Who?
A 100% volunteer organization is hosting the 2nd annual Heartland Border Walk for Multiple Sclerosis.

What?
 A three-day, 50-mile walk with rest stops and overnight locations. It's not a race! You walk at your own pace and we have support vehicles that can take you to a rest stop if needed. You will raise a minimum of $750.00 to support Research and Patient Assistance for those living with Multiple Sclerosis and help the families and friends who support them.

When?
June 4, 5 & 6, 2010

Where?
Metropolitan Kansas City

Why?
Challenge yourself. Be fearless. Step outside your comfort zone. Make a difference! REGISTER TODAY!

Training Tips: Hydration
Water, Sports Drink and more

The goal for fluid intake during exercise is to fully replace fluids and salt lost through sweating. The physiological and performance benefits for doing so are well documented. Try to drink at least one liter of water or diluted sports drink for every hour of exercise. Monitor your intake and output in terms of frequency and color. If you are urinating a small amount of dark-colored urine, then you need to increase your fluid intake. Water and sports drink and snacks will be readily available at regular intervals along the route.

Water
  • Prepare for walks by drinking a tall glass of water (17 ounces or 500 ml) 2 hours before your walk. This will allow time for extra fluids to pass through your body before you hit the trail.
  • Avoid caffeinated beverages before your walk; they cause you to lose fluid, make you thirstier and make you take inconvenient stops during your walk.
  • Carry water with you or plan stops along the route where you will be able to get a full drink of a 7 oz. cup of water or more every 15 minutes. A water fountain may not be able to deliver enough water for you to get a full cup.
  • Drink even if you do not feel thirsty - feelings of thirst lag behind your body's need for more fluid.
  • If you are sweating more than usual, drink more than usual.
  • You lose even more fluids at high altitudes, heat and low humidity and need to drink more than usual.
  • Make your water taste good so you will want to drink more. Keep it cool or add a squirt of lemon juice.
  • After your walk, drink at least one more tall glass of water.

Sports Drinks
When your walk is going to be longer than an hour, a sports drink can help with water absorption in the body as well as replacement of salt and energy. It does not replace your need for plain water. When exercising longer than an hour, the body may need a little sugar and salt in a drink to help absorb water and to replenish what has been lost in exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine says there is little basis for anything other than plain water when exercising for an hour or less.

  • When exercising intensely for over an hour, a drink with 4 percent-8 percent sugar (50-80 calories in an 8oz. serving) can promote fluid retention and delay fatigue. Salt is not strictly necessary at this level - it makes the drink more palatable, but the body has enough salt without replenishment.
  • When exercising intensely for 4-8 hours salt replacement becomes more important and a drink that replaces salt as well as carbohydrates can be beneficial.
  • Sports drinks are widely advertised and widely available. Check the ingredients to see if it has more sugar than needed, and dilute it with water if it is too sugary.

Do It Yourself Sports Drink
  • A homemade mix is easy to do. The following is from the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter:
  • Dissolve a tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt in a tablespoon of orange juice or in two tablespoons of lemon juice. Add 7.5 ounces of cold water and stir.

Juices & Sodas
Juices and sodas are generally 10% sugar - too sugary. The sugar in juice is fructose, which is harder for the stomach to digest than glucose. The sugar sits in the body extracting water out of the tissues - exactly the opposite of what you want to happen. Carbonation may produce a bloated feeling.

Energy Drinks
Drinks on the market tout ingredients such as taurine, guarana, ginseng, caffeine and all kinds of supplements for energy. These may indeed give the long distance walker a boost, but should be tested on training walks to watch for any unpleasant side effect such as stomach upset or cramping. Never use anything new or untried on a long- distance walk.

Signs of dehydration
  • Nausea after exercise
  • Dark yellow urine or no urine
  • Dry, sticky mouth
  • Dry eyes
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness or confusion
  • Heartburn or stomachache
  • Recurring or chronic pain
  • Lower back pain
  • Headache
  • Mental irritation or depression
  • Lack of skin elasticity
  • Sunken eyes