It’s HOT out there!

When summer hits and the heat and humidity are making training and racing feel more like a hot yoga session, here are some tips and tricks for preparation and staying hydrated.

First, stay hydrated! Hydrate the day before a big race. You know when your urine is a light yellow that you’re sufficiently hydrated. If it’s running clear, that’s fine, but over-hydrated can be a problem. Avoid alcohol and limit caffeine. Then on race morning, fuel with electrolytes (either gels or liquids) about 30-45 minutes before the race. Make sure to train your body in a similar way on training days – don’t try something new on race morning!

Then, throughout the race, have a hydration plan. Drink before you’re thirsty – again training this so you’re sipping every 5 minutes or have a plan for how many bottles of fluid you’ll take in each hour. If you drink when you’re thirsty and guzzle a bunch of water or fluid, your body will likely struggle to take it in and use it effectively.

Additionally, gels or other carbohydrates in the range of 60-90 grams per hour work well for most people’s GI tract. Again, practice this in training to know what brand or type of gel works in your system and how much works for you. (60-90 grams is a wide range so practice to know what your body can tolerate while exercising at race pace.)

OK, that all might sound like old news, but it’s worth repeating. Here’s something that you may not have heard before:

Training with heat has an enormous impact on your ability to race normally, but also during those hot summer races. When doing “normal” training sessions, consider finishing the session with a hot tub or sauna session of up to 30 minutes. The additional heat not only feels good and helps with relaxation and recovery, but research shows doing this 3-4 times a week for 3-4 weeks creates an increase in red blood cells and blood volume. Why does that matter?

The more red blood cells and blood volume you have, the more oxygen can be carried to your muscles and the more heat can be dissipated from the muscles as they work. Blood carries oxygen – a necessary fuel for work – to your muscles and it helps carry heat away to the skin allowing sweat to do its cooling thing for the body.

Acclimating to heat is another great idea – train in conditions similar to race day if possible – but consistently training in high heat and humidity can have a negative effect on performance, taking too much out of you and limiting your next workout or increasing the body’s need for recovery. Balancing training outside in heat and, potentially in doors on a trainer or treadmill will allow you to maximize your training while preparing your body for the heat.

As you’re gearing up for those July, August and September races, consider some of these tips to help hit your racing goals!