How to Hydrate: The North Face Endurance Challenge, Washington DC 50 Miler on the Potomac

Since I am living in Washington DC for the summer, I wanted to compete with some of the area’s best, so I decided to take on the North Face Endurance Challenge, Washington DC for race #2 this season.  The race on June 7^th took me to Algonkian Regional Park and the Potomac Heritage Trail into the hills and bluffs of Great Falls Park and back.  50 miles of undulating terrain, with gradual uphill’s and steep downhills made for an exciting and intense day of racing.  This post will explain the science of sports hydration in simple terms, provide a description of the adventure, and will work to give the reader a better idea of how to properly hydrate in their own lives to maintain health and performance, based on the ACSM guidelines.

Hydration  – The Science

The fluids in our body help to regulate our body temperature and prevent overheating. Under normal conditions, the sweat droplets secreted as a response to heat evaporate off of the skin which allows for cooling of the body temperature.  In humid weather, however, less of the sweat is evaporated off of the skin which prevents our body from cooling off.  The body fluids also helps to absorb proper nutrients and carbohydrates for energy, regulate fluid compartments within our tissues which help to prevent bloating, upset stomach and swelling of the extremities and also prevents our blood from getting too thick, which can be uncomfortable and cause early onset of fatigue.  For these reasons, it is very important for those that are physically active to focus keenly on fluid intake to prevent dehydration, especially in hot and humid conditions.  Since athletes have more lean muscle mass, they also store more body water in the muscle that further increases their demand.  

How do you know whether you are dehydrated?  There are several signs and symptoms that should be accounted for.  The first general sign of dehydration is dry mouth and thirst.  In order to prevent this, it is important to start sipping fluids right away before the thirst sensation sets in.  A second sign is considerable weight loss exceeding 1 – 2% of your starting weight.  To determine this, you can weigh in before the event, and then continue to weigh in at different checkpoints along the race assuming there are scales available, and compare this with the weight before the race.  A third method is the color of your pee.  If the urine is clear that’s good, but if dark colored, this is a sign of dehydration and demands the need to rehydrate with around 3-5mL/kgBW of water or sports drink.  Since I generally prefer to consume calories dissolved in water, I was off to a good start with my hydration, but I still needed to make sure not to consume too much fluid, as this can also be harmful.

Hyper hydration is when the athlete consumes too much fluid, which can lead to hyponatremia or low blood sodium. Signs of this are headache, weight gain and/or swelling of the arms and legs.  To prevent hyponatremia, I made sure to consume salty foods on the occasion throughout the race, such as potatoes with salt, salty electrolyte drink, and even chicken broth to help to maintain the fluid balance in my body.   

Recommendations should also be followed to avoid dehydration.  Once exercise exceeds more than 60 minutes, sodium and potassium that are important for muscle contraction are depleted considerably.  Low electrolytes will cause excess cramping in the muscles.  For these reasons, athletes should consume ample fluids supplemented with electrolytes. Drinks such as Gatorade Endurance Formula, Powerbar Endurance Formula, and even water with some salt can help to sustain the athletes through intense competitions and training regimes.  It is recommended that one continually sip on water when participating in events shorter then 90 minutes.  If the event is longer than 90 minutes, sip on a sports drink every few minutes (0.4-0.8Liters/hr or about 2-4 cups) with 7% carbohydrate (Gatorade is a good source). 
 
With all this information in mind regarding my hydration, it was time to rock!

 The Race – Potomac Heritage Trail going South

June 7^th  started with an early wake at 2:30AM, consumption of 1 cup of cereal with skim milk, and since it was going to be hot and humid, I made sure to drink about 400mL of water (5-7mL/kgBW) which translates to 1.5 to 2 cups for me.  I hastily rode to the finish line from the hotel 8 miles away to get there with enough time to spare.  As these races usually do, it started in the dark, with swarms of athletes congregating around the tent and getting their nutrition and hydration packs ready to go for the long haul ahead.  I maintained my focus and didn’t let any unnecessary nerves get to me because I knew that I was ready to perform and leave it all out on the course; I was absolutely ready to trust my long hours of training.  I also knew that the past couple weeks running in the humid air of DC had allowed me to modestly acclimate to the heat and humidity, but I still kept in mind the importance of proper hydration in these elements so as to avoid the above mentioned conditions.

At the start line, I was excited because I knew that today was going to be very runnable compared to Bear Mountain  a few weeks back.  As this thought crossed my mind, the gun went off and we were headed off as a pack into the first section of the course that meandered through the flat, grassy fields of Algonkian Regional Park and into the surrounding golf course.  From the first 100yds of the race, I maintained contact with the front guys.  I also immediately began sipping on my endurance formula as thoughts of sudden doubt started racing in my mind.  I began to think that this race is going out much faster than I expected!  To calm these nerves, I immediately began to mentally break up the race into sections based on the checkpoints, realizing that there was no time for negative thoughts, only mental strategy and fortitude that would allow me to compete and stay composed.  I began to visualize the map that I had studied in the couple days prior.

The Map

To begin, I needed to get to the checkpoint named “Sugarland” and then run out to the riverbank and back during the first out and back of the race.  So far, it was a bit cool out since it was early morning, and the surrounding scenery was beautiful since the sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon.  The early morning dew was heavy, and the small pools of river water that pocketed the terrain as we crossed a few dirt bridges in the first out and back were glazed over with a ghostly fog that was eerily gorgeous, adding an interesting suspense to the morning’s first few miles.  As soon as we got to “Sugarland” for the second time the 4 of us in the lead pack had separated ourselves from the rest of the racers, and we were off on our way down the river edge heading south towards the bluffs at Great Falls Park.

The journey south was much hillier than the previous first few miles.  This section consisted of root infested ups and downs that snaked through the trees along the river’s edge.  At this point I was constantly sipping the sports drink in my bottle to make sure I was getting enough calories and fluid, as the temperature and moisture content in the air was increasing substantially by this point and sweat was starting to pour down. The moisture in the air began to attract swarms of bugs and black flies that soon came up with the sun to infest the air around my head, which was a bit annoying.  Since the three of us (the fourth had dropped back, and I soon found out he had just competed in a 50 mile race the past weekend, which sounded insane to me and was happy that he made the decision to slow up a bit) had realized we were going to be running together for a while, we introduced ourselves.  I learned that the names of the guys I was competing against were Jake Reed and The North Face athlete Jordan McDougall and were former teammates at Liberty University in Virginia.  It was nice to be able to run alongside two quality athletes, competitors, and overall very nice and respectable guys. 

After the initial introductions and conversation, the sounds of our voices faded away to the sound of quicker strides and deeper breathing as we began to ascend our way up the last of this southbound section, muscling each new stride to the crest, and then weaving our way through the trees as we descended to the sticky, muddy track below at rivers edge.  This trail continued on like a natural roller coaster along the Potomac.  At this point, it was necessary to also keep in mind that there was a lot of course left and that it was essential for me to preserve my energy while also maintaining contact with Jordan and Jake. 

Since I had been training hard during the past two weeks in hotter and more humid weather than I was used to, I could feel that my body had begun to adapt to the new elements, which helped me stay more comfortable during this race.  Acclimating to heat and humidity means a few things for the athlete.  First, with each new heartbeat, more blood was pumped per stroke.  Second the sweat glands will increase in size which allows for the release of more perspiration to help to cool the body. Third, since more sweat is being released through the enlarged sweat glands, the body adapts to this by releasing less of the important electrolytes (sodium and potassium) compared to that of someone who is not acclimated in order to preserve the essentials.  This ensures proper skeletal and cardiac muscle contractions without any spasms.  Fascinatingly enough, my body was becoming more proficient in the process of cooling and conserving to help to sustain and endure these environments and act as a protective defense against the elements.  I was happy for this, because the most challenging yet picturesque portion of the race loomed ahead just as the temperatures got a bit steamier!

As we progressed to the Great Falls portion of the course, we had a striking view of the swiftly moving rapids, calmly rolling waves and the occasional kayaker in the river below the ridge on our left.  What a beautiful site to see while the intensity began to ramp up as we proceeded through the checkpoint named “Carwood” to the “Great Falls” checkpoint for much needed food and drink.  Before beginning the first of the three loops in this section, I was relieved to take off my headlamp because it was not only too hot but was beginning to cut into my ears and I needed to stay comfortable.

The Great Falls Loops

The Great Falls Section: beautiful, hilly, technical, breathtaking, abrasive, and rugged!  It was time to test my will, my fitness and my strength and endurance as I completed this section of 3 figure eight type loops.  Tests like the Great Falls trails are why I love this sport so much!  

I progressed with Jake and Jordan as we ran smoothly and comfortably through the first 2 out and back of the rocky, undulating terrain.  To begin, we ran from the checkpoint up a gradual mile long climb on up to a descent to the first waterfalls.  This continued on similarly through the loop: gradual ascents to steep descents to the roaring waters edge until the last mile of the 8 mile loop.  As the three of us got to the last mile of the first loop of three, we were cruising and dodging through the boulders until I had a quick scare.  I clipped one of the jagged edges of the boulders with my toe and took a headfirst dive into the gray, serrated rock right in front me, bashing my knee as I took a nosedive.  As my knee began to bleed a bit, I knew I needed to get back up ASAP because I didn’t want to lose those guys in the distance.  I slowly got up to my feet, shook it off and kept on going, knowing that the pain would soon pass as I focused my attention on the next stages of the competition. 

I caught back up with Jake and Jordan and, and shortly thereafter, Jordan suddenly slowed and fell back, losing sight of Jake and I.  Soon enough, Jordan dropped out of the race on account of being sick.  I knew that this would help my chances of success because of his experience and strength as an ultra-endurance athlete, so I made sure to capitalize as much as I could on this news.  On loop number two, I took some time to enjoy the surroundings as we ran on.  Around me were raging waterfalls of blue and white creating misty curtains of water combined with truncated boulders laced with ivy and moss.  The mist felt refreshing just as I began to start to not feel as good, because the temperature and humidity were rising quickly as the miles clicked on. 

I was a bit worried, because my stomach was feeling sensitive during this race, and it was very challenging to take in any food.  The sugars were starting to make me feel sick, and I knew that the most probable reason for this was because it was hot and humid, and the blood was being recirculated to my vital organs and muscles and shunted away from my stomach.  Because of that, the nutrients I was ingesting were not being digested quickly enough.  That being said, the only real solution at this point was to make sure to get enough water to help speed up the absorption of the nutrients and sugars I was eating.  This, I knew, was yet another reason to keep on drinking. 

At around mile 32 on a gravel road ascent, I could tell Jake was still feeling good.   Conserving energy was very important while I also knew that Steve Rosinski, my good buddy from back home in Rochester and pro triathlete in Charlottesville, was waiting at mile 36 to pace me through the rest of the race.  Therefore, I decided to fall back and let Jake go on ahead, risking the race but knowing it was the smart thing to do at this point.  I took in some more calories and drank some water while also dumping some on my head.

Heading Home

Finally, Steven was able to join me at mile 36, ready to experience the journey back north up the river.  I knew that I was falling back deeper into second place, but needed to focus on my own race and let everything else happen as it would.  As we continued into the last 14 miles of the race, the bugs were starting to get a bit denser, along with the air quality and I could feel my body temperature increasing.  Now was the time to work a bit harder. 

The last 14 miles comprised of one more low point and constant and consistent grinding through the heat as I maintained my mental strength as best as I could.  By the time we got to the “Carwood” aid station on the way back, Steve curiously asked the aid station crew what place I was in and we were both surprised to hear that they had not seen Jake yet, which meant I was leading.  Now, I needed to hold and maintain a consistent pace.  Forging ahead, we crossed the same creeks and streams, old wooden bridges, hurdled over the same logs and ascended the same winding trails to the last checkpoint and final out and back.
  

The final stretch of the race course meandered once again through the golf course section and back into Algonkian Regional Park for one more out and back to the river's edge, and then into the grassy field and to the finish chute and finish line.  As I crossed the finish line, I thanked Steve and felt elated as I knew that the hard training was slowly starting to pay off.  What an excellent way to finish my second race of the season: 1^st place with a time of 6:49 alongside my good buddy and in beautiful weather in Virginia. 

As soon as I finished, I made sure to first wait for Jake to come across the line so that I could be there to congratulate him, and soon enough he came across with his child on his shoulders, enjoying the moment.  After this, I made sure to eat a meal that consisted of quinoa, pasta, and a roll and hydrate with Gatorade and water.  Post-race, it is important to make sure to drink consistent fluids and eat or drink something with sodium.  This should be done consistently for the next 24 hours.

I was excited to be able to earn a podium spot at this race, and was very fortunate to be able to have hydrated correctly so that I was able to think clearly and maintain my pace.  Hydrating correctly is just as important as fueling correctly during strenuous exercise and one without the other will prevent one from reaching their performance goals and staying healthy through physical exertion.  I am excited to be able to share these experiences with other athletes in hopes of inspiring, motivating and educating, as well as continuing on with the rest of the season!  Please check out my interview video and Steve's triathlete website below!

A huge shout out to Steven and Chelsea Rosinski for being there for me during the whole weekend!  

And final thank you to DuctTape TV for airing a personal interview and race recap, posted on their outdoor endurance and adventure based sports site.  Check out the 4 minute video clip here!

"Energy and Persistence conquer all things” 
-Benjamin Franklin

"Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something....You got a dream, protect it.  You want something, GO GET IT, PERIOD." 
-Will Smith, "Pursuit of Happyness"  

Sawka M.N., Burke L.M., Eichner E.R., Maughan R.J., Montain S.J., Stachenfeld N.S., (2007) Exercise and fluid replacemnet: position stand. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Pg 377-390