especially in the beginning of your heat training, listen to the symptoms of heat illness. If you are nauseous, cramping, can’t spit, have dry mouth, notice your hands and wrists are getting puffy and you are starting to feel goofy; STOP! Go home to run or ride another day.
7. Avoid anti-inflammatories if you can. Ibuprofen and Tylenol actually can affect your kidney function. This can increase you chances of suffering from hyponatremia.
8. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. A bad sunburn will thwart your normal heat-regulation system. Heavy duty 70 plus water-proof sunblock is your friend!
9. Weigh yourself before and after your training. Replace your weight loss with more fluids.
10. Carry money. You never know when you may get lost and need to stop at a store for more sports drink or water.
11. Train with a friend. They may notice your symptoms of heat-illness way before you do. Denial is never a good companion.

Heat-illness is real! Be smart while training this summer! Follow these tips, heat acclimatize over a period of several weeks and be diligent about your hydration plan while training in the heat. Let’s get to those fall races stronger and without any heat-related training drama! See you on the run! Run Happy!

Respect the Distance!

Cowtown Marathon kicked my butt! I'll admit it. I have again been humbled. It happens to all of us from time to time. I thought I was in good enough shape even though I had been lazy in my training lately. Too many things to do, not enough time. I was taught again to respect the distance. Yesterday's Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth, TX was typical of the marathons I have run in the last two years: Freezing (25 degree wind chill factor), 30 mph wind in your face half the time, and added killer, rolling hills to the mix. I have not had good race karma. I thought White Rock Marathon in December was bad, but this was much worse and very hilly. For the record, I HATE COWTOWN! The last time I had run this race was in 1999. My peeps talked me into running it again because the Austin Marathon weekend timing didn't fit the schedule and this was closer to home. Never again....But truly it was not all the race's fault. It was poorly organized with random water stops and almost no spectators, but that's not why I had a bad day. I've been traveling too much, hadn't run enough (only one 20) and was mentally and physically tired. My absolutely wonderful running peep, Dr Steve Buksh, ran the whole way with me and should get a huge reward for not killing me when I started whining then ultimately crying (yes, that bad of a day). My hamstrings went into a seizure at about mile 16 from all the hills and we walked a good 2 or 3 miles. By 23 miles, I could barely run and looked like an epileptic. Definately not my day...but the lesson learned is to respect the distance. No matter how many times you have run 26.2 miles, it is still a formidable task and not for the weak or unprepared. The marathon humbled me yesterday and I learned my lesson....always respect the distance.

Now we can talk about delayed onset muscle soreness tomorrow when I can barely walk :)

Run Happy ....and respect the marathon or she will beat you into submission!