sample "Don't Burn Out" orq essay

         To improve her performance in running a marathon, a runner should prepare for running in difficult conditions such as the heat at the Athens Olympics by getting acclimatized to competing in the heat, consuming liquids at appropriate intervals, and getting a good tan.
         Dr. Ken Kamler offers a number of pieces of advice on successful marathon preparation in his article "Don't Burn Out."  His first rule is "Sip, don't Chug" (117).  Consuming water slowly over time is much better than chugging water quickly as a runner goes through a water station.  People have a sprinkler system that they need to get working consistently.  As Dr. David Martin explains, "If you don't drink enough, the body directs more and more blood to the skin aid cooling and less and less to oxygenation" (117).  Keep the sprinklers operating smoothly by sipping liquids from "prefilled bottles that were handed out at three-mile intervals" (117) for success.
           The author's second rules is "acclimate" (118).  If you are going to run in hot weather, start training at least three weeks prior to the hot event by running in the morning and evening for 14 days before shifting to the middle of the day to run in the peak heat.  Kamler points out that "You can adjust safely to warmer climes" (118) and "over time, heat training lowers your resting core temperature by as much as .8 degrees, giving you more leeway before it starts to overheat" (118).  This method helps you beat the heat from the inside out as your body becomes used to working hard at higher temperatures.
           A final thing to do to help prepare for a marathon in the heat is to "precool" (118).  Instead of doing typical running warm-ups, a smart marathon athlete gets ready for a warm race day by wearing an ice vest.  "The idea is to increase performance by precooling before an event" said John Surie of Arctic Heat USA.  Runners can improve performance significantly (as much as "13 seconds in a 5K" (118)
         So work hard, train to get ready for brutal heat, then cool yourself off before you start.