American Birkebeiner

With summer fast approaching, now is the perfect time to start to ramp up your training for the Birkie Trail Run/Trek of your choice.

We have finally made it through our wet cool spring and the running trails beckon. As summer heats up, it becomes critical that you monitor your fluid intake on a daily basis. Nothing can debilitate a runner quite as suddenly as the onset of dehydration coupled with overheating.

Our bodies are relatively inefficient machines. As much as 75% of the energy we expend during exercise produces only heat. This inefficiency is what allows us to wear those thin Lycra ski suits in the winter without fear of getting cold. However, summer is a different story. Our bodies deal with heat build up in the summer mainly by evaporating sweat from the skin surface. As we acclimate to summer’s heat, we increase our sweat rate and produce more dilute sweat. On those days when it is both hot and humid, we have a particularly difficult time staying cool as the humidity reduces the rate of evaporation.

There are several steps we can take to help insure that we maximize our ability to stay cool. First and foremost is to drink before, during and after exercise. It is not uncommon for a runner to lose up to 2 liters of sweat per hour during a hot run. While it may not be practical to drink 2 liters per hour, it is critical that all of the fluid lost during a hot run be replaced before the next workout.

Trail runners are advised to carry water or sport drink with them. Runners in the city can usually make use of water fountains in public parks. Drinking four to eight ounces every twenty to thirty minutes should be sufficient to get you through your run. I know some runners who claim that they have a difficult time drinking during exercise. As with most facets of your training, this is something you can learn to do effectively with practice.

Body weight is an excellent indicator of hydration level. It is not unusual for a runner to lose several pounds during a hot, humid run. The majority of this lost weight is generally due to fluid loss. A loss of more than 5% of your body weight due to fluid can be extremely dangerous. Fortunately this is easy to monitor. Weighing yourself before and after a hot run will give an indication of the amount of fluid lost to sweat. Replacing that fluid and maintaining a steady body weight will help to ensure safe training during our hot summer months.

Much has been written recently about runners drinking too much water. It is true that a condition known as hyponatremia can occur if excessive amounts of water are consumed over a short period of time. This may cause an imbalance in your body’s sodium levels. Drinking only water can disrupt your body’s electrolyte balance. To guard against this situation, it is always a good idea to include some sport drinks as part of your daily fluid intake. Eating a well balanced diet will also serve to keep your body’s systems balanced and safe.

The clothing you wear will also play a role in helping you to regulate your body’s temperature. Just as in the winter, cotton is a poor fabric choice. It absorbs moisture and does not allow for efficient sweat evaporation. Light weight synthetics that transport moisture will hasten evaporation and thereby cooling. Remember, sweating alone does little to cool your body. It is the evaporation of sweat that is the cooling mechanism.

June brings one other consideration for those of you who are planning to run the Marathon Relay event. It is now time to start to put your team together. The Relay can be run by teams of 3 or 6 runners. The Birkie website gives excellent descriptions of each relay leg.

Having run many relay races, I can assure you that this will be one of the most enjoyable and inspiring races you will ever do. The team camaraderie is second to none. However, it can often be a difficult task to line up enough like minded runners to tackle a relay event. Start now by talking to your friends and training partners.

Look at each leg to decide who will be best suited to tackle those specific demands. If you can get to the trail, go for a training run on your leg. It will reduce surprises on race day. Plan your transportation, your food and fluids, and always, always have a back-up plan (just in case). Trust me on this, you will need it. Maybe not this year, but sometime or another you will need it.

Enjoy your June runs. I’ll look for you on the trail.