Summers in Northwest Ohio can be brutal with the difficult combination of heat and humidity. With the temperatures rising it is imperative to stay hydrated as you continue to run, walk, or train in these temperatures. In this article we'll provide some common sense tips for hydration as all of us head out into the hot summer days for a run or walk.
STAY HYDRATED
Before you even step out the door for a run/walk, you should already be hydrated. A basic rule of thumb is pale to clear color urine (think lemonade): NOT too dark. You can also pinch the skin on the back of your hand and let go. The pinched skin should snap back to flat quickly. If the pinched skin takes a few seconds to snap back into place, you may already be dehydrated.
HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following: Drink approximately 1 oz per every 10 lbs of body weight 4 hours before running/walking, and if profuse sweating is expected, drink approximately 0.6 oz per every 10 lb of body weight 2 hours before a run.
MORE THAN JUST WATER
You want to take in electrolytes also to keep the balance within your body. Just water all the time dilutes the electrolytes in your body and this can cause cramping, fatigue, nausea, lightheadedness, and joint aches. Diluting a sports drink with water is a good option. There are also electrolyte supplements with less sugar like Nuun (sold at Dave’s) if sports drinks aren’t your thing.
DURING ACTIVITY
Since there are many factors that affect your sweat rate (genetics, gender, age, temperature, exercise intensity, fitness level, and acclimatization), most people will sweat anywhere from .3 to 2.4 liters of sweat per hour during exercise, so the rule of thumb is to consume 12-24 oz of fluid per hour that you are running/walking in the heat.
POST ACTIVITY HYDRATION:
The simplest way to see how much fluid you need to replace from a walk/run...
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Weigh yourself before and after a run to see the difference in body weight. A rule of thumb is to drink 16 oz for every pound lost while you were running/walking.
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You also want to take in some protein, simple carbs, and electrolytes after a particularly long workout session, within a 20-minute window of completing the activity.
