Attention runners! Is the summer heat cutting into your
run? Are you getting tired sooner, now that temperatures are soaring? Maybe you
should include a slushy in your pre-run rituals.
Things are not too busy in Australia, apparently. The top
medical question being addressed seems to be the therapeutic effect of drinking
a slushy on a hot day. Really, you can’t make this kind of thing up.
Researchers at the Edith Cowan University in Western
Australia found ten male runners willing to measure their endurance under
various conditions. Of primary concern was the difference that drinking cold
water or drinking a slushy would have on their running endurance. The research
report does not disclose the flavor of the slushies used. Can you imagine their recruiting slogan, "Drink a slushy for science"?
Each of the ten participants was examined twice, with
several days between tests. On one day, the volunteer drank a glass of cold
water before running until exhausted. On the other day, the volunteer drank a
slushy before running until exhausted. Half of the group had water on day one
and the other half of the group had slushies on day one, so the impact could be
measured fairly.
So, drumroll, the results were astounding! Runners who
started with a drink of cold water ran an average of 40 minutes until
exhausted. Runners who started with a slushy ran an average of 50 minutes until
equally exhausted. That’s an increase of nearly 20% in endurance, and all based
on the humble slushy.
So, all you fans of 7-11 rejoice. The slushy is now a
performance enhancing drug. You’re welcome.
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