Beat the Heat

Learning how to race in the heat is important since most races occur in the summer heat, or in hot climates (like the XTERRA World Championships in Maui!).

 PROPER HYDRATION

1. Drink one bottle of water or fluid replacement two hours before the race.
2. Drink 4 - 8oz. of water before the race starts (15 minutes prior.)
3. Continue to drink 6-10 oz. every 15 to 20 minutes throughout the race.
4. Wear a hydration pack during the bike and run.
5. Take advantage of aid stations along the course.

 SLOW DOWN

Be prepared to go a little easier when you race in the heat. Higher temperatures and humidity drain your energy faster than racing in moderate temperatures.

 DRESS FOR THE OCCASION

1. Wear light-colored clothes that don't absorb the sun's heat.
2. Wear a hat to keep the sun off your head.
3. Wear a helmet with good ventilation on the bike course. (Research shows it is as cool as not wearing one.)

 PACE YOURSELF

Save your energy for the second half of the race. (Hold something back for your final sprint.) Remember the sun is strongest by the time you start the run and it's harder to cool your body off during the run than during the bike.

 Neal Henderson is a PowerBar sponsored XTERRA Pro athlete, and is the Coordinator of Sport Sciences at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine in Boulder, CO.