Cross Country Families,
Today was our first real hot day and as we all know, it was also our first day of school. Over the last two weeks, we have made a point to end each day discussing the little things: Nutrition, Hydration and Sleep. Prior to the time trial, and after the time trial we emphasized how important staying hydrated and getting rehydrated is going to be.
Today, we [Coaches] realized that a number of kids didn’t have a water bottle (therefore not drinking enough during the day), some didn’t realize they could fill their water bottles up at the water fountain, and/or did not hydrate over the last few days. In short, a number of folks didn’t feel well on their run today or had to cut it short due to the heat.
While we admire the honesty, we want our runners to hydrate. The heat is going to be a factor, but when you combine the heat with a lack of hydration, the athletes put themselves at risk. Athletes need to be drinking water on a regular basis.
At a minimum: “In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.” For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day
In addition to the above, as athletes: “Dehydration can produce a number of different side effects, from feeling a little lethargic to plummeting blood pressure,” says London. “While everyone’s sweat rate is different, it’s safe to assume that for every 45 to 60 minutes of exercise you do, you’ll need to drink a minimum of 40 ounces of H2O — a number that will probably seem staggeringly high to some of you.”