Stay cool in warm weather
April 21, 2009
From Jeff Galloway. Used with permission.
Looks like the forecast for race day calls for warm temperatures. Here are a few tips to help you stay cool and finish strong.
Slow down early
The longer you wait to do this, the more dramatically you’ll slow down at the end and the longer it will take you to recover. Walk/shuffle breaks, early and often, help to lower the exertion level, which conserves resources for the end and reduces heat buildup.
Wear lighter garments, but not cotton
Loose-fitting clothes allow heat to escape. Don’t wear cotton clothing. Sweat soaks into cotton, causing it to cling to your skin, increasing heat buildup. Choose a wicking material that draws perspiration away from your skin. As the moisture leaves you skin area, you receive a cooling effect,
Pour water over yourself
You will lose up to 70 percent of the heat you can lose through the top of your head. So, regularly pour water there. Pouring water on a light technical shirt will also keep you cooler.
Don’t wear a hat
Hats keep you heat from being released through the best vent you have – the top of your head. Don’t cover it up.
Drink cold water
Not only does cold water leave the stomach quicker than any type of fluid, it produces a slight physiological cooling effect – and an even greater psychological one. But don’t drink too much either. Most of us do well with 14-20 ounces an hour during warm weather. Good research says that we shouldn’t drink more than 27 ounces per hour.
Don’t eat a big meal
Eating too much, particularly meals that are high in protein or fat, will put extra stress on your system when you exercise. Even worse is that the probability that too much food-loading will lead to unloading!
Instead of big meals, eat light snacks, which you know will digest easily, ever hour or two. Many exercisers find that they must not eat anything within two hour or so of their hot weather workout.
