TriOurWorld

For triathletes, May is a transition month as far as weather is concerned. The heavy gloves have been put away for the summer. The weather has been comfortable for biking, running, and in some places ocean swimming, for a while. Now it’s getting hot.
Your body reacts to the change in temperature, but it needs help. Depending on the length of workout, you can lose enough liquid to become dehydrated in hot, warm or even moderate temperatures.
Research has shown that for a sprint triathlon with the temperature under 68 degrees, there is no drop-off in performance for an initially well-hydrated athlete if no water is consumed during the race. For temperatures above 68, or for longer events, hydration is essential.
Some athletes have difficulty knowing when they are in danger of becoming dehydrated; once you feel it, it’s too late. Recovery can be difficult. What to do?
The best way to keep from getting dehydrated, of course, is to drink sufficiently. But to do this by guessing what you need can lead to trouble: a few overzealous hydraters have even suffered from hyponutremia—too much dilution of sodium in the body.
The best way to keep hydration under control is to weigh yourself before and after workouts. Naturally your weight fluctuates with what you’ve eaten; but after a while you’ll learn to know your body’s needs as far as hydration goes. you’ll see how much weight you lose on a given length run or ride, and you can hydrate accordingly.
It also helps to keep track of the temperature and humidity; these will affect how much water you need. Use the dewpoint as a measure of humidity, as it more accurately reflects the effect water vapor in the atmosphere has on the body’s ability to cast off heat by evaporation through sweating.