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As hard as it is to motivate ourselves to train when it’s hot, we still get out and ride, spinning out intervals and passing the miles. |
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Heat and Hydration |
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| We dress lighter to stay cool, and train earlier and later in the day to avoid the heat. Still, with all we know about exercise and hydration, we often hydrate insufficiently to keep our bodies running cool and efficiently in the heat. Staying hydrated is key to ensuring peak performance and health, and water and sports drinks can meet your body’s needs. | ||
Blood and sweat are the two key components in regulating body temperature. When properly hydrated, blood flows to skin where it is cooled and circulated to working muscles and organs. If you become dehydrated, you have less water available as part of your blood. As blood volume decreases, there is less blood to cool the body. Dehydration also means there is less water available as sweat to cool the skin and the blood. Even a small amount of fluid loss (1%-2%) causes your heart rate to increase in an effort to maintain temperature. |
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Offense is the best defense in keeping hydrated. Consuming water or an appropriate sports drink prior to exercise will give your body a head start. The jury is still out on exactly how much one should pre-hydrate, but aim to drink enough the hour before your training run or race so you have to urinate no less than every 30 minutes. On average, an athlete loses up to a liter of fluids per hour of exercise. But don’t try to consume a liter per hour to replace your losses. The body can absorb only about 16 ounces of water during exercise—enough to stave off dehydration in events 3-4 hours in duration. Of course, all these numbers vary per individual, heat, humidity and altitude. At altitudes above 8,000 feet, the body loses considerably more fluid while working hard than at 5,280 feet. And some runners can absorb 24 ounces of fluid per hour with no discomfort. That’s why it’s always best to practice to see what works for you before you try it on an important run. |
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What about all those sports drinks—do they belong in your arsenal? You bet they do. Sports drinks are now designed to meet specific needs. A drink containing complex carbs will more readily absorb into the stomach than one containing simple sugars. During exercise of 90 minutes or more, the body burns muscle to obtain protein. Since that’s the very muscle we’re using, it better provide a source of protein to the body. Look for a drink such as Gu2O, Accelerade or Perpetuem (by Hammer Nutrition) for your exercise drink. Perpetuem has the most favorable electrolyte profile and tastes good (to some) even warm. |
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| Post-workout, there are even more choices in drinks, and almost all now have the desired 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein for efficient refueling. Over the past few years, the optimum window for re-fueling has narrowed. To re-fuel most effectively, you should consume a bottle of drink within 30 minutes of completing exercise. This 30-minute window is critical for replacing glycogen stores (stored fuel) in your liver and muscles. After you’ve consumed your bottle of sports drink, plan to have a meal of solid food in the next hour. | ||
| There are too many post-exercise drinks to recommend here. Choose one that has a taste you enjoy and the 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein. Additionally, B vitamins have become increasingly identified as helping recovery, and they turn your pee exciting colors, so look for a drink that also provides them. | ||
back to top | back to Resources Jonathan Siegel, Director of Coaching Jonathan Siegel, CSCS is an USA Cycling certified expert coach. There are too many products, exercise details and individual requirements than space to cover all of them, so please feel free to e-mail JDS Sportcoaching,LLC with specific questions about your needs. |
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