I love watching the Boston Marathon, except for the fact that I have to wake up early due to the time difference. I also love reading and hearing about the runners’ experiences. This year, the common theme for many runners seems to have been they suffered from cramps or other heat-related conditions, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting during the race. Most described the experience as “brutal.” These symptoms will definitely slow you down during the run and could also be severe enough to force you to quit.
According to Boston local news:
- 26,596 runners started the race
- 25,616 runners finished, which means 980 DNF
- 2,974 medical tent encounters (1,288 during the race and 1,686 at the finish)
- Most of these encounters were heat-related with symptoms of cramping, nausea, and swelling.40 runners were treated for heat stroke
- 126 runners were transported to local hospitals
The temperatures during the marathon climbed as high as 73 degrees, which doesn’t seem that bad at first glance. But many runners have been training outside during the cold winter months, so 73 is a considerable change. These particular stats and stories interest me because of my recent experience at the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon (recap), where I dealt with muscle cramps starting at the 20-mile mark. I was doing great, taking in lots of fluids and electrolytes, but just like some of these runners, I may have underestimated my hydration needs in this much warmer climate. Meghann at Featherstone Nutrition has many hydration-related resources, which I will include in my summer marathon training. Of course, there can be other reasons that cramps occur during a marathon, but I am focusing on hydration for now.
Meghann states that women need 2.2L of fluids (men 3L) daily to maintain hydration. I’m pretty sure I am not meeting that requirement which means I could be starting my runs in a dehydrated state. And on top of that, we need to replace sweat losses from our runs. She has a sweat rate calculator, explains how to use it to figure your sweat loss rate, and information on replacing fluid losses. Since I tend to have a salty ring on my cap and I am soaking wet after my run, I consider myself a heavy sweater. And that occurs in much cooler temperatures than the summer heat! After seeing what was happening in Boston plus my own experience at Shamrock, I want to be better prepared for my next marathon. Even though the Chicago Marathon is held in the fall, the temperatures can still be warm. In 2021, the high was 79 degrees! Lets all keep our fingers crossed for cool fall temperatures in October and not experience the heat related problems that can occur during a marathon. But in the meantime, preparation is key to prevention.
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