Week 2: February 1 - February 7

Monday: Off

Tuesday: 3-5 miles

Wednesday: 4-6 miles

Thursday: 3-5 miles

Friday: Off

Saturday: 4 miles

Sunday: 6 -10 miles

Week 3: February 8 - February 14

Monday: Off

Tuesday: 4 miles

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 4 miles

Friday: Off

Saturday: 4 miles

Sunday: 6  miles

Training Tip: The Importance of Proper Hydration

It cannot be stressed enough how important proper hydration is to athletic performance. When dehydration occurs, however minimal it might be, your running can suffer. The primary reason for a drop in performance while dehydrated is due to a reduction in blood volume. As a result, there is a reduction in maximal cardiac output; that is the volume of blood being pumped by the heart. If there is a reduction in blood volume, then the amount of oxygen rich red blood cells reaching your muscles and other vital organs is reduced, thereby hampering the work load your body can sustain. So, the simple takeaway is to never get too dehydrated in the first place. I say too dehydrated because it would be very difficult to replace the same amount of fluids that your body sweats out during exercise, especially on hot days. The best thing to do is to not begin your run being dehydrated, and this simply means to drink reasonable amounts of fluids before you commence.

Now, how much fluid? The short answer is whenever you are thirsty you should drink. Our bodies are very good at self-regulation, so it will tell you when you are thirsty and when you’ve have consumed enough to slake your thirst. Another simple way to know that you are properly hydrated is when your urine is clear. We all understand this, right?

Running in the cold provides more of a challenge to remain hydrated because we lack the feedback we get during the warmer parts of the year when we know we’re sweating. Being bundled up for the cold does not provide us with those recognizable signs. It is important to carry a water bottle with you when you are running, especially on longer runs, and to take sips regularly to avoid slipping into a dehydration funk. What type of fluid to bring with you really depends on how long you’re out for a run. I usually will carry water with me if my run is under an hour and use an electrolyte drink (Gatorade, etc.) for longer runs.

Just remember that if you are not having your best running day, it might have less to do with your conditioning and more with whether you are properly hydrated!

E-Mail Questions to Coach Sam Davis: runvtrun@aol.com

Remember our shoe fit session at SKIRACK on Wednesday, February 3 - beginning at 5:30pm.