Whether you are running for the sake of exercise of competing in events. Hydration is vital for your health and safety. But how much water is enough and how often should you be hydrating during runs? According to the Editors of Runners World, in their book Fast Fuel , pre-hydration and drinking cold fluids is key.
According to their findings pre-hydration can cause you to run faster. A study in the April 2010 Athletic Journal, on dehydrated runners reported that these runners finished two and half minutes slower than when they were hydrated. Dehydration causes blood volume to drop, weakening your body's ability to transfer heat, and causing the heart to speed up. Drinking between eight and 16 ounces of water before a run can combat this. Or if you forget try to sneak in four to eight ounces at at least 30 minutes prior to your run.
For longer runs cold fluids can definitely improve your performance. If you have ever done an event, no matter the size the cold sports drink or water at the hydration stop seems to give you a second wind. You are able to speed up after. This is because colder drinks lower your body's temperature and are absorbed by the body faster. A study done this year showed that runners who had a slushy prior to running were able to run 10 minutes longer. You could accomplish this by filling your hydration bottle half way with water, coconut water, or a sports drink then topping it off before your run. For shorter runs you make think of using coconut water instead of a sports drink. It contains more electrolytes than sports drinks.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that athletes start drinking soon after commencing an exercise and continue drinking at regular intervals to help replace fluids lost during exercise. You can measure your hydration level by weighing your self before and after running. Check out the video clip from Mayo Clinic and the links below to learn more about hydrating and the signs of dehydration. Happy Hydrating!
By Lexx Cieckiewicz
References
Runners World Essentials Guide: Fast Fuel (2011)
LiveStrong: Should an Athlete Drink Cold or Warm Water
ACSM.org
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