thought I would put this post up over all the forums as this year in the UK there is a heatwave forecast. I know some will say they live in heat hotter than that. To me its not important whether it arrives or not but I think it is important we talk about running and heat on here.
As some of you know at my Half Marathon there were a lot of casualties due to the heat. We often talk about hydration and dehydration on here. As I was thinking about this today I realised that as many of us are new to running do we really know why its so important. I have put a list together of web pages to have a little read about and get an understanding how important it is when we run that we are properly hydrated.
Please feel free to discuss this and post positive links that can help us all to understand our hydration and keep us all safe while we are out running.
This is a good article explaining why hydration is important. There are many schools of thought about what you should drink but what happens to your body is a staple.
As always the most important thing is to know yourself. Look into the toilet bowl and judge yourself. I know some will say its not totally accurate but it is free and gives you a starting place.
This is a good indication of Pee Colour from Sports Lucozade
Exercise aside, I'm more likely to get dehydrated in winter when it's cold as I find it hard to drink enough water.
Once it gets to about 20 degrees I always have water with me, even if I'm only running for half an hour.
My tips for surviving when it's hot (although they won't necessarily help you stay hydrated):
Wear a hat and sunglasses
Run in the shade
Splash water on your wrists while you're running (or pour it on your head if you want, it's just not culturally appropriate here)
Run before 8 in the morning or after 7 in the evening
Be kind to yourself with regard to pace - running in the heat saps your energy although I've not come across a good explanation as to why - I guess the blood is trying to cool you so not getting to the muscles as much?
Apologies for duplicating - posting this to both C25K and Bridge to 10K
Thank you for doing the Link. Don't apologise. I think its important we talk about this and you deal with the heat more than we do. Some people might not read both forums.
I drink plenty most of the time, but never have water with me on a run because of needing to pee! I have a drink half an hour before I go out and go to the loo immediately before I go out and that's just about ok if I don't think about it. If I have any more I wouldn't make it home which is a real pain as the weather is getting warm, even here! Pre children/ weight gain I could have gone for hours but I seem to have turned into my mother who could never go past a loo...
Great post Rfc and very appropriate... so easy to get dehydrated, and so dangerous if unrecognised...
My daughter has always drummed this in to me..( yep, she keeps me in order, even more now she is back living near to us...).. even before I started running, but when I walk ,cycle or am just generally racing around doing gardening jobs etc etc in the heat!
Thank you for your informative post rfc it is so important to take on fluids especially now the weather is warming up, I used to find drinking enough water so difficult. My strategy is to set my mobile phone alarm to a gently sound of water with a message saying drink now every three hours and then no matter where I am I reach for my bottle and rehydrate. Works for me !
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Let The Runner See The Bling 
Let's concentrate on the fact it was sunny
🎵Hole In My Shoe, was letting in water🎵
A good talking-to from the Running Fairy
