It is hard to believe that August is already here, and Philadelphia Distance Run (PDR) is less than six weeks away. For everyone who is doing Nike and Dublin, you have less than 11 and 12 weeks respectively. So I hope you have taken the opportunity to sign up for PDR as a training walk.

It will be a great preparation for you and will help teach what race-day excitement is all about. For those of you who did 10-12 miles this past weekend, I bet you never thought it was going to happen. It is amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it.

You have worked so hard up to this point; don't let anything keep you from your goal. Make sure you continue to use your entire support team of coaches, mentors and staff for help anywhere along the way.

We want to help you succeed in your goals. I look forward to seeing all of you out training with the team. REMEMBER THE REASON!

Staying Hydrated
Physical activity leads to an increase in heat production in the body.  The heat is released through the production of sweat and the release of water through breathing (water is exhaled as vapor).  In other words, when you work out you'll get hot, breathe hard, sweat, and get thirsty.  You'll need to drink lots of water/sports drinks to replace the fluids leaving your system and to prevent dehydration.  Dehydration has an adverse affect on muscle strength, endurance and coordination, and increases the risk of cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.  Therefore you need to drink sufficient amounts of fluids during and after your walks/runs to stay healthy, hydrated and functioning. 

Drink water regularly throughout the day. This is one of the only nutrients that have been shown to enhance athletic performance.  Water is also credited for helping you think more clearly and be more productive. Consume at least one cup (8 ounces) of fluid 15-20 minutes before physical activity.  During exercise, drink about a cup of fluid every 15-20 minutes, and following exercise, drink at least two cups of fluid.  Do not rely on thirst to tell you when you need fluids because thirst lags behind actual needs.  Get used to consuming fluids at regular intervals. 

Marathoners can sweat off up to 5-10% of their body weight during an event.  Along with sweat, potassium, sodium, chloride and magnesium are also lost.  While water can re-hydrate the body, it can't replace the depleted minerals.  In fact marathoners who drink only water have experienced symptoms ranging from dizziness to seizures.  Sports drinks are a readily absorbed form of carbohydrates and minerals that can re-hydrate and "re-mineralize" your system while helping maintain blood glucose levels during exercise.  Studies have shown that carbohydrate-based sports drinks can benefit amateur athletes who exercise longer than two hours, just as much as trained athletes. 

Choose a drink with 5-10% sucrose, glucose or glucose polymers (compounds that supply glucose linked as chains).  "Gatorade" and Power Bar's "Perform Plus" are examples of sports drinks that fit that profile.  Look for sports drinks that contain magnesium and electrolytes -chloride, potassium and sodium- for greatest effectiveness.  The sodium in sports drinks helps both with the rate of absorption and replacement of sodium lost during exercise.  When trying out sports drinks start off by mixing them half strength (diluting them with water).   

Proper hydration will lead to happy and healthy training!