Coach's Corner --- Hydration, Hydration, Hydration

[cewait]

A little background.

Think back to the 1970s, leisure suits, polyester, stinking big collars and bell bottoms. Cars looked and ran like trash. In August the ritual of two a days started for football season. We would workout hard for 3-4 hours twice a day. During practice, drinking between sets was a sign of weakness  and simply not allowed.
Fast forward to the late 1990s, I was entering the endurance side of running attempting to run a marathon before turning 40. I was shocked to read and be told that I was endangering myself if I did not drink at each and every aid station& to me that also meant at every water fountain in training or at least once a mile. The mantra was drink regardless of thirst or need.

These are two extremes. Both incorrect.

In real simple terms, we sweat constantly. Through the day we bring in fluids through food and drink and that generally keeps the body in check. When we work out, we sweat at a higher rate, specifically to help cool the body. Even on the coldest of cold days, you are sweating to some degree. Go for a run on a hot and humid summer day and you are sweating profusely. How much should one drink?

The answer is that the each of us has differing needs for replenishment  we are all an experiment of one. In very general terms, we should consume 20-28 ounces of fluid an hour while on the run; but there are extremes both directions. One of the better ways to understand your personal needs is to test a simple test. Weigh yourself before dressing for your run. Note the weight and how much water you take in pre-run after weighing and during the run. Once you complete your run, dry and disrobe and re-weigh. If you weigh the same, you are hydrating well, if you are less, you may not be bringing on enough fluids; more, possibly too much fluid. Knowing the change in weight and the amount of water that you drank between weighing will give you an idea of your hydration rate. You are looking to keep your final weight within a couple percent of the starting weight.

As an example, assume that water weighs 8 pounds to the gallon (It really weighs almost 8.5 but the math gets hard  this is only an estimate to get you on track); we can then say a pint (16 ounces) weighs a pound. Lets say you weigh 160 before you head out for a one hour run, you drink 18 ounces of fluid and weigh 159 post run. You lost a pound during the run meaning that in an ideal world, you should have drank an additional 16 ounces of water during the run. Or, that your hydration rate is about 34 ounces an hour. Do this 3-4 times to get an ideal of your more exact needs. You will find that thirst comes close to keeping you are track. You will also find that your hydration needs will vary run to run. Though, in this example, I would be aware that I was possibly under hydrating, might try to take in a couple more swigs on the run, but I would not do anything drastic because I came in within 2% of my starting weight. I would only start to really think about what I am doing if my weight were off 3.2 pounds in either direction.

Try this and see if you are coming close.

One other thought& hydrating for a run does not happen exclusively during the run. It becomes a lifestyle change. It means hydrating on non-running days as well as running days. It also means increasing you fluid intake if you head out for a night of partying to offset the dehydrating effects. We used to preach 8-10 glasses a day. The thought (in my mind) is that if you create that as a target, then the average person may drink 3-5 glasses.

Runners World published a mythbuster about hydration last month.
http://www.runnersworld.com/drinks-hydration/8-hydration-myths-busted

Drink to thirst
Train hard, Live clean.

 

[booth22]

Great info! And here's a great article that goes along with it, for those who want to read more about hydration than they ever imagined! What you need to know about hydration!

I've copied the round up of info for those who don't want the science behind the information...

Final checklist, some quick tips, and summary

1.) If you finish an event weighing the same or more than when you started, you have overhydrated. If you’ve dropped 3% or more, dehydration has occurred. Up to 2% weight loss is safe and reasonable.
2.) For very long events, such as a century bike ride, the average rider will also lose a pound or more in energy stores (glycogen, fat, and muscle tissue) in addition to the water, so figure that into your weight difference.
3.) Don’t assume that you can drink unlimited amounts of water or fluid during exercise and expect that all of it will be absorbed and the excess will be lost in sweat or through the kidneys. You will instead bloat, dilute your blood, urinate excessively, and develop water intoxication.
4.) Train to get fit in the heat. Heat acclimatization and fitness reduce fluid and electrolyte losses by up to 50%.
5.) Wear the lightest, most evaporation-friendly clothing you can afford. Cotton isn’t on the list. Many fibers today provide superior wicking and evaporation that allow your sweat to do the work nature intended.
6.) In general, keep fluid intake between 20-25 oz (approx 590-740 ml)/hr. For lighter weight athletes, or those exercising in cooler temperatures, 16-18 oz (approx 473-532 ml)/hr may be perfect. Heavier athletes or athletes competing in hotter conditions may consider intakes upwards of 28 oz (approx 830 ml)/hr. If you feel you need more fluids, experiment with it in training, keeping in mind that you will require additional electrolytes. Regular fluid intake over 30 oz (approx 890 ml)/hr increases the possibility of dilutional hyponatremia.
7.) Use cold fluids as much as possible as your body absorbs them more rapidly than warm fluids. Know where to find cold water along your training routes. Use frozen and insulated water bottles and hydration packs.
8.) Urine color can indicate hydration level. Dark yellow urine means low hydration. Pale to light yellow is good. Don’t confuse the bright yellow urine you get after vitamin B-2 (riboflavin) supplementation for the dark yellow urine that indicates overly concentrated urine.
9.) During exercise, avoid foods and fuels that contain low chain carbohydrates. These simple sugar fuels require more fluids and electrolytes for digestive purposes. Also avoid carbonated drinks, as the gas inhibits absorption.
10.) Use caffeine with caution. Used properly and sparingly, caffeine has ergogenic benefits. It does, however, act as a diuretic, which may deplete fluid stores more rapidly.
11.) During the hottest weather conditions, sponging yourself off with cold water, while taking a short periodic break from race pace, will provide heat relief.
12.) Know the symptoms of overhydration and dehydration. Stop immediately if you feel lightheaded or queasy or get the dry chills. No race or training is worth compromising your health.

 

[goofeygirl]

Its a good idea to know yourself and what your own body needs.

I myself and very guilty of not drinking enough water during the day. I don't really think I drink much at all after that first cup of coffee. I do the same in a race, I pass by most of the water stations. I only stop occasionally for water to drink but mostly to dunk on my head.

At night I guzzle water like its going out of business. I can drink a decent portion of a gallon of water mixed with Chrystal lite...because that's the only way I will drink it.

This year I did the Goofy and at the end of that race when I got back to my room I felt nauseous. I thought I was going to vomit and I was told I was dehydrated. My shirt was stuck to so bad I literally had to cut if off me! I was told that was due to not enough liquid...something about the salt and something else...though later on I felt well enough to go to the MK.

So I need to rethink this whole hydration thing.