The dog days of summer are upon us and with them come the perils of dehydration.  For those of you looking to keep plenty of water in your system on your long runs, you might want to check out the Fuelbelt Helium Series.

The importance of hydration in a training program can not be understated.  Staying hydrated will help you recover quicker and keep your core body at a safe temperature.  A study by USA Track and Field reveals that on longer runs and in races athletes should have a 1:1 ratio of fluids lost to fluids replaced.  That means that every drop of moisture that leaves your body from perspiration or otherwise should be replaced through drinking water or a sports drink.

Since it’s debut last fall, the Helium Water Belts have been lauded by numerous reviews.  Runner’s World Magazine said, “It can even be used on longer tempo runs, since the belt distributes the weight of the four flasks over three foam pads that do a good job of preventing chafing and overheating.” A Triathlon gear reviewer had this to say, “ After 6 months of use and several hundred miles of running, I have been incredibly pleased and it has become one of my favorite pieces of equipment.”

The lightweight construction and excellent weight distribution of the belt make it the perfect alternative to ditching a water bottle in the bushes.  If you’re interested in picking one up for yourself or a friend, check out: Helium 4-Bottle Fuel Belt at SayvilleRunning.com

Don’t forget!  Thursdays at 6 there will be training runs ranging from 3 to 7 miles for high school and college athletes preparing for the cross country season.  We meet at the store, run and stretch.  Come down and meet other runners and learn about summer training from experienced collegiate and post-collegiate athletes.  There might even be a few fun freebies along the way.

Unfortunately, Newsday seemed to have very little to say about Medford native Anthony Famigliett’s wire to wire win in the Olympic Trials steeplechase yesterday.  Luckily some other really great sources had more to say.  Check ‘em out:

New York Times

Fam’s personal website: Runfam.com