Another semester has come and gone. Exams are completed, papers are graded, and all marks have been recorded. Now it's time to ramp up the training!
In my virtual run across North Carolina, I've just passed the last Asheville exit (Exit 55 for East Asheville). The running has been a bit tougher because of the heat recently. Here in Durham, we've experienced temperatures of around 100° F. Most of my runs have been in the morning. This morning I ran 5.4 miles starting at 8:30AM when the temperature was a "cool" 80°and the relative humidity where I was in Duke Forest was 60%. By the end of my run a bit over an hour later it was 83°and 70% RH. My weekday runs have been at about 5:15AM, and, while humid and warm, are not hot and drippy-wet.
Hot weather running can be dangerous. The loss of water can cause many problems. This was brought home to me tragically in 1969. A group of runners from Richmond, VA, including me, journeyed to Ahoskie, NC, to run in a 10-mile race in July. The race started early, and there were hydration stops on the route (water, electrolyte drinks were rare then). Nelson Hedley was an outstanding runner with credentials of 1:56 (60-56!), 4:23, and 9:35. He was part of a training group we had together in Richmond composed of most of the best distance runners from the area, and from most of the schools. He was fit, and wanted to challenge John Van Dyke from the Norfolk-Newport News area. Van Dyke had been a state champion-level runner, as had Hedley as well. Our group also included future state champion and collegiate All-America Scott Eden. The race started under hot conditions, and Nelson ran hard to the point of collapsing. This effort and the conditions found a weak spot in Nelson, perhaps a result of a spider bite reaction in his childhood, and he ran himself into heat stroke. He never recovered. He seemed better the next day, but died a few days later. This case was mentioned in several articles and books, and has always been a strong lesson to me. A few recommendations:
1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drink enough fluids well before you run, and make sure you have an additional amount just prior to exercise. Water is fine. Be careful of drinks such as Powerade and Gatorade. They may contain large amounts of sugar. We always “cut” them when we have them for our athletes by mixing them half-and-half with water.
2. Pick cooler times of the day to run. Granted, most high school kids look forward to sleeping later, but morning runs are cooler, and often more productive. The danger of evening runs involves air quality, which is worse in the afternoon and early evening.
3. Make sure you let someone know where you are running, and about how long it will take. This is a safety issue.
4. Run with others if possible. This is a just in case issue.
5. Avoid sugary drinks and caffeine, as these can cause hydration and retention problems in the athlete.
6. Pick a shady course, if one is available.
7. Be smart with your running. Err on the side of safety. High mileage is a goal, but there may be days when this is not possible.
Remember: run smart and run a lot, but first make sure you do the former (run smart) BEFORE the latter (run a lot).
