PUBLISHED 05/03/2005
The Hot List
Five Rules for Running in the Heat
1) Dress for success
Wear apparel that's light in color, lightweight, and has vents or mesh. Microfiber polyesters, such as CoolMax and DuoFold, and cotton blends are good fabric choices. Also, be sure to wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
2) Just say no
Caffeine, alcohol, antihistamines, and antidepressants can all have a dehydrating effect. Using them just before a run can cause you to have to hit the restroom, compounding your dehydration risk. Anti-inflammatories affect kidney function, so they should also be avoided before long, hot runs or races.
3) Drink early and often
Top off your fluid stores with 16 ounces of sports drink an hour before you head out. Then toss down seven to 10 ounces of sports drink about every 20 minutes while running. And remember: Sports drinks beat water because they contain glucose and sodium (sugar and salt), which increase your water-absorption rate, replace the electrolytes you lose in sweat, and taste good, encouraging you to drink more.
4) Make adjustments
Don't do long runs or higher-intensity runs during the heat of the day. And when you do run at midday, try to pick running routes that afford some shade. Miami Runners Club marathon coach Ben Sowles has his marathoners proactively adjust the pace when race day is warm. "I tell them to start up to 30 seconds slower than their goal pace," says Sowles. "Then, if they're feeling good at the halfway point, they can gradually speed up." Use the same pacing strategy when the temps rise during your training runs.
5) Determine your losses
Rehydrate with 16 to 24 ounces of sports drink for every pound of body weight you lose during exercise. Because sweat rates vary enormously, you can get an idea of your own sweat rate by weighing yourself naked before and after a couple of runs. If, for example, you lose one pound during a 40-minute run, it means you sweated about 16 ounces of fluid. Going forward you can then try to replenish your fluids at a rate of about 16 ounces per 40 minutes of running.
