Runners in the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon will be lacing up their sneakers likely under cloudy skies before race time Sunday, when temperatures will start in the upper 40s but then rise into the 70s by the afternoon, the National Weather Service said Friday.
Temperatures will be somewhere between 47 and 49 degrees when racers line up at 7 a.m. But the mercury will quickly climb into the upper 60s by noon to peak at 76 degrees in the afternoon, weather service meteorologist Aaron Treadway said.
Runners will likely see patchy fog Sunday morning, but a more accurate forecast will be available within 24 hours of the race, Treadway said.
The forecast high on Sunday will be about 10 degrees warmer than the normal high for Austin on Feb. 16. But it won’t be anywhere near as hot as it was last year when, two days before the marathon, the city hit a record-breaking 91 degrees.
Runners still will need to be diligent about taking in enough electrolytes, which are mineral that help cells and organs function normally. It’s especially true for those running the full marathon into the afternoon, said Ryan Hess, owner and manager of The Loop Running Supply Company in Austin.
“Having a good stash yourself is very important because you’re going to be losing so much sodium and electrolytes anyhow, but especially with this heat and humidity on the latter part,” Hess said. “For the half (marathon), it’s probably going to be perfect (because) by the time it gets hot and humid, you’re pretty much already done.”
Hess recommends Gatorade, GU Energy and Clif products to maintain proper hydration, as well as drinking water. However, Hess warns against drinking too much water because of the risk of hyponatremia, which he said he experienced after he ran his first marathon.
“You can basically flush out your nutrients because you overdo it on water,” Hess said. “Some people keep drinking water not knowing. That’s the worst thing, because then you start cramping and it has very similar side effects to dehydration. It’s something that no one really ever thinks (about.)”
Hyponatremia is a common condition in which a person drinks so much water it significantly lowers the body’s sodium level in the blood, causing nausea, fatigue, confusion and headache.
Hess also said runners should wear moisture-wicking clothing with short sleeves. Moisture-wicking fabric moves sweat to the clothing’s outer surface and dries quickly so the sweat doesn’t saturate the fabric.
Light south-southwest winds blowing at 5 mph will cool runners throughout the day, Treadway said.
“We’re not gonna be dealing with superhuman conditions or super warm conditions,” Treadway said. “The light winds should make it a fairly nice morning to be out for a run.”
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