PCA VIR Club Race 2018
07-13-2018, 12:28 PM
#317
Burning Brakes
A couple of important corrections. PCA FSR has a popular Memorial day weekend DE at VIR and its very important to FSR. We (FSR) are part of Zone 2 but we have already lost events to the Zone in the past (I am told) and we rely on this event to help our region's charitable causes) . This weekend is also risky as far as heat/T-storms and because its a holiday/vacation weekend, but in our two years there we have done okay.
Our FSR Fall DE event is October (no longer September when we used to do 2 days on the South) now and its a 2 day (Fri-Sat) event on the Full Course. Its a tough sell (I'm the registrar and am already worrying about not breaking even) because we share that weekend with Chin (Sun-Mon). The Carolinas Region DE is not October but in November . It sells very well and is popular amongst us DE drivers but is cold & frosty every morning and the days are short (sundown is very early), and Carolinas is not a Zone 2 region so they likely not give up that date. April would be perfect but there are long established events at VIR during the only couple of PCA defined acceptable weekends so I doubt those clubs want to give them up. Please remember--like most track VIR has waiting lists for dates and although they have been kind to us (FSR) in the past, they have also bumped us (without notice) out of of our very nice dates for higher drawing (spectator events). Unless PCA CR can scramble some dates around (causing havoc for everyone) I don't see many options but Phil and the team are certainly willing to listen for inputs and solutions (especially from those that have influence on both the PCA National CR Staff and the VIR staff!)
Scott
Z2 CR Registrar and FSR DE Registrar
Our FSR Fall DE event is October (no longer September when we used to do 2 days on the South) now and its a 2 day (Fri-Sat) event on the Full Course. Its a tough sell (I'm the registrar and am already worrying about not breaking even) because we share that weekend with Chin (Sun-Mon). The Carolinas Region DE is not October but in November . It sells very well and is popular amongst us DE drivers but is cold & frosty every morning and the days are short (sundown is very early), and Carolinas is not a Zone 2 region so they likely not give up that date. April would be perfect but there are long established events at VIR during the only couple of PCA defined acceptable weekends so I doubt those clubs want to give them up. Please remember--like most track VIR has waiting lists for dates and although they have been kind to us (FSR) in the past, they have also bumped us (without notice) out of of our very nice dates for higher drawing (spectator events). Unless PCA CR can scramble some dates around (causing havoc for everyone) I don't see many options but Phil and the team are certainly willing to listen for inputs and solutions (especially from those that have influence on both the PCA National CR Staff and the VIR staff!)
Scott
Z2 CR Registrar and FSR DE Registrar
Chris
07-13-2018, 12:37 PM
#318
Burning Brakes
07-13-2018, 12:53 PM
#319
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07-13-2018, 04:58 PM
#323
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07-16-2018, 11:05 AM
#324
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Interesting to note that it only took an eight degree rise in ambient temp, from 71 to 79, to result in a 13% decline in cognitive function.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/12/healt...udy/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/12/healt...udy/index.html
07-16-2018, 11:43 AM
#325
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by Nizer
No [legal conceal carry] guns. Your a visitor and reciprocity is no different than NY but doesn't seem to keep you away from the Glen.
Can't fill up your own car with gas. Stupid. Agreed.
High taxes on everything. Relative to VA, sure. Relative to NY, CT, MA, CA.... But as visitor do you really give a crap?
The state is a joke. The state has definitely produced some great comedians: Jerry Lewis, Lou Costello, Chris Rock, Chris Christie...
And people just don't want to go there. If only that were true....
And there's nothing special about the track. In fact, it eats front tires. Don't drive so fast.
I gave up on that place already. Come on now. The track has tons of grass and you know how much you like driving on grass.
Can't fill up your own car with gas. Stupid. Agreed.
High taxes on everything. Relative to VA, sure. Relative to NY, CT, MA, CA.... But as visitor do you really give a crap?
The state is a joke. The state has definitely produced some great comedians: Jerry Lewis, Lou Costello, Chris Rock, Chris Christie...
And people just don't want to go there. If only that were true....
And there's nothing special about the track. In fact, it eats front tires. Don't drive so fast.
I gave up on that place already. Come on now. The track has tons of grass and you know how much you like driving on grass.
07-19-2018, 03:15 AM
#326
Instructor
I am a little bit torn on this. I was there for the first time and it was HOT for sure, but arent most tracks HOT in the south all summer long. I can not imagine the people running COTA all summer or Sebring or Road Atlanta have it any better. I know PCA does not run them in the summer. Of course it is not IDEAL, but it is the reality of running events in the summer in a warm climate. If there is a reasonable way to change the event to a cooler time, I am all for that because like I said it was HOT, but at the end of the day racing can be a grueling sport. I am in fairly good physical shape and spent a lot of my athletic attention on martial arts (jiu jitsu, grappling etc) that required me to deplete my body of water and still focus on high level activity. I realize you lose some cognitive ability while dehydrated (not safe in a race car), but there are things you should do to help offset your dehydration (hope this helps some...keep in mind I am NOT a doctor, but have had to rehydrate myself to compete before):
1) By the time you feel thirsty you are too dehydrated.
2) Drink 5-7 ounces of fluid every 20-30 mins or so when out in the sun.
3) DO NOT drink caffeine (even if you need the coffee to get going in the am, you are going to get far more dehydrated doing this).
4) Remember that sweat contains electrolytes and you have to replace these. So sometimes when you have sweat a lot, water is fine, but drink something that will help you add some electrolytes into your body. The predominate electrolyte lost when you sweat is sodium. Every pound you sweat out has roughly 500mg of sodium loss. Pedialyte has 2x the sodium per liter of gatorade, but there are great sports drinks that help this.
5) You also lose potassium in sweat. Maybe bring a supplement with you to make sure you keep those levels high.
6) ICE cold water when you are really dehydrated has been known to give people a cold quickly (no science behind this but i have seen it happen). Hot water is not good either, but cool water is safer than ice cold or hot.
7) Ive heard of people taking Glycerin to help with rehydration because it helps fluid absorption (but I have never really needed it).
8) Use your cool suit. When you are losing water weight fast your body temperature is on the rise so its a double negative. This seems like an obvious one and most of us have cool suits but some do not use them.
9) Eat meals with some carbs in them. I am against the mold where I do not believe our diets actually need much in carbs unless you are doing very high level strenuous activities, but racing a car in 100 degree heat fits the "strenuous activity" criteria.
10) Stay away from high fiber or fat energy bars (they are hard to digest and make you feel bloated). I see tons of people walking around with health bars they think are healthy but they did not actually read the label showings its tons of fat and fiber.
Hopefully the above helps everyone a bit. Lastly, BREATHE in the car. People when they start to get excited dont relax and breathe. About 15 years ago my dad who is a cardiologist put a heart monitor on everyone at a Road America DE that would participate in his little study and it was astonishing to see some of the heart rates in the cars. Every track has some long straights where you can take a few deep breaths. My boxing coach always said this tense up your entire body and try to run 100 feet, you can not do it without looking like an idiot and barely moving. Be relaxed and you will move a lot more effectively. I feel like people get tense in cars, heighten their anxiety, increase their heart rates and become a lot less smooth.
1) By the time you feel thirsty you are too dehydrated.
2) Drink 5-7 ounces of fluid every 20-30 mins or so when out in the sun.
3) DO NOT drink caffeine (even if you need the coffee to get going in the am, you are going to get far more dehydrated doing this).
4) Remember that sweat contains electrolytes and you have to replace these. So sometimes when you have sweat a lot, water is fine, but drink something that will help you add some electrolytes into your body. The predominate electrolyte lost when you sweat is sodium. Every pound you sweat out has roughly 500mg of sodium loss. Pedialyte has 2x the sodium per liter of gatorade, but there are great sports drinks that help this.
5) You also lose potassium in sweat. Maybe bring a supplement with you to make sure you keep those levels high.
6) ICE cold water when you are really dehydrated has been known to give people a cold quickly (no science behind this but i have seen it happen). Hot water is not good either, but cool water is safer than ice cold or hot.
7) Ive heard of people taking Glycerin to help with rehydration because it helps fluid absorption (but I have never really needed it).
8) Use your cool suit. When you are losing water weight fast your body temperature is on the rise so its a double negative. This seems like an obvious one and most of us have cool suits but some do not use them.
9) Eat meals with some carbs in them. I am against the mold where I do not believe our diets actually need much in carbs unless you are doing very high level strenuous activities, but racing a car in 100 degree heat fits the "strenuous activity" criteria.
10) Stay away from high fiber or fat energy bars (they are hard to digest and make you feel bloated). I see tons of people walking around with health bars they think are healthy but they did not actually read the label showings its tons of fat and fiber.
Hopefully the above helps everyone a bit. Lastly, BREATHE in the car. People when they start to get excited dont relax and breathe. About 15 years ago my dad who is a cardiologist put a heart monitor on everyone at a Road America DE that would participate in his little study and it was astonishing to see some of the heart rates in the cars. Every track has some long straights where you can take a few deep breaths. My boxing coach always said this tense up your entire body and try to run 100 feet, you can not do it without looking like an idiot and barely moving. Be relaxed and you will move a lot more effectively. I feel like people get tense in cars, heighten their anxiety, increase their heart rates and become a lot less smooth.
07-19-2018, 03:45 PM
#327
Rennlist Member
All that is excellent advice. There is no doubt physical conditioning and acclimatization will help in dealing with extremes of temperature. However, beyond a certain point, none of that can compensate adequately because the body temperature will reach non-physiological levels. There is also some variability in the race cars themselves. This has been certainly true of VIR PCA races throughout the recent years.
07-21-2018, 05:07 PM
#328
Rennlist Member
...but there are things you should do to help offset your dehydration (hope this helps some...keep in mind I am NOT a doctor, but have had to rehydrate myself to compete before):
1) By the time you feel thirsty you are too dehydrated.
2) Drink 5-7 ounces of fluid every 20-30 mins or so when out in the sun.
3) DO NOT drink caffeine (even if you need the coffee to get going in the am, you are going to get far more dehydrated doing this).
4) Remember that sweat contains electrolytes and you have to replace these. So sometimes when you have sweat a lot, water is fine, but drink something that will help you add some electrolytes into your body. The predominate electrolyte lost when you sweat is sodium. Every pound you sweat out has roughly 500mg of sodium loss. Pedialyte has 2x the sodium per liter of gatorade, but there are great sports drinks that help this.
5) You also lose potassium in sweat. Maybe bring a supplement with you to make sure you keep those levels high.
6) ICE cold water when you are really dehydrated has been known to give people a cold quickly (no science behind this but i have seen it happen). Hot water is not good either, but cool water is safer than ice cold or hot.
7) Ive heard of people taking Glycerin to help with rehydration because it helps fluid absorption (but I have never really needed it).
8) Use your cool suit. When you are losing water weight fast your body temperature is on the rise so its a double negative. This seems like an obvious one and most of us have cool suits but some do not use them.
9) Eat meals with some carbs in them. I am against the mold where I do not believe our diets actually need much in carbs unless you are doing very high level strenuous activities, but racing a car in 100 degree heat fits the "strenuous activity" criteria.
10) Stay away from high fiber or fat energy bars (they are hard to digest and make you feel bloated). I see tons of people walking around with health bars they think are healthy but they did not actually read the label showings its tons of fat and fiber.
1) By the time you feel thirsty you are too dehydrated.
2) Drink 5-7 ounces of fluid every 20-30 mins or so when out in the sun.
3) DO NOT drink caffeine (even if you need the coffee to get going in the am, you are going to get far more dehydrated doing this).
4) Remember that sweat contains electrolytes and you have to replace these. So sometimes when you have sweat a lot, water is fine, but drink something that will help you add some electrolytes into your body. The predominate electrolyte lost when you sweat is sodium. Every pound you sweat out has roughly 500mg of sodium loss. Pedialyte has 2x the sodium per liter of gatorade, but there are great sports drinks that help this.
5) You also lose potassium in sweat. Maybe bring a supplement with you to make sure you keep those levels high.
6) ICE cold water when you are really dehydrated has been known to give people a cold quickly (no science behind this but i have seen it happen). Hot water is not good either, but cool water is safer than ice cold or hot.
7) Ive heard of people taking Glycerin to help with rehydration because it helps fluid absorption (but I have never really needed it).
8) Use your cool suit. When you are losing water weight fast your body temperature is on the rise so its a double negative. This seems like an obvious one and most of us have cool suits but some do not use them.
9) Eat meals with some carbs in them. I am against the mold where I do not believe our diets actually need much in carbs unless you are doing very high level strenuous activities, but racing a car in 100 degree heat fits the "strenuous activity" criteria.
10) Stay away from high fiber or fat energy bars (they are hard to digest and make you feel bloated). I see tons of people walking around with health bars they think are healthy but they did not actually read the label showings its tons of fat and fiber.
3) Caffeine is only a diuretic of significance when taken at a dose of 500mg or more. An average cup of coffee has 100mg.
4) Pedialyte was designed to replace electrolytes lost through vomiting and diarrhea. Gatorade was loosely designed to replace electrolytes lost through sweating - primarily sodium. Clinically and practically there's not much of a difference using either in someone with healthy kidneys. Gatorade G2 is likely the best choice re. cost and lower sugar content. One can into trouble re-hydrating with water only in the absence of food or other sources of electrolytes (primarily sodium).
5) Potassium is an electrolyte so... redundant.
6) There is no evidence for this. Short answer - drink what you like. Long answer here: https://link.springer.com/article/10...279-017-0842-8
7) By suppository?
10) Although reasonable advice (are there such things as 'fat' bars?) I'm not sure this has anything to do with performance in high temperatures. Would it create more hot farts? This is a question worthy of further research.
If anyone is particularly interested in this subject, here's a decent up to date review but understand that a consensus guideline simply summarizes the best available science, and short of that, opinion:
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsport.../1164.full.pdf
07-21-2018, 05:53 PM
#330
Rennlist Member
The breathing point is interesting...I have found myself holding my breath on occasion.