Monday, August 20, 2012

Tips for Running in the Summer Heat


Mark A. Harrast, MD
Medical Director of the Seattle Marathon Family of Events
UW Medicine - Sports Medicine


Protect your skin
Apply sunscreen liberally and often for skin protection, as solar radiation causes skin cancer.  Remember to apply it to any exposed skin – including your ears, scalp, and back of your neck.  Don’t forget to wear a hat, sunglasses, and a shirt. 

Stay hydrated
Running in the heat will increase sweating in order to dissipate heat and keep your core temperature from rising too quickly.  Increased sweating (without replacing fluid lost thru sweat) will decrease your blood volume, which in turn, will decrease blood and oxygen delivery to your working leg muscles, eventually slowing you down.  Drinking fluids to keep your blood volume up will offset this effect and enhance your performance.  But be careful – as drinking too much can create other issues, including GI distress/bloating and hyponatremia (low blood sodium). For most runners during a training run or race, drinking when you are thirsty (ad libidum) is reasonable and effective.  If your run route doesn't have ample water fountains, then consider carrying a water bottle on your long run days.  Finally, it’s as important to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day when not running as it is during your runs.  Having a hydration plan throughout the day will help keep your total body water stores replenished and thus, similar to fueling a gas tank in a car, you’ll be starting your runs off with your blood volume “full” instead of closer to “empty.”   The current general recommendation is to drink ~9-13 cups of fluid per day (which is a bit more than the adage of eight 8-ounce glasses per day).  This recommendation should be increased in hotter climates and exercising individuals. 

Prepare for hot weather running
Are you accustomed to running in hot weather? Practice running in the heat in preparation for hot weather races.  It generally takes about two weeks to properly acclimatize to exercising in hot weather.  To begin acclimatizing, slow your pace (don’t do speed workouts or harder efforts) during that first week of warmer weather training, stay well-hydrated, and schedule adequate rest/recovery time. 

Prevent heat illness
Avoid running during the hottest part of the day.  Listen to your body and stop exercising, find a shaded, cool area, and rehydrate (+/- seek medical attention) if you experience lightheadedness, headaches, or you stop sweating.  Wear light colored clothing to reflect the sun’s rays.  Synthetic fabrics are better for exercising as they wick and dry easier, taking heat away from your body and helping you to stay cool.

Set appropriate expectations
Your body reacts differently on hot days. You won’t be able to perform as well in the heat as you could on a cooler day, so slow your pace during training runs and races on such hot days.



____


   

Mercer Ramp Closure

ATTENTION! Mercer St. Ramp Closure Race Weekend

Full closure of I-5 on-ramps and off-ramps planned for August 24-27, 2012
Ramp closure hours will be from Friday at 11:00 p.m. to Monday at 5:00 a.m. on race weekend, August 24-27. Detour routes shown will be signed on roadways and may be heavily used, particularly Denny Way both eastbound and westbound.

Please plan your route accordingly and allow additional time to arrive at the course.
During these closures, the I-5 on-ramp at University St. will be concurrently closed to provide more efficient traffic flow around the closed Mercer St. exit lane. Fairview Ave. N will also be closed between Mercer St. and Valley St., and Mercer St. will be closed to through traffic between Westlake Ave. N and Fairview Ave. N. All detour routes will be clearly marked.

Beginning Thursday, August 23, a single lane on Mercer St. will be closed between Boren Ave. N and the Mercer St. I-5 on-ramps to accommodate median work near Fairview Ave. N that will facilitate the transition to two-way traffic on Mercer St. The closure will be in effect beginning Thursday, August 23, at 7:00 p.m. through Friday, August 24, at 11:00 p.m., when the full weekend ramp closure will commence.
See the DOT-provided maps below to help you plan your route.
For more information, visit the Seattle DOT website, Mercer Corridor Project.

http://seattlemarathon.org/downloads/10k/access_from_i5.pdf



















http://seattlemarathon.org/downloads/10k/access_to_i5.pdf
























Monday, August 13, 2012

Get $10


Are you registered for the Seattle Marathon 10K: Presented by Seattle Center Next 50?


Recruit a friend to register the race and you will receive your choice of:

·         $10 off SMA merchandise, or
·         $10 off the Amica Insurance Seattle Marathon/Half Marathon, or
·         $10 off the Seattle Marathon 5k Race: Presented by South Sound Running

Just have your friend put your email address in the “Recruited By” field on the 10k entry form online and we will email you instructions on how to redeem your coupon!  Please note: You must be a registered participant of the 2012 10K Race in order to receive a coupon. This is only available through online registration.











Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Enter with a Friend!

Limited Time Offer:


Come in to the Seattle Marathon office and register for the Seattle Marathon 10K Race, presented by Next 50 Seattle Center with a group of 2 or more to get $10 off each entry.

In Person ONLY
Wednesday, August 8
10am-5pm

at the SMA office:
1530 Westlake Ave N Suite 700, Seattle