Running with a raincoat, the danger of dehydration

I just got back from spending a week in Catalonia. When you are preparing for a marathon, as in my case, there is no vacation and you have to continue with your preparation if you don't want to get to the starting line with your homework undone.

So, following the plan prepared by Imanol Loizaga for the New York marathon on November 5, I had to get up early in the morning so that I could get my training done and enjoy the beach and vacation plans without interfering with the program. It is you who is preparing 42 kilometers and not your family, so you have to adapt and do the training before the rest of the family gets out of bed. Either that or keep the others waiting with all that entails. Better to get up early, yes.

Are you coming to the New York

I have been surprised by the number of runners I have met in my routes. At around 6.30/7.00 in the morning I have continually come across people training. There have been times when I thought we looked like ants coming out of every alley and corner. This is good news because it means that more and more people are opting for a sport that can be practiced at any time (I would skip the central hours of the day when the sun is strongest) and that requires a very basic equipment: a good pair of shoes are the only essential. The rest, t-shirt, pants, watch, etc, are important but you can get by with almost anything.

I have seen many beginner runners, those who take advantage of the vacations to try running and see if they are hooked or not. Not all of them, of course, but I'm sure that some of them end up being not only a seasonal runner but become a permanent one. Hopefully this will be the case because they will have laid the foundations for a change of habits and healthy routines that will help them a lot in their day to day life.

Running in the heat is no joke

But I've also seen things done without being informed of the risks involved. It is striking how warm people run. Around 22/24 degrees in the morning and a clothing worthy of the harshest winter. Long leggings, t-shirts with sleeves, windbreakers and, worst of all, raincoats. Yes, yes, raincoat in the middle of summer and no threat of rain.

This is where I wanted to get to, to that dangerous mistake that leads us to think that if we run with a raincoat (the less breathable the better) we will lose weight. The plastic will make us sweat a lot. We are going to drip, yes, and when we return home and get on the scales we will see that we may have lost even more than a kilogram. However, what we have lost is nothing more than water and mineral salts, not fat weight. As soon as we hydrate again, we will regain our previous weight and the only thing we will have done is to put our health at risk.

Raincoats, plastics, sweatshirts and fleeces do not allow proper perspiration and do not give the skin any respite. If we run with any of these garments, our body temperature will increase considerably, our body will lose fluids and essential mineral salts, our cardiovascular system will work harder and our performance will be reduced.

How to run and compete safely in the heat

These are the dangers of running in a raincoat

Take note. According to nutritionist Gabriela Gottau, when 1% of fluid has been lost, cardiac work increases. When you have already lost 2, physical performance is reduced by 20%. If the loss amounts to 3, concentration, blood volume and responsiveness are reduced and the risk of cramps, contractures and lipothymias increases. With a 4% percentage of fluid loss we experience intense fatigue or exhaustion and with 5, the thermoregulation mechanisms are altered, increasing the risk of heat stroke.

But there is more. Raincoats and all those types of garments with which we pretend to lose weight while running produce a maceration of the skin that can lead us to suffer from irritations in the areas of folds such as the armpits, groin, between the buttocks and under the chest.

In short, we can't just wear anything for running. Even if we go out to train in the rain we must take care of this aspect and use clothes with perspiration spaces in the armpits and crease areas.

If we want to take 100% care of ourselves, we must also take into account the color of the clothes we wear when running. If we want to protect ourselves from the sun, we should wear darker clothing. Ultraviolet light passes through light-colored clothing very easily, so for a "total screen" it is better to wear dark clothing. That and a good sunscreen. The sun will burn our skin and age it quickly unless we protect it properly.

In short and as a summary in five brushstrokes:

• Avoid going out to train in the hottest hours of the day. The middle of the day can be very dangerous if high temperatures lurk.
• Do not forget the sunscreen. Your skin will thank you by looking smoother and more hydrated.
• Do not use raincoats, plastic, fleece, etc. with the intention of losing weight while running. You will only lose fluid that you will immediately recover as soon as you hydrate and you will be playing with your health. Dehydration can cause significant damage to your health as well as reduce your performance.
• Dark colors in your clothing will protect you better from the sun because they prevent ultraviolet rays from reaching your skin. The lighter your T-shirt, for example, the more the sun will penetrate.
• A capsule of salts before training and another every 45 minutes of running can help you maintain proper hydration. And don't forget that water is the perfect ally.

I always try to train in shorts and a tank top. I pack as much as I can and only in the harsh winter do I wear warmer clothing. For running in the rain there are perfectly breathable raincoats that can help you train without ending up like a soup and without losing the necessary hydration.

Let's go for a run!

I Photo by Yolan de Sope