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Hydration |  |
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See the Index for more topics, information, hints and tips.
The most important rule is to drink to your thirst.
Most people think that you can't drink too much water. Not drinking enough water can make for an unpleasant day, but drinking too much water can be fatal. In races more people die from over-hydration or hyponatremia than under hydrating. Everyone is aware of dehydration, its symptoms and what to do about it, but hyponatremia is harder to diagnose and treat. Drinking too much water or sports drinks causes your electrolytes to get unbalanced and this can be fatal. Your body retains water which makes rings, watches, and clothes fit tighter. To treat this take in some electrolytes and seek medical attention.
Be very careful of over-hydration during the hot days of summer. Before, during, and after a workout drink when you are thirsty. If your body says “No, I’m not thirsty” then don’t force it. Drink intelligently before a workout to make sure you are hydrated, but you don’t want to be over-hydrated. Listen to your body and avoid the “if a little is good, then more must be better”.
After a workout it is better to take frequent small sips of water than to gulp down large quantities. Again, listen to your body.
Always take some water when you take any kind of food. Your body needs the water for digestion. You want to begin every run or race well hydrated by drinking fluids starting the day before.
When you feel thirsty you are about 16 oz (1 pint) low on water - you don't want to get to this point unless it is close to the finish.
Dehydration makes your blood thicker, making it harder for your heart to pump. It puts you at higher risk for heat illness and heart problems, and decreases your performance. It makes you breathe faster, feel more fatigued and your heart beat faster.
For a good experiment, weigh yourself naked before a long run or race. Afterwards towel dry and weigh yourself again. Add the weight of any fluids you took after the run/race. So if you weighed 160 pounds before and drank 16 ounces (1 pound) after and then weighed 158 pounds, you actually lost 3 pounds of water or 36 ounces.
To replace water lost during a workout, for every pound lost you need to consume 16 to 24 ounces of water.
If your urine is light yellow then you are okay. If it is the color of apple juice or darker, then you are dehydrated. Note that supplements will cause your urine to be darker. Volume is also a good gauge of hydration. Low volume means you are dehydrated.
To avoid dehydration, take about 4 hours before a workout take about 1 ounce of water per 10 pounds of body weight. Then about 2 hours before take about half an ounce of water per 10 pounds of body weight. During a run/race take 3 to 8 ounces of water about every 20 minutes. A gulp is about one ounce. If it is hot you may need more, if cold, less.
During races, hydration (water and maybe some type of electrolyte sport drink) are usually available every couple of miles. Be sure to check the race information before hand to make sure.
During training runs, carry your own water. You can supplement that from water fountains if they are available. Some areas shut off water fountains when it is going to get below freezing, so you may not be able to rely on them totally. You could also hide extra water along your route at strategic places, but be aware that it may not be there when you get back to it.
If you are in a populated area, you can always take some money along in case you need to stop by a store to purchase something to drink.
Water or sport drinks can be carried in a hand held bottle, bottles held in a belt worn around your waist, or there are many bladder vests like Camelbak™ available for carrying larger amounts of water. Bladders with large openings are easier to add ice and clean. Bladders may be required for longer runs on trails or remote areas. See Gear for more information.
If your bladder or bottle gets nasty or you just want to clean it out real good, first put about 1/2 teaspoon of Clorox in it and fill it with water. Be sure to flush this through the tube and cap. Let it set for about 30 minutes and rinse it out. Then fill with water and add a couple of teaspoons of baking soda and let that set for about 30 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly and open up as best you can and let dry.
If you use a bladder only occasionally you may want to rinse it out with baking soda if you haven't used it in a while. This will remove some of the bad taste. They have small brushes with long handles for cleaning out tubes. Always take a taste of your water while you still have access to other water to make sure it tastes alright. It's really bad if you discover a bad taste on your run. Rinse your bladder and tube out after every use and allow them to dry.
During a race, I never carry any hydration. I always depend on the race to provide it. Water weighs 8.3 pounds (3.8 kilograms) per gallon; that’s 2.1 pounds per quart or 1 kilogram per liter. Even carrying an extra pound or two can slow you down a little. However, carrying a few extra pounds of water may be good training, for example if you are running with a slower group. But be warned that carrying that extra weight up high on your back will change your balance slightly.
Every extra pound you carry will make you 1 to 2 seconds slower per mile. So carrying a vest with 2 quarts of water (total of 7 pounds) will slow you down by 7 to 14 seconds per mile. That’s 1.5 to 3 minutes slower in a half marathon.
I personally always drink water and not sport drinks. It is readily available and I never have to worry about it upsetting my stomach. I plan my nutrition accordingly. If your stomach is sensitive to some of the sport drinks then be very careful. Some races publish the brand of sport drink that will be available. But still you don’t know how strong or weak it will be mixed. I’d rather not worry about that, drink the water, and provide my own nutrition. That way I know it will work because that’s the way I’m used to doing in training.
