Keep it Cool While Running this Summer

Tips for running in the heat:

This advice comes from Dr. Lewis G. Maharam, the world’s premier running physician. He is medical director of the New York Road Runners, ING New York City Marathon, all of Elite Racing’s Musical Marathons, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. We found these tips from him at www.runnersworld.com

- Run within your capability. Do not push yourself in the heat. The greatest cause for heat illness is running too hard in hot conditions.

- Eat a good pre-race meal a few hours before the run. Try an “Elvis bagel” (peanut butter and banana) during your training: it has protein and carbs.

- Do the salt! (See my previous post on this subject.) 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.

- Start your run well hydrated. Check your urine. If it is light yellow, like lemonade, you are drinking perfectly. If it is is clear, you are drinking too much. If your urine looks like iced tea, you are not drinking enough!

- Do NOT over-drink. Drinking too much is as bad as not drinking enough. The best way to drink healthy is to drink only when you're thirsty. Nevertheless, drink no more than one cup (8 oz) every 20 minutes while running or walking.

- Choose sports drinks over water. Practice in training to do this. If you are exercising 30 minutes or more, research shows that sports drink are the healthiest way to go: not diluted or alternated with water or a combo of a gel and water. Sports drinks are expertly prepared with energy sugar and salt.

- Spray yourself during your run. Run through a sprinkler on someone’s lawn if you’re running in a neighborhood, or carry a bottle of water with you to squirt on yourself and take a few sips mid-run.

- 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.

- Find some ice. Iced towels or ice bags behind your neck after you finish will help you feel cooler quicker.