3/23/2011

Hydration is key - The 'What (not) to do' post

Temperatures are warming up. I can hear the birds chirping in the garden. The scent of spring is here.

And I'm sweating a heck of a lot more during my runs!

I need aqua! And so do you! Come on, you know you do!

Hydration is key

I can't point this out often enough: hydration is key. Not only during a run, but also throughout the day. Every day.
Do
1. As said, hydrate throughout the day. Start when you get up in the morning and keep it up till you go to bed at night. Minimum: 1 1/2 - 2 liters (hey, I'm Dutch, we do it metric!) a day. I try to stick to averaging +/- 3 liters a day. Works for me.
My go to (besides aqua): Pukka Detox Fennel tea (herbal tea, 100% caffeine free): 2 liters a day cleans up the mess formerly known as my body. :)
Also, I feel that when I hydrate well throughout the day, I have less hydration issues during a run.
2. During a run: especially on longer runs, don't stick to just water. Also work on your electrolyte intake. Important. Seriously. My go to: GU and Gatorade.
3. During a run: Drink small amounts of water / energy drink on a frequent basis. For example, every 15 minutes. Don't wait till you get thirsty.
4. After a run: don't stop drinking when you've finished your run. Preferably grab a recovery drink. You'll recover faster and feel better (and are less likely to crash after a long long run - embarrassing enough, I've been there...).
Don't
1. Try to avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Might look like you're getting a lot of fluids in, but it will actually dehydrate you.
2. Do not gulp water in during a run. This will cause cramps and might even make you vomit (again...believe me, I've been there).
3. Race day: don't grab the race energy drink at the aid station, when you haven't tried that specific type out during training. Don't!
4. ...forget your water bottle! I carry one in my handbag (hey, large bags are still tha bomb, so no shame here ;)). I can have a sip whenever I want to. Bonus: I won't have to spend money on those over-priced bottles of bottled water. :)
Do you have any hydration advice to add?

6 comments:

misszippy said...

Good lessons for everyone, especially as we head into summer (yay!)

PunkRockRunner said...

Great post!

All the best,

Ron

Fat for a Triathlete said...

I have more trouble with hydration during winter actually (well, coming into winter here now, *sigh*).
I just find that drinking my normal water doesn't turn me on when I am already cold....

Unknown said...

So not so silly advice!

One thing I would add is to know your sweat rate under different conditions, so that you're not over or under hydrating. It's not an exact science, but it will provide a guide and sometimes it may just be that you have to slow up and give your body a chance to get back to normal hydration levels.

The key is to keep your hydration within limits that don't effect your performance.

Run Happy!
Andy

Allison said...

Thanks for this post - I posted a hydration question yesterday... does sparkling water hydrate you like non-sparkling?

Silly Girl Running said...

Hi Allison! Thanks for your comment! In my opinion sparkling and non-sparkling are equal when it comes to hydration. However, check if the sparkling water has extra sodium in it: some sparkling waters do. And that could dehydrate you (to some level). Plus, when I drink lots of sparkling water I get this bubbly feeling in my stomach: might not be comfy.