For the low down on hydration, check out the link above...
"Picture a blazing 90ºF Sunday in July. Your basic instinct tells you to lie panting in the breezeway with the dog, or poolside with a cold drink. But your so-called "higher reasoning" tells you that your success in October's marathon hinges on whether you complete today's long run. What's it going to be?" (Taken from: DRINK THIS The eight rules of fluid replacement, and how they'll energize your running. By John Brant - Runnersworld.com)
As I read this, the first thing that came to my mind was "I wish I had a dog...". Second I realized that I should most definitely be reading this article since I do have a marathon to complete in October and that means running in the heat of the Middle East over the summer. I will probably be getting in the better of my long runs at like 4am before the heat is unbearable but at the same time, I should know how to hydrate properly. I know the basics, I should drink before, during and after my runs and I love gatorade, but I would like to know the science behind it all to understand it better. So the obvious advice that they give is to drink steadily througout the day so that your pee is clear. As they say here in Israel: פיפי צהוב, לא טוב. פיפי לבן, מצוין! That's the way to go. Its extremely important to drink before running water or a sports drink. Brant says that an hour or 2 before running 160z should be guzzled to top off our fluid tanks. Throughout the run you should drink 5-12 oz of fluid every 15-20 minutes of your run. If you are running less than hour, water is fine. Longer than an hour a sports drink is recommended to restore the right amount of glycogen and electrolytes that the body needs inorder to function properly. Its carbs provide fuel, while its electrolytes--sodium and potassium--stave off cramps, nausea, and hyponatremia (a dangerous condition caused by drinking too much water). Not drinking soon enough can cause lots of things to go wrong. You'll start sweating out the liquids that keep your blood the right consistency and then your blood will thicken, causing your heart to work harder and your body temp to rise causing you to sweat more. Dehydration is not fun, but overhydration isn't a walk in the park either. Too much water can also be dangerous. Since I don't know much about it I will quote for you what Brant wrote about it: "7. Beware of hyponatremia, a potentially fatal condition caused by taking in too much water and too little salt. Hyponatremia, or "water intoxication," usually happens only during long, hot runs, when a runner loses a lot of sodium through sweat and consumes a great deal of plain water. This combination may unwittingly dilute sodium levels in your blood, which sets off an electrolyte imbalance. Hyponatremia can trigger seizures, coma, and even death. Initial warning signs mimic those of dehydration, including confusion, disorientation, muscle weakness, and vomiting. Women and slower, beginner endurance runners are at most risk of this condition. Still, the likelihood of developing hyponatremia remains small. Banish hyponatremia from your worry list by 1) including salt in your normal diet (particularly a few days before a long event), and 2) drinking sports drinks, rather than plain water, on runs over an hour."
That all said, just be conscious of how you are feeling before, during and after your run. But if you feel like you are slipping into fluid debt-symptoms include chills, dizziness, disorientation, and cessation of sweating-don't panic. Stop running, find shade or an air-conditioned building, and start drinking as soon as possible. If you don't quickly improve, ask for help or call 911. If you do start to feel better, resist running and walk or ask for a ride home. Then vow to never let yourself become dehydrated again.
Dehydration causes decline in performance starting at a loss of 3% of your body weight in sweat. A good way to check the effect of the weather on your body, weigh in before and after runs. "If you lose 1 pound, this means you sweated approximately 16 ounces of fluid. Two pounds means you sweated 32 ounces, and so on. If you lose a pound consistently during your 30-minute runs, you need to replenish your fluids at a rate of 16 ounces per 30 minutes of running."
Cool random piece of info: At long distance races, the aid stations have old school bathroom scales for the runners to track their progress and see if they are hydrating properly throughout the race.
Now that I have my super cool fuel belt, I will be filling the bottles most definitely with my
Gatorade packets and put it to good use.
Drink!
Peace out.
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