Yesterday was day 2 of half marathon training, and what an eventful one it was for the newbies! I don’t want to go into detail out of respect for those involved (I’m not here to plaster everyone’s business all over the internet… just mine!), but those who were there know what I’m referring to, and I know we will all be praying for a speedy recovery.
Anyway, what I had planned to talk about today is quite timely considering yesterday’s events. Despite being a running novice, I have absorbed a good bit of knowledge about the sport just from being surrounded by runners on a daily basis. I am by no means an expert, and I know a lot of things will only come with experience, but part of my plan for this blog is to share with my fellow newbies some of the “tips and tricks” I have learned and those that I will pick up along the way. Also, I know us newbies would love it if you experienced runners would chime in with your own tips in the comment section!
The one thing I hear over and over again is the importance of staying hydrated, especially in this hellacious Louisiana summer heat! Dehydration is often the culprit behind that woozy, dizzy feeling during or after a run, painful cramps, and post-run headaches. One of the most common misconceptions people seem to have about hydrating is that you can drink a glass or two of water right before you go out for a run and be fine. Even I know that’s a big no-no! Proper hydration starts way before that. In fact, it seems that hydrating the day before you go out for a run is just as important as the day of. It’s a lot easier for your body to stay hydrated than to get hydrated, so your best plan of action is to be proactive about it instead of waiting until you’re parched to drink a glass of water. I’m actually pretty good about my water intake, but since I’m starting to run on a regular basis, I knew I would have to be even more cautious about staying hydrated. I asked my go-to girl Lizette about this (in case you haven’t noticed, you’ll be hearing a lot about her!). She gave me a few of her “keep cool” secrets for the summer heat and I did some of my own research. I’m going to give it a try for a few more runs and report back on how it makes me feel, but so far so good!
- Drinks lots of water… duh! This is an obvious one. Of course we all know that we should be getting 8-10 glasses of water a day, but honestly, how many people really do that?? I used to hate to drink water, so I had to find some sneaky ways around it that worked for me. I’ll add a lemon slice or some mint leaves to my water to give it a little flavor, and I’ve made it a point to keep a full glass of water at my desk all day long.
- Don’t stop till you get enough. So how do you know if you’re getting enough water? Check your pee! And no, I’m not trying to be gross here – the most visible sign of proper hydration is clear to pale colored urine. So if it looks like you just ate a bowl of asparagus, drink up!
- Speaking of bodily fluids… another important aspect of the hydration equation is the electrolyte balance in your blood stream. OK, I really sucked at science, so I’ll admit I had to Google some of this… What I do know is that when you sweat, you lose a lot of a key electrolyte – sodium. An electrolyte-supplemented drink (like Powerade) could be helpful post-workout to restore a healthy balance – but read the label and beware of the ones that are full of sugar! A couple of other key electrolytes are potassium and calcium. I’ve heard of a lot of runners eating a banana about an hour before a workout, and refueling afterwards with a glass of (believe it or not) chocolate milk! Now, if chocolate milk consumption is really encouraged, than I think I’m going to like this sport!
- Find what works for you. Everybody is different. It’s great to collect information from other runners, but at the end of the day, it will all depend on your own body. The best way to know what works for you is to try a few different things consistently and see how it affects you. Before the run on Monday, I drank plenty of water all day, but I know my weekend was full of deliciously dehydrating Mexican food and margaritas. Yesterday, I was better prepared. I drank water all day Wednesday and Thursday, had a light lunch (sans margaritas!), and tried one of the new electrolyte tablets by Nuun that we just got at Varsity. I filled up two water bottles to put in my car – one with fresh water to drink pre-run and one full of just ice to melt down to cool water for after the run (Lizette’s trick!). All of this seemed to work great for me, but I’ll have to try it a few more times to be sure… I also know a lot of people carry little hand-held water bottles with them on their longer runs, but I don’t think I’m there yet! They do seem pretty handy though – they strap on to your hand or waist (like a tool belt!) so you don’t have to hold on to a bulky water bottle. Nathan and FuelBelt are the brands I’m most familiar with, and Varsity does carry both of them. Note: I don’t want to turn this into a “come spend your money at Varsity Sports” post… but I’d be glad to review a few items next week if anyone is interested! *wink, wink*
Now everyone do me a favor and go grab a tall glass of water! Remember, you never want to be the one they have to bring back on the golf cart…
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Anything I’m missing or any other helpful hints you have? Comment below!
