As all Arizonans know, huge swaths of our state become subject to Excessive or Extreme Heat Warnings during the summer months. And in places like Phoenix, for example, this can result in the city Parks Department closing certain trails so that public can't access them, generally between 9:00am and 5:00pm. Many folks will often advise against hiking or running at all during these extremely hot times, such as days when temperatures reach 101 degrees or more - but is this true for everyone?
It turns out there are many folks who perform just fine in extreme temperatures, so long as they are knowledgeable about their own abilities and bodies, and most importantly pre-hydrate, and hydrate along the way. Here's an example of one of our favorite pre-hydration drinks (no, it doesn't taste very good):
Mix 0.6L-1L of water with:
- 2 scoops of Ultima Electrolyte powdered mix (this provides 500mg of potassium, and 200mg of magnesium, among other things)
- 5g of creatine monohydrate
- 1/2 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt (this provides 1000mg of sodium - we'll talk more about some of the claimed benefits of higher sodium intake in another article)
- 1600mg of beta-alanine
- 1 scoop of Sunwarrior Sport Active Aminos
One example of how to use this drink is consume it about 15-20 minutes before going on your 100 degree+ trail run or hike. If you're doing a 4 mile trail run, you could then bring a 1.5-2L hydration bladder pack FILLED with ice, and then filled with water. Drink this whole bladder while on your run (the ice will melt by the time you're done) which will bring your core temperature down to reasonable levels. When you get back to your vehicle, make sure you have a cold flask of additional water waiting for you. Now, this isn't professional advise, it's just an example of what works for some of us. It can be really refreshing and enjoyable to run in the heat as long as you're completely insane!
We'll talk more about surviving the summer heat in Arizona while still enjoying the outdoors in future posts.
Why do we do stuff like this? Because we love outdoor activities in Arizona!
Oh yeah, don't forget your sun protection for these runs in the sun... get a UPF 50+ sun hoodie here!