‘Tis the season for rising temps at races. Avoid these common mistakes when racing in the heat.
Mistake #1: Neglecting sodium leading up to the race.
During your taper, you’ll reduce your food intake, which consequently decreases your sodium intake. You need to replace this loss through extra electrolytes in fluid. Nutrition and performance coach Krista Austin, Ph.D, suggests maintaining sodium stores in two ways in the lead up: 1) Consume electrolyte beverages throughout the day, with drinks that provide at least 200mg of sodium per 8oz and/or 2) Load up by consuming about 3,500–4,000 mg of sodium 18–24 hours before competition. The additional sodium, which should be above your normal intake, can be spread out between 2–4 meals or snacks. If you drink water, do so only at meals.