No matter the sport, water stops are more important than you think.

I guess that summer is here in South Florida.  Some say it never really ends.  The weather looks nice, the trails are beautiful.  There are others out there giving you encouragement, telling you what you're doing right, maybe a warning of conditions ahead.

It was a great day for a workout, right?

So here's the deal - wherever you are, whatever you are doing, bring extra water.

I am a seasoned athlete.  This episode aside, I am used to 3 plus hour workouts at a very high heart rate.  None of this "Shoulda Coulda Woulda" nonsense, I do it.  This was an inline skate workout, a sport where I can do a marathon and not really think twice about it.  VO2 Max for 75% of the time according to the sport watch.

So what did I do wrong?  I forgot to pause and drink water frequently enough. 

No excuses.  What you did in winter when the temperatures are lower does not fly now that you're progressing into summer.  OK, maybe not below the equator, just save this for November if you're in Buenos Aires, Jo-Burg, or Brisbane.

But here in a state named for flowers whose nick name is The Sunshine State, that sun finally caught me.

The specifics are simple.  When I train, it is for an hour and a water stop.  Then repeat until I start thinking that I'll be missed at home.  At least two hours, maybe three or four. 

That works in winter, but in summer?  Naw, fam, change your training!

This is the kind of "rookie mistake" I thought I had gotten past but well I'm stubborn.  I was really enjoying bombing the trails yesterday, just like the bike workout before that on the weekend, and the inline skate workout the week before. 

I switch the two workouts back and forth and I'm finding my own intensity is increasing on both sports.  Cross Training is working better for me than when I was skating 100 miles a week in Philly.

On my bike I carry two thermos of ice water.  It's a shorter workout so I don't need as much.  Or so I tell myself.

On the skates I have those same two insulated water bottles in the Jeep, plus two pint/half liter bottles of ice that melt down to give "cool" water.

None of that is any good if you don't drink the blasted stuff, right?

So go out and Run.
Go out and Bike, Skate, Play Tennis, Pickleball, Whatever Floats your Boat!
I don't know how that works with swimmers, but you do you!

But for the love of your health, don't be like me.  Stop for water frequently.  Your dog will drink when he or she needs it.  People, not so good at it.  You need more than you think you do.

I did the Pinch Test after the workout and the skin on the back of my hand did not rebound.  That was lunch time.  By dinner it was beginning to.  I am at 20 hours past that and it's still taking more time than it should. 

That 2kg, 4 pound weight loss I had this morning?  Dehydration.

My fault.  Now I'm going to have another mug and wander off to do something else.  You?  Probably should have a glass of something not alcoholic.