Hydration during your summer runs; Runners world offers some advice The summer is almost here, and with it the hot weather too. Hydration is one of the most important things a runner must be concerned with when running on a warm day, especially over long distances. It is not just the idea of drinking water that is important, but also, you want to make sure you do not dehydrate and run out of fuel. There are certain drinks that can help you better than others. There are also some very sleek water packs that allow you to take the drinks with you on your longer runs. Runners world offers some advice which you can read about here A refresher course on how much—and what—to drink on hot summer runs. By Dimity McDowell During the blazing days of summer, you need more than sunscreen to protect your body from the sun. "Hydration becomes most important during intense exercise in the heat," says Douglas Casa, Ph.D., who heads the University of Connecticut's Korey Stringer Institute, which studies heatstroke and other causes of sudden death in sports. "If you're not adequately hydrated, your blood volume drops, which means your heart has to work harder to power your muscles and keep you cool. When that happens, your running performance suffers."While it's important to stay hydrated during exercise, it's impossible to create one-size-fits-all drinking guidelines. Every runner's needs are different. Your body weight, sweat rate, and effort level, along with the temperature, humidity, and elevation, affect how much you should drink. That doesn't mean you should leave your hydration plan up to chance. These strategies can help ensure you drink the right amount before, during, and after every run.Before Your RunOne of the best ways to limit dehydration during a run is to drink enough before it. "Checking your urine prerun is an easy way to see if you're hydrated," says Lewis Maharam, M.D., former medical director of the Rock 'n' Roll race series. "If it's clear, you're drinking too much. If it's the color of iced tea, you need to drink more. If it's a pale lemonade or straw color, you're nicely hydrated."How much you should drink depends on how soon you'll be running, what your stomach can tolerate, and how dehydrated you are. "Typically, most people can handle six to eight ounces right before a run," says Heidi Skolnik, M.S., C.D.N., owner of Nutrition Conditioning in New York City. With the exception of alcohol, which is dehydrating, all beverages, including water, sports drink, coffee, tea, juice, and milk, can help keep you hydrated throughout the day.If you find you're often dehydrated before a run, make sure to have a beverage with all your meals. "The fluid you drink helps you absorb the water content in whatever you eat," says Skolnik. read more