Hydration

With the pool open, I think I'm finally back in the swing of things. It felt good to get back in the water. Last semester I always seemed reluctant to go, but something about this semester clicked and I've begun to anticipate these workouts.

With summer here, the temperature as rocketed. I think this is the first time I've been serious about monitoring my fluid levels and hydration. With the heat and humidity, I've noticed a major increase in sweat. I've been taking in more fluids in the form of plain water. However, I'm now on a quest to find the best electrolyte replenishment.

Temporarily, products like Propel, or PoweradeZero are my go-tos; ideally I'm looking for JUST fluid and electrolyte replacement, not a carbohydrate sports drink. Currently, most electrolyte drinks are produced already prepared. I'd like to find these in the powdered form, but except for Propel, they seem scarce. Making my own is a possiblity; I experimented some with Hammer Nutrition's Endurolytes, electrolyte tablets by breaking the pill into water and adding some lemon juice. It was okay, but the tablets don't really dissolve. Any tips from seasoned veterans would be appreciated. This week I picked up some Propel (2 flavors), PoweradeZero, and SoBe vitamin water (brand VitaminWater doesn't have ANY Na+ or K+) to experiment with.

I also went on a group ride from TriSpeed, a triathlon retail store. It was OK, I think I would've been more relaxed going on a Sunday when I don't worry about getting into lab at a reasonable hour. I worry though about how I'm going to be able to increase my bike mileage base.

This morning's run was brutal. Partially because of the heat, and so I think I was dehydrated. I also ran out of cereal yesterday, which is my stalwart pre-exercise snack. I tried to make do with simple wheat germ, but I guess I didn't get the same amount of fuel that I usually do from the cereal.