• Stop running
• Drink fluids immediately. The fluids should include sports drinks as well as water
• Massage the muscles once the pain begins to subside
• Cool your body with wet towels
• Get out of the sun

• Dizziness
• "Goose bumps" (particularly on the torso and arms)
• Nausea (sometimes accompanied by vomiting)
• Moderate to severe headache
• Weak legs
• Lack of coordination
• Rapid pulse
• Heavy sweating often accompanied by moist and cold skin
• Muscle cramping

• Stop running immediately
• Get medical attention
• Drink large amounts of fluids, including sports drinks
• Get out of the sun
• Lie down and elevate your feet above your heart
• Loosen your clothing
• Heatstroke

• Disorientation
• Weakness in the legs to the point that the runner may fall
• Strange behavior (including flailing with the arms and shoving)
• "Fuzzy" thinking
• Rapid pulse
• Cessation of sweating and hot/dry skin
• Body temperature that may reach 104 degrees or higher
• Lack of consciousness
• Convulsions or seizures
• Coma

1. Ditch the cotton T-shirt. You've heard this countless times before but it still blows me away to see you running in cotton t-shirts. If you have to, wear them during training. When race day comes around, you want every performance edge you can get. Cotton is hot and gets heavy with sweat, both of which will slow you down. CoolMax" on the other hand is lightweight all the time and breathes.
2. Wear Sunscreen. The sun sucks energy out of you especially if it is given the chance to burn you. The best sunscreen I have ever used (It holds up for 10+ hours in the heat of Kona at the Ironman) is Banana Boat Sport.
3. Wear a coolmax hat - read #1 and #2 for reference.
4. Go with a lighter weight sock. Your feet will swell more in the heat. A lighter weight sock will breathe better and allow for the swelling.
5. Train in the heat. The best way to get used to racing in heat is training in heat. Make sure if you do this to pay attention to items 1 through 4 and stay hydrated.
6. Drink at every aid station on the course. This way you maintain your hydration levels. At the end of the race if you feel hydrated enough, you can skip the last aid station. At the end of the race, if you are dehydrated, nothing can help you until you cross the finish line and stop your activity.
7. Stay out of cold air-conditioned rooms. If at all possible, the day before and the morning of the race, stay out of cold rooms. The shock to the body from that really cold room to the really hot race will be less.
8. Make sure you continue hydrating immediately after the event. Your body continues to sweat to stay cool long after you have finished. If you stop hydrating or worse yet, head to the beer tent, you will slow down your recovery dramatically.
9. Wear the same coverage of clothing you do during training. There is nothing worse than wearing a different cut of shorts than you normally wear. The night after the race you notice that your skin that is not normally exposed to sun is not hot pink and stings. You look funny when you sit down in the nylon lawn chair that evening.
10. If you are near a body of water at the finish, go stand waist deep in the water. The cooler water will help your legs recover. My favorite thing to do here in San Diego after a long hard run is to dip my legs into the cool 68-degree Pacific.

• 4 milers: 2 mi
  
• 5 milers: 3 mi 
• 6 milers: 3 mi & 5 mi (at RGR)
  
• 7 milers: 3 mi &  5 mi (at RGR)
• 9 milers: 5 mi & 7 mi
  
• 10 milers: 5 mi & 7 mi & 9 mi (at RGR)
  
• 12 milers: 5 mi & 7 mi & 9 mi (at RGR)
  

• 4 milers: n/a
• 5 milers: n/a
  
• 6 milers: 3 mi
  
• 7 milers: 3 mi &  4 mi
  
• 9 milers: 3 mi & 6 mi
• 10 milers:3 mi & 7 mi
  
• 12 milers: 3 mi & 9 mi
  

ATP

What is HOT?

I saw a magazine that said that Megan Fox was HOT.  How about Matthew McConaughey? Is he HOT?  Some like it HOT. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon thought that Marilyn Monroe was HOT. But then they were dressed in drag for the 1959 Billy Wilder directed movie. They were running from angry gangsters and were hoping it would cool down. 50 years later we are running from angry HCV home owners hoping it would cool down.

Is HOT a preference, or is it a location? I was at a meeting in our Hawaii office with a co-worker who was from our Boston office. He was complaining how hot it was in Hawaii. It was 72 degrees with a wonderful breeze. It was darn near perfect (other than we were working and could not enjoy it). But for him it was too HOT.

I like it HOT. When it gets cold it is harder for me to breath. I like the summer hot weather. I grew up playing baseball all day long in the HOT summer sun. The days were long and we played even during the summer downpours. The rain was a refreshing break. In the heat, your muscles get warm and loose. During breaks we would sit on the bench and try and get the sweat dripping off our nose to hit the fire ants scurrying around. Ah, to have too much time to enjoy and simple and stupid things in life.

Running in the heat can be dangerous. You might have a great run, not thinking you need to take in any water, but later in the day you can feel tired and lethargic. Or worse you could start sweating for no reason, feeling dizzy and maybe even pass out. Like dehydration if you wait till you are thirsty to drink water it is already too late. There are scales typically put out Saturday mornings at RGR. Weigh yourself before the run and after the run to see how much water you sweated out during your run. I typically have most of my water still with me. It is just dripping from my shirt. You should try and replace the amount of sweat you lose with water as you run so that you weigh about the same after the run as before the run. One run I lost over 7 pounds. I can not even think about drinking 7 pounds of water. But when you hydrate before the run, drink during the run, refill your bottles at the water stops and have a recovery drink after the run, you should be properly hydrated.

Heat can really get the sweat dripping off your body and Paris Hilton thinks "That's HOT."

Keep Smiling
Larry Graf - ATP Coach

Blue / Green

Greetings Blue / Green Group:

Hot Weather: One of the major things we have to deal with when training for a Fall Marathon in South Central Texas is that we're going to do a lot of our training in hot weather. The best way to do this is to gradually expose yourself to training in these conditions. Usually it takes ~2 weeks for the body to fully adapt to training in hot weather. It does this by increasing sweat production, and starting this production earlier. Of course, this won't help too much on the humid days, when the sweat we produce can't be absorbed into the atmosphere due to the high humidity. So, what can we do?

• Train either early in the morning, or late in the evening. Usually the temperature is lower, but the humidity higher in the morning, whereas in the evening, the temperature is higher, but the humidity is lower.
• Wear light colored clothing (ever notice that I pretty much stick to white shirts in the summer?), and try to run in the shade (wherever traffic laws allow you to do so).
• Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! This means during the weekdays (starting Monday). Pay extra attention on Thursday and Friday, and be sure to be hydrating during your run on Saturday. Water is great, but remember that when exercising for periods longer than an hour, you should be consuming some sports drink as well.
• Understand that your pace will slow down when the temperature / humidity is high. Why is this? In order to cool the body, the circulatory system pumps blood near the skin so that it can achieve some amount of cooling. What this does is causes an increased demand of your heart rate, because your body is also sending blood to the working muscles to provide them with oxygen.

Yellow

You know you are crazy when...

Last week's run was awful.  The conditions left most of us asking ourselves if we are right in the head.  I've been running long enough to know when I'm going to have issues from the start of the run.  Therefore, I started slower than normal and finished a lot slower than normal (walking, crawling, etc...).  My body does not like heat and humidity in the same package.  These two elements combine to make the "heat index" term that the weather forecasters throw around.  And, it can take a toll on the body. 

Why?

The body tries to cool itself in different ways: convection, conduction, radiation, and perspiration.  When the temperature goes up, the first three are less effective (or even counter-effective at higher temperatures), which pretty much leaves you with perspiration to cool your body.  Unfortunately, humidity comes along and tries to take that away from you too!  You cool off when that sweat evaporates.  However, the air can only hold so much water.  So, your sweat doesn't have anywhere to go when the humidity is higher.

Hang in there...

Therefore, my advice to you is to slow down and don't worry about decreasing your pace (like you had a choice).  In my opinion, marathon running is more of a mental exercise than a physical one.  Take what the weather gives you and adjust to it.  You are going to have tough runs and good runs.  It all pays off in the end, but you have to hang in there.  Finishing a marathon is a major accomplishment.  All my medals are worth more to me than gold.  OK, maybe not, but they still mean a lot. :)

Ross

Red

The great outdoors is feeling anything but great to us these days. Heat, humidity, high temps, are not ideal running conditions.   But rather than complain about the weather - adapt to it. Preparation is a key component of how well your run will go in this kind of weather.  Make sure you are getting adequate hydration, rest and nutrition, before, during, and after your run.   If you are feeling a bit "under the weather" it is best to skip the workout that day.  Running in hot weather forces the body into overdrive.  You need to slow the pace down. Think about taking your speed work inside on the treadmill.  When you are running in extreme heat, your perceived effort almost always exceeds your actual effort.  Intervals in an air conditioned environment are safer and allow you to work out harder.   Try to run when it is a bit cooler, before or just at sunrise.  Plan runs in shady areas and tree lined streets.  Wear the right clothes that wick the moisture from your body, no cotton.  A hat with a wide brim to shield the sun, as well as sunscreen. 

Do not get discouraged if some of your runs have not gone the way you would have liked.  Accept that some days you will not run as far or as fast as you'd like.  Make the most of the conditions you are given.  You will find most days if you run something you will feel better than if you'd run nothing.  If you learn to deal with the "bad" days, you will learn to appreciate the "good" days a whole lot more.  You are all doing an amazing job hanging in there with the weather.  Hopefully Mother Nature will be kind and give us 55 degrees on race day!! 

See you Saturday!! 

Red Team Coaches

Orange

Baby, it's hot outside!

Here are some hot weather tips from Jeff Galloway, who provides tips for beginners and is the coach who knows them best.  He has probably heard every excuse in the book, so don't think this will get you out of a workout!

The Excuse (and how to beat it!)

Dear Jeff,
I get too overheated when I run in the summer.

Signed,
Too Hot to Trot

Sure it's tougher to run when the mercury spikes and humidity levels rise, but there are lots of easy ways to keep your summer runs safe and comfortable.

1. Avoid the sun.  In dry climates, running in the evening is often the most pleasant. In regions with significant humidity, however, it is best to run before the sun rises much above the horizon.

2.  Dress for success. Wear loose-fitting clothes made of high-tech fibers that wick sweat away from the skin.  Material that has some texture allows better sweat evaporation, which keeps you cooler.

3.  Keep a cool head. You can increase the evaporation-cooling effect by regularly pouring a little water over the top of your head. (And wear a vented hat that has a dark brim underneath!-k)

4. Hit the trails. Avoid hard surfaces (especially asphalt) because they can retain a lot of heat.  You'll feel cooler when running on dirt or gravel. (Does anyone want to join me at Crownridge Canyon on Mon or Thurs?  It is a great park to run repeats.-k)

5.  Do a double. By splitting your daily mileage into two installments-say one morning and one evening run-you'll run shorter each time and build up less body heat.

Hopefully these tips will keep you going in spite of triple digit temperatures.  Like they say, it has got to cool off  (or rain) sometime!

Orange Zest is the Best!

Kathy Seastrunk

Purple

Hi everyone,

Last week I traveled to a family reunion in northern Wisconsin. Like the yin to our South Texas yang, the upper Midwest has been experiencing unseasonably cool summer weather conditions (ranging from 50-75 degrees). After training in triple digits, you can imagine how surreal and wonderful it was to workout in such a cool, moist environment. In stark contrast, when I returned home, I felt like I was baking in a convection oven.

Living & exercising in our summer heat and humidity requires much greater awareness. Even a fully acclimatized, highly conditioned person can fall prey to heat stress and injury. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion & heat stroke, don't occur in a progression. You can go directly from feeling fine to heat stroke, without getting cramps or even feeling thirsty (Check out the Heat Stress article previously posted on our Purple Google Group for more detail on symptoms).

A few weeks back, J.T. (Tri Point Purple), spotted a runner from another running club who was down (and delirious) on our route. Luckily, he had his cell, and quickly alerted the paramedics to help the man. Let's follow his example and be aware to help one another enroute to the marathon.

As our mileage and weather reach record-breaking highs; it's a great time to review hot weather precautions and practices. Here are a few commonsense reminders to help you optimize your body temperature management:

• Hydrate before, during & after your workout. Adjust your hydration plan.
• Make a plan to replace lost electrolytes. Set an interval timer, so you know when it's time to take in nutrition & electrolytes. Prevention always works best.
• Adjust your workout pace and intensity to fit the weather conditions. Remember that high heat and humidity increases the degree of difficulty in your workouts (similar to adding steep hillwork). Slow down in extreme conditions. It's a matter of mind with body; not mind over body.
• Avoid direct sunlight & stay in the shade when possible.
• Wear UVA/UVB sunscreen, sunglasses & a ventilated cap for sun protection.
• Wear loose, light, microfiber fabrics like Cool-Max that breathe (wicking sweat away from your body, allowing it to evaporate faster for optimal comfort). Technical sox (not cotton) that wick moisture away from your feet are essential.
• Be aware of the signs of dehydration & symptoms of heat stress. Alert your coach or a training buddy immediately if you start to manifest any of the signs.
• Always carry your cell phone (with your coaches' numbers) during training.

Fall is getting closer with each passing day. Soon, cooler fall temperatures will make our training easier and much more pleasant. In the meantime, hang in there!

Stay Cool, Stay Safe & Stay Hydrated,
Coach Nancy

Aqua

Although it has cooled down a few degrees in the past couple of weeks we are still dealing with those extremely hot temperatures. Staying hydrated is the main key that should be focused on but not the only one! You not only need your fluids during a run but during the day whether you have a scheduled run or not. Cut down on the sodas and juices and add water as your preferred drink when having meals. Don't get me wrong and think you need to chug 3 gallons of water a day. Too much water can cause hyponatremia which is diluting your sodium. You need that!!! Most people need to drink about eight 8 oz. glasses. Your bodies need electrolytes so replace them as you're working out. If you take an energy gel you must drink 6-8 oz. of water to dilute them otherwise the water from your working muscles come out and do the work for you which results to weak muscles. You should be drinking 6-8 oz. of fluids every 20 minutes whether it is water or an electrolyte drink. Drink cold water because not only does cold water leave the stomach of a runner quicker than any type of fluid, it produces a slight cooling effect.

Make sure you're wearing moisture wicking clothing. NO COTTON! Cotton is not as breathable as polyester. It absorbs the sweat and makes the skin sensitive and more likely to chafe and blister. Wear lighter garments. Loose-fitting clothes allow heat to escape. As moisture leaves your skin, you receive a cooling effect, and these types of materials are made for this. Even though we are not out on the beach, we need sunscreen. Many runners do not even think about wearing sunscreen when they are out running. Long distance runners seem to have increased risk of skin cancer. Think about wearing a cap or visor and short sleeve shirts to cover the shoulders.

Slow down early. The later you wait to slow down, the more dramatically you'll slow down at the end and the longer it will take to recover from the run. The heat feels worse on your body when you push yourself too hard.

Hopefully we will start to see a drop in the temperature within the next few weeks. Feel free to ask any questions to your friendly knowledgeable coaches about any concerns you may have. Thanks for keeping up the great effort!

Coach Laurie, Coach Rose, and Coach Andy