Hurricane Sandy survival guide for Endurance athletes

There is a lot of talk the last few days about the incoming hurricane Sandy, and how much of an affect it will have on life as we know it, for possibly everyone east of the Mississippi. This storm has the makings of something perhaps not ever seen before historically, with its intensity, mass, and reach.

Below are a few additions to the standard recommendations for emergency rations/supplies, and is NOT meant to be fully comprehensive. These are some last-minute items that you may be able to attain, to help make your storm wait-out a little more nutritious and perhaps even more comfortable.

If you are unsure of what the Standard recommendations are, please visit the American Red Cross website HERE. For a more detailed, or comprehensive list, you can contact your local Red Cross Chapter, or the head to the FEMA website to learn more.

REMEMBER, YOUR SAFETY AND YOUR FAMILY SAFETY IS THE NUMBER 1 PRIORITY, NOT YOUR TRAINING!!!!!!!

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RUN/RIDE/SWIM IN HEAVY RAIN, WINDS (above 10mph), OR STRONG CURRENTS/WAVES!!!!!!!

There is only 1 YOU, there are plenty of races and events that you will be able to do! Use this time to read a book, bond with your family, or review your year.

For those HVT athletes who may be worried about stocking up and having supplies for the incoming storm/hurricane/ridiculous weather, here are a few ideas that can give you a big return on investment, and help keep you safe and fed in the occurrence of power outage/prolonged isolation: High calorie foods, that store well, and can keep you going:

 Chocolate (calorie dense, and has high fat)--eat this in moderation, but it can hold you over if everything else runs short (I learned this from one of the mountaineer I coach, when she told me how much chocolate she ate on her summit of Kilimanjaro!)

 Powdered milk- great and easy to store. all you need is a little water!

 Dried Fruit- while most have "expiration dates", they usually last past that date, if stored properly. 

Nuts- Very Calorie dense, if you have a can of beans, and a hand-full of nuts, you'll be feeling very full, and have the energy to do what may need to be done.

 Canned beans- Cheap, full of fiber to keep you full, and protein to feed those muscles

 Canned veggies- these are a great way to get your vegetables in year-round, but especially so during foul weather! 

Apples, Oranges, other citrus fruits- these store incredibly well (for up to a week or two), and are packed with vitamins, fiber, and phytonutrients

 Aside from food, we of course need water. You want to generally think along the lines of about a gallon of drinking water a day, for each person. While this is a high estimate, it's always good to have more, than less. If you think you'll be safe enough to train, you want to add another gallon a day to that, for each workout you plan on being able to execute.

If the water is gone, think soda. While not at all the best, it is a fluid that doesnt need to be refrigerated, and will last.

 Make sure to not only have enough water to drink, but also enough to flush your toilets 1-2x a day (fill up pots/ water bottles with tap water). Take a look at your toilets, and only use the lowest Water-per-flush toilet, if at all possible.

 As a back-up for more water, and also to keep your fridge and freezer cold, you can purchase bags of ice, and leave them in your freezer, until needed. Should the power go out, you can take each bag, and dump them into large pots, and leave them in the fridge and freezer, thus reverting your modern day fridge, into something similar to the original "icebox".

Keep the fridge and freezer door closed as much as possible (smallest amount of time with the door open as possible!), and try to remove items that absolutely dont need to be refrigerated, like fruits and vegetables. This will allow the food in the fridge to have a little bit of cold, so ensure to eat cooked meats, cheeses, and products with these in them first. WHEN IN DOUBT, DON'T EAT IT/DO IT!!!!

 If you're not sure about anything, throw it out. The frozen fruits and veggies can be eaten as they melt, as long as they are edible without heating.

 Other Items you may want to think about having offhand (it may be too late now) -Battery operated radio with the 24 hr weather channel available on it
-A solar charger for your Cell Phones and laptop/iPAd
-Water tablets (to make water safe to drink)
-That shiny "crinkle" blanket you got after your Ironman/ HIM/ Marathon that helps keep heat in
-Flashlights and batteries
 -Warm, DRY clothes in tupperware/waterproof containers
 -medications that you may need
-A small camping stove for outdoor use, that you can heat food with

Remember, above all else, get somewhere safe, and have your families Emergency Action Plan handy, and well practiced.

REMEMBER TO RATION!!! Don't eat large amounts of food in the first few days, but rather, just enough to keep you going each day (training takes a backseat!). To help you stay full, try not to drink anything 15 minutes before you eat, and 30 minutes after you eat. This allows the stomach to stay fuller, and you to not want to eat as much.

Stay Safe, Use your head, and keep dry!