Dehydration: Don’t Let It Slow You Down This Summer
With temperatures stuck in the 80s and 90s here in Virginia Beach, Virginia at the moment, it’s so important to stay hydrated. It’s astounding to think as little as 2% dehydration will have a huge negative effect on your training/race performance.
Dehydration can be defined as “a condition in which the body contains an insufficient volume of water for normal functioning“. Symptoms include thirst, dizziness, weakness and nausea. Serious dehydration can lead to cramps, chills and disorientation.
So, if you’re already out running and you begin to experience any of the above symptoms, what do you do?
Stop running, get to a cool place and drink plenty of fluids as soon as possible.
Of course, the point is not to become dehydrated in the first place. Everyone’s fluid needs vary, but you know you’re getting enough if you void large volumes of pale urine at least six times a day (note: B vitamins turn urine yellow-green).
To determine how much liquid to take during a run or race, you need to know your sweat rate, and that can vary between 1 and 4 quarts per hour. Weigh yourself nude before a timed training run, and then again after. One pound of weight loss equals 1 pint of water loss. Calculate your sweat rate and use this to determine your fluid needs during a run or race.
For example, if you lose 2 pounds during an hour run, that’s 2 pints or 32 ounces. Thus, you need 8 ounces of water or sports drink every 15 minutes. (Performance note: As little as 2 percent dehydration will have a huge negative effect on your race performance.)
So, don’t let lack of water slow you down this summer. Even if you’re not exercising, water is vital to a healthy body and healthy mind. Drink up!
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July 29th, 2007 at 5:12 am
Evian? That’s way too expensive.
July 29th, 2007 at 5:14 am
Well you know what Evian spells when written backwards….