Beat The Heat! Summers Here! (Finally)

Now that the summer running season is finally here, you are likely looking for the best ways to beat the heat. After all, proper preparation will make your run a lot more enjoyable!

It's important to plan what you wear according to the conditions. Moisture-wicking fabrics can help your skin temperature stay cooler. Looser-fitting tops let air circulate, and lighter colors reflect heat. Seek out apparel with an SPF fabric of 15 to 50 UPF and always wear sunscreen!

Watch out for humidity-it can lead to increased chafing. It might be time to buy a pair of snug-fit compression shorts that hug your legs and decrease the chance of your thighs sticking together mid-run. You can wear them alone, or under your regular shorts, if you're more comfortable. If it's really steamy out there, a running hat packed with ice or an ice-filled bandanna around your neck can have a nice cooling effect.

Don't forget to hydrate throughout the day. The rule of thumb is to drink 16 to 32 ounces of fluid per hour of exercise. Plain water is a great option, but if you're sweating a lot you might also try sports drinks, such as Gatorade and Accelerade, that contain electrolytes, sodium and potassium.

If you're heading out for an hour or more, plan your run to include water stops to ensure that you get that 16 to 32 ounces. Most parks, such as the Back Cove Trail, have water fountains, but you could also leave water bottles on your route or use a hydration belt. Additionally, planning a route that provides shade can help prevent you from getting overheated, as well.

Finally, run very early in the day or after sundown. The heat is highest between 3 and 6 p.m., so avoid those hours. Also, check the heat index, which combines temperature with relative humidity. Humidity slows down your body's ability to cool itself via sweating, so high humidity leaves you at an even greater risk. You can go to http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index.shtml for a heat index chart that shows when it is considered dangerous to exercise. Remember, it takes roughly two weeks to become acclimatized to heat and humidity, so be sensible out there....and remember, Run Happy!

Tri For A Cure....It's an event and a journey!

OK....so 700 women will be participating this weekend in Maine's Only Womens ONLY Tri For A Cure, at Southern Maine Community College. They will take on the challenge of a Sprint Triathlon, a 1/3-mile swim off Spring Point, a 15-mile bike ride through South Portland and Cape Elizabeth, and a 3-mile run. 85 percent of the competitors will be first-timers. Also, over 400 volunteers will support this wonderful event.

Maine Running Company decided to support this event by becoming an Endurance Sponsor, having personally had our family affected by cancer, as a way to give back. Additionally, we formed a womens only training group called "Train For A Cure" which includes over 70 women signed up with $25 of every participants training group fee going to the Maine Cancer Foundation. These women have been meeting every Monday night and on weekends to swim or bike and every Tuesday to Run. The group is an eclectic mix of first time beginners to intermediate level competitiors. To date, MRC has given almost $12,000 to the Maine Cancer Foundation in support of it's fight against cancer. They are having a blast doing it and the social camraderie is a wonderful thing.

So why would a running specialty store support a triathlon? After reading Thursday's Portland Press Herald article "She's Beat Cancer, So Losing A Race Is OK" the answer is fairly evident. The race is intended to get women off the couch and into an attainable event they can finish. Race co-founder Abby Bliss states "It's kind of what this race is all about. It's not a race, it's an event, kind of a fitness movement that's given women a goal. Women who've been overweight or battled cancer, they are coming out of the woodwork. It's a feel-good event." Well, that is basically our customer....Average Jane, who is busy with her family and in her community, have battled against the odds and succeeded in taping into there inner being to finish a goal. We are a fitness, health and well being company and running is the foundation of that.

Beginners or first timers are a pure joy to watch as they discover how exilerating completing their objective is. And, whether it's running their first 10K, walking 20 miles or finishing a sprint tri, it gives them a focus to finish their journey and continue on to this new found lifestyle of fitness, health and well being.

As the Nike Tag Line states "There Is No Finish Line" meaning fitness is a lifestyle, a journey that last a lifetime. You go girl....we'll see you at the finish!