Here we go again...90 degree's with high humidity by 8:00am.  That's a Washington DC summer.  Even at 6:00am (my normal time for a run) it's already hot and sticky.  

This morning when I left at 8:30 I could already predict the sluggish outcome.  I wasn't off the mark, in fact it was so miserable this morning my husband bonked on his 30 mile bike ride and had to call the "Campbell Team Car" to come and pick him up.  When I got there he was covered in goose bumps and sweating profusely.  Quite alarming.  

It seemed worth a visit to Google to find out what to do to prepare for the heat and how to help my husband (note to worry, he's quite alright now and is swimming happily in the pool with the kids enjoying his Fathers Day).  After visiting quite a few sites I discovered there isn't a lot I don't already know:  run early or late in the day, acclimatize yourself to the heat, drink water...but not too much, and wear light clothing. 

Finally I found one page with some really "cool" tips that I thought were worth sharing:

Tip #1

Miami Ice: Steve Brookner of the Bikila Athletic Club in Miami came up with this idea while running the marathon leg of Ironman Arizona. "They had thin sponges at each aid station," he says. "So I took one and grabbed a couple of ice cubes." He put the cubes on top of the sponge, then put his hat on over both. As the ice melted into the sponge, it created a cool spot on his head and a nice trickle of water running down his neck.

Tip #2

The Tucson Cold Cap: Randy Accetta, president of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners and a 1996 Olympic Trials marathoner, keeps his head cool in the extreme heat of Tucson with his "cold cap." "I'll soak a baseball cap in water and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight before a morning run," he says. "An old baseball cap retains the moisture longer than the new technical hats."

Tip #3

The Badwater Bandanna: For years, Denise Jones puzzled over the best way to keep the competitors in the Badwater Ultramarathon cool. Finally, Jones--considered the "dean" of Badwater aid-station volunteers--came up with the answer: Lay a bandanna out in a diamond shape. Place a row of ice cubes in a horizontal line, just below one tip of the bandanna. Then roll it up "like a burrito," and tie it around your neck. "We've found that this is the best way to keep runners cool," she says. "It feels wonderful."

I hope all U Mothers get something out of this...and please, if you have any great ideas let us know!