After a long cold Spring and no chance to acclimate to heat, runners
should push a lot of water and sodium from the very start of an ultra.

1. Drink water and take some salt BEFORE the race begins.  Race Directors
will please provide, water AND CUPS at the start line.

2. You need 400 to 800 mgm of sodium per hour under hot conditions.  The
average small pretzel or saltine found at the aid stations has only 30
mgm of sodium.  If you're drinking water only, you'd need 13 of those per
hour to get in enough sodium.  Even if you're taking a sportsdrink, one
or two pretzels may not be enough.  Most drinks are on the low side of the
sodium requirement because the drinks would taste like sea water if they
had sodium levels equivalent to 800 mgm/hour.

3. Colas typically contain little or no sodium.  A steady diet of half cola,
half water could lead to inadequate sodium in a few hours of running.

4. Don't be fooled by running in dry weather.  Sweat may evaporate so fast
that you think you're not sweating much when in fact you're sweating a great
deal, and losing water through your lungs as you exhale.

5. Don't assume that you are hydrated if you pee late in a run.  If you are
low on sodium, your body will be forced to dump water to keep you from going
into a state of hyponatremia ( low sodium ).  Thus it is possible to be
dehydrated and peeing at the same time.

6. If you do get dehyrated, take salt and water together.  Your body will not
properly re-hydrate if you don't have sodium on board.  Therefore, avoid soda
and sparkling waters unless you also take sodium.

7. Don't trust your sense of thirst in an ultra.  Most people are actually
dehydrated by the time they register as thirsty.

8. If you do get dehydrated, your blood pressure will be low.  If you jump
into a hot shower after the run, the blood vessels near the skin will dilate
and your blood pressure will drop so low that your heart cannot push blood
to the brain for a few seconds and you will pass out in the shower.  If you
need to clean up, use a wash cloth wet with tepid water.

9. If you feel dizzy or have a queasy stomach, slow down or sit for a while.
If it is really hot, you weren't going to have a PR anyway, so why kill
yourself to finish a few minutes sooner?

10. The runners most in danger of dehydration are not the speedsters at the
front of the race, but those at the back of the pack who spend more hours
out in the heat.

11. If there is ice at the aid stations, consider wearing a white, mesh cap
in which you can put ice cubes.  It may look silly, but may also help cool
your head a lot.  It worked wonders for me at the hot, humid '94 Vermont 100.

-----------------------------

I will echo the statement: it is just as stressful to be Race Director on a
bad day as it is to run.

Karl King, RD Ice Age 50
kking@omnifest.uwm.edu
4/23/96