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Whether (no pun intended) it is this weekend or next month, or likely the entire summer, warm weather will affect us as the seasons progress. We have endured a harsh winter from icy covered sidewalks to frozen noses. Sometimes we don’t have time to acclimate to heat in time before it hits us.

This coming weekend is proving to be looking quite warm indeed with highs in the 80s. What can you do? What will happen?

When we work out, our body sweats to keep our skin cool. Humidity plays a role in making it not feel as cool as it should, which is called the Heat Index, a “feels like” temperature when the dew point is high/close to actual temperatures, I’ll save you the science for now. In real speak, higher temperatures make us sweat and higher humidity makes us feel it more. Sweat contains water and electrolytes and various other little things. The things to focus on are electrolytes and water. Most of us have the water piece going, thirsty? Drink up!

However, some of us don’t replace the salts (electrolytes) we lose when sweating. This can lead to upset stomachs, cramping, swelling, and hyponatremia. The more we demand of our bodies on warmer days, the more our bodies will require. We can fix this! There are a lot of different products that can simplify our needs such as electrolyte mixes and drinks, salt chews, salt capsules, and real food with sodium and more. The tricky part is knowing how much. Electrolyte loss, as well as hydration loss in general, is very individual.

Some people sweat a lot, but don’t lose a lot of electrolytes, and some people sweat very little and lose a lot of electrolytes. A lot of people are chunked in the middle, but knowing when you need more before it’s too late is key. On warmer days, it’s advised to at least have a little electrolyte every so often to keep the levels in your blood even. On a cold day, a 6 mile run may mean half a bottle of fluid intake, whereas on a hot day, that same run will require a whole bottle with the same effort levels on both runs. Learn what your body needs and be ready to adapt to the environment on the fly, and don’t get caught without a way to fix things!

Products that can help:

Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel (Sports Nutrition drink mix) - A powder that can be mixed into water (or any fluid) which has both carbs and electrolytes. Can be mixed to a user's preferred concentration.

Scratch Hydration (Sports drink mix) - Also a powder that can be used to mix into water (or any fluid) which has both carbs and electrolytes. Can be mixed to a user’s preferred concentration.

LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix - Zero sugar hydration, so no carb benefit, but has more electrolytes than Tailwind or Skratch in smaller packaging and stronger flavor. It is also a powder that can be mixed into water (or any fluid).

SaltStick Fast Chews Fast-Acting Hydration - These are little chewable tablets that have just electrolytes in them. They are small and solid, and conveniently packaged in sweat-proof single serving packages (and full refill bottles!) that can be carried easily in a pocket. The single serving bags ziplock closed and can be reused.

Various Gels and Chews with Electrolytes - Some products produce gels and chews pre-loaded with electrolytes. Usually found in lower amounts, they are still a useful source of electrolytes. Some of the products include SaltStick Energy Gummies, Untapped Salted Gels, and a few assorted GU gels (check product information).

Tailwind and Skratch High Carb Fuel - A level up on carbs and calories from the regular drink mixes listed above. These options are great for our ultra-training athletes who plan on being on their feet or bike for 3+  hours without extended breaks.

If you would like to swing by the store to chat about nutrition, come on by and bring all your questions, or feel free to call (540) 989-2064 or email info@runaboutroanoke.com!