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USPSA NATIONALS


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Just curious of what shooters will be armed with to battle the heat.

will there be water mist at the each range? or is there cool water we can

wash our towels with? frozen COLD energy drinks and water? how about ice?

I just hope these will be available for all of us at each STAGE.

SB

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Ed, the thing I think you will need to watch out for most is dehydration. If you have never been in the desert with ultra low humidity there is no way to describe how the heat just doesn't "feel" hot. My wife and I were out practicing for almost three hours this weekend in the sun at over 110 degrees the whole time. It just doesn't feel as hot as the number sounds. Don't get me wrong, it ain't 78 degrees with a light breeze but it is completely doable.

I drink constantly. At matches during the summer I bring a Camelback that I fill up halfway with ice in the morning. Shoot a stage...drink. Brass...drink. Tape... drink. Stage walkthrough....drink. You get the idea. Don't worry about drinking too much. I'll bet no matter how much you drink when you get back to the hotel you still pee bright yellow.

Hope this helps.

Rick

Edited by Neomet
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Ed, the thing I think you will need to watch out for most is dehydration. If you have never been in the desert with ultra low humidity there is no way to describe how the heat just doesn't "feel" hot. My wife and I were out practicing for almost three hours this weekend in the sun at over 110 degrees the whole time. It just doesn't feel as hot as the number sounds. Don't get me wrong, it ain't 78 degrees with a light breeze but it is completely doable.

I drink constantly. At matches during the summer I bring a Camelback that I fill up halfway with ice in the morning. Shoot a stage...drink. Brass...drink. Tape... drink. Stage walkthrough....drink. You get the idea. Don't worry about drinking too much. I'll bet no matter how much you drink when you get back to the hotel you still pee bright yellow.

Hope this helps.

Rick

Thanks...I was practicing last weekend and I was just confused and could not add scores?

what more shoot! I'll try that this week DAILY in practice. i was also told to drink not water

but the ENERGY DRINK like gatorade.

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Thanks...I was practicing last weekend and I was just confused and could not add scores?

what more shoot! I'll try that this week DAILY in practice. i was also told to drink not water

but the ENERGY DRINK like gatorade.

Drink more water than energy drinks....a couple of energy drinks a day would be fine, but you still want to drink plenty of plain water. R,

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If you drink enought straight energy drinks to stay hydrated you'll go into a dibetic coma. Get some but make sure you drink plenty of plain old water as well. Get yourself a Camelback, or any of the other dozens of knockoffs and wear it as much as you can. If you just leave it by the chair you're not drinking enough. If you're peeing between every stage you're probably drinking enough. I normally take the Camelbak and fill it up with ice from the ice machine in the hotel, then fill it the rest of the way with water. It'll normally melt by the end of the day anyway. Since you're running around with ice water on your back, bring a hand towel and soak it with that ice water and put it across your neck. I started doing this in 05 at the Nats in Barry and it makes a huge difference.

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Start hydrating days before the match. Like others mentioned, don't overdo the sports drinks. They're ok to drink but in moderation. Your body needs water and it needs it before the match, during the match, and after the match.

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Just curious of what shooters will be armed with to battle the heat.

will there be water mist at the each range? or is there cool water we can

wash our towels with? frozen COLD energy drinks and water? how about ice?

I just hope these will be available for all of us at each STAGE.

SB

Ed,

I have been to desert sportmans and they do not have plumbing on the bays. No misters. I would expect nothing more than shade and drinking water. Bring what you think you will need. You will sweat like you do on a >100 degree day at Norco except you will probably not know it. When Higdon used to travel to Norco from Vegas he used to bitch on how uncomfortable he was due to the humidity. Stay hydrated.

Good Luck!

Chuck

PS: Did you pick a gun yet? :rolleyes:

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at times i work in and enviorment for a couple days at a time when the ambient temperature is 120 to 130, I found that I have no caffeen in the moring and drink water only I feel better. Gatorade and those drinks make me feel worse. Pure water and lots of it and i feel fine.

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If you are not peeing frequently, you are not drinking enough water. Gatorade should be cut at least in half with ice or water. Two medium Gatorades a day is plenty. You need water. If you feel like you need salt-a small pack of chips is the right dose. Also sunblock on exposed areas, cover neck with scarf-wet or dry. Remember you can not cool off with a cold drink. (try cooling a hot tub with some ice cubes-you'll get the idea) You need shade, alcohol sponge (evaporation), fan, or ac (sit in the car for a little bit). The water is the main thing. Have fun everybody! The weather is actually great.

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Here is a picture I took at work a few weeks ago to share with some friends. What you see here is a normal occurance for me and all the other guys you see working on or around an asphalt paver...hot summer days on top of a 275 degree surface. This is a good way to prep for the heat!!! What works for me is lots of water, and natural sugars and I stay away from the "Aid" drinks. Another key element that I haven't seen mentioned is what you wear! Cotton is nice and comfy but it stays wet when you sweat in it. If you can invest in some athetic, wicking style shirts and good socks you'll be in better condition at the end of the day. Lastly, you need to concentrate on your diet and try to avoid the greasy, fatty foods because they have a way of turning your stomach in the heat.

post-14570-1251914805_thumb.jpg

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I'll throw in that you need to continue to drink when you're off the range -- not at the same pace of course, but you need to continue drinking. Drink before bed, keep water on your nightstand and take a sip when you wake up in the middle of the night, drink 16-20 oz. of water when you first get up.

Eat -- snack between stages on the range, and try to eat three healthy meals each day. Fruits and vegetables have a ton of water content and are also a good source of hydration....

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I'd say lose to sports drinks entirely. Spend time before the match (ideally 2 months at least) training in the heat as often as possible. Drink lots of water, stay out of the sun when possible.

Dress appropriately! Bring extra socks, shirts, shorts, underwear, etc. When you have downtime, you should take advantage of it.

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I am taking a CamelBack that will be loaded with ice water every morning *I have tested it in Egypt on a summer day and still had cool water 12 hours later*, some cereal bars and bags of chips or pretzles to be followed with sports drinks (more in the room).

Just a word of caution on taking frozen sports drinks/water with you to the range: Be careful where you store it. If you keep it in or on your gun bag remember there will be condensation (not as much in Vegas as I deal with here in Kansas but still) that will make your bag wet. Wet bag and guns/mags not always the best of friends overnight.

Joe W.

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definitely start hydrating before the match...

also keep drinking during the match..I also keep lots of little snacks to eat through the match.. I use trail mix..nuts and fruits, fruit snacks and a couple of the lunch packs of tuna or chicken.

I usually drink a couple of bottles of water every 90 minutes or so, and may add a watered down gatorade just for flavor.

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Gonna go grocery shopping at Vegas and a MINI cooler.

There are a few grocery stores on the road between the range and the hotels. My plan is to hopefully stock up on my way back from the range Friday *after looking the stages over* if all goes well.

Joe W.

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I just checked the weather predictions. They increased the forecast to 104 deg on Saturday and 101 on Sunday. I was going to travel light, but if I need a cooler, chair, and umbrella (shade) I might think about bringing the range cart.

Does anyone know if there will be lots of water provided, or will I have to bring my own as planned?

The Google Earth view doesn't show any shade. Do they usually have awnings or other shade at the Nats? I hate to bring an umbrella on the plane.

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I just checked the weather predictions. They increased the forecast to 104 deg on Saturday and 101 on Sunday. I was going to travel light, but if I need a cooler, chair, and umbrella (shade) I might think about bringing the range cart.

Does anyone know if there will be lots of water provided, or will I have to bring my own as planned?

The Google Earth view doesn't show any shade. Do they usually have awnings or other shade at the Nats? I hate to bring an umbrella on the plane.

104? Yep it's been a cool summer.

As to water, always bring your own, just in case.

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