Coffee. In the winter, coffee counts as “hydration.” It’s made with water isn’t it? In summer, coffee will kill you. It takes up the space in your stomach for the plain water you should be drinking and, in return, it dehydrates you. Now you’re in the red and your muscles are cramping during runs to boot.

Here is a little illustration in the difference between a south Florida winter hydration schedule and a south Florida summer hydration schedule for a 6 miler.

Soflo Winter

Hydration before:  none

Hydration during: none

Hydration after: none

Hydration total for the day:  at least 1 liter of water throughout day (MAYBE) and 2-3 cups coffee

Soflo Summer

Hydration before:  please let me get at least 1 liters in before I show up for that 6 miler

Hydration during:  8oz water, 8 oz Gatorade (G2), parched and empty at mile 3

Hydration after:  chug close to 1 liter of cold water asap, more G2 within the hour

Hydration total for the day:  3+ liters water, 16oz G2, 2 cups coffee

And I still feel like this isn’t enough hydration for the day when I’m out there. They say to weigh yourself before your run and then afterward to see how much water you’re losing. I did that yesterday. Only I weighed in after I chugged almost a full liter of water, in addition to my water during the run. I was still almost 3 lbs less post-run. That’s crazy to me. Even after hydrating I still had lost close to 3 lbs of water?!

We are just dripping sweat from the second we start running here. I thought I could put off buying more of those water bottle attachments for my belt until higher mileage but apparently not. It’s insufficient for south Florida heat and humidity even at the 6 mile point. And let me tell you, I do not enjoy drinking this much water throughout the day unless there have been coffee beans boiled in it. It has to be the worst part of summer running. Not the heat! The hydrating!