Proper hydration is essential for running health and performance. Water is essential for our bodies to function properly. It helps us maintain our temperatures, remove waste, and provide energy to our cells.
While there are many ways to hydrate before, during, and after a run, it is important to know the facts about what works best for you.
1: Drink Before You Get Thirsty
One of the easiest ways to maintain hydration is by staying ahead of your thirst. Rather than waiting until you are thirsty, try drinking about 5-6 ounces of water before a run or workout.
This will make it easier to drink enough during your run. Waiting till you get thirsty will make it harder to replenish what your body needs. If you’re already dehydrated and know it’s going to take more than a glass of water to reverse it, mobile IV hydration in Atlanta can fully rehydrate your body in less than an hour. Treatments take place in the comfort of your home so you can focus on training and recovery.
2: Adjust Your Run Schedule
If you run in the morning and do not like drinking water right away, try having a glass of milk or juice instead. This will help boost your hydration levels because milk has electrolytes that are lost during exercise.
If it is too cold outside to have a glass of dairy, make sure to choose unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk as an alternative. The best way to drink liquids before running is by making sure they are around room temperature.
This makes it easier for our bodies to absorb them quickly since their molecules are more spread out at room temperature rather than colder temperatures where they are closer together, thus slowing down absorption rates.
3: Pick the Right Hydration Strategy for You
Different amounts and intervals of fluids are required depending on individual factors such as gender, sweat rate, humidity, heat index, altitude… The best way to figure out what works for you is through practice and experimentation in training and racing conditions. You can use a mobile iv hydration as a convienient way to help as well.
4: Monitor Your Sweat Rate
The amount we sweat varies greatly between people and depends on many individual and environmental factors (e.g., genetics, metabolism).
Understanding your own sweat rate can help determine how much to drink during exercise. You can monitor your sweat rate by weighing yourself before and after workouts in conditions similar to those you plan on running in.
5: Stay Hydrated During Your Runs
While many people are aware that it is important to stay hydrated before, during, and after a workout or run, others incorrectly assume that they only need to focus on pre-workout hydration. Often times a hydration supplement can be very helpful to ensure your body is absorbing and utilizing the water it takes in most efficiently.
It is especially important for runners to avoid allowing their fluid levels to drop too low during the run. Symptoms of dehydration include nausea, dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramping, heatstroke, etc… Staying well hydrated will make your runs much more enjoyable.
6: Refuel After Your Runs
One of the best things you can do for your body after a run is to refuel. This will help your muscles recover, hydrate you better than just drinking water, and provide energy to burn fat.
You should aim for ½-1 gram of carbohydrate per pound of body weight within 30 minutes after running. A good rule of thumb is to have 20-24 ounces of fluid every hour after the run. This will help get you back on track for your hydration goals and get the nutrients that your body needs after a run.
7: Drink Before Bedtime
As long as your last drink was two hours before bedtime, it’s fine to split the nighttime drink into before bed and after you wake up in the morning.
Having a little bit of fluid before bed helps ensure that you are well hydrated when sleeping (which is a critical time for body repair).
8: Hydration Matters More in Hot Weather
It doesn’t take much to get dehydrated in hot weather – about 1 pint of sweat per hour. In addition, the hotter the air temperature and humidity, the less effective evaporation is at cooling our bodies down.
The best way to counter this is by hydrating well before your run and making sure you have access to fluids throughout your run.
9: Know What’s in Your Water Bottle
Water should be your default beverage, but flavored drinks are ok too. Keep in mind that sports drinks contain electrolytes, which help with hydration and muscle function during exercise.
If you drink other beverages while running (e.g., Gatorade), make sure to account for the additional calories and sugar intake.
10: Practice…and Give Yourself Time
Don’t expect to figure out how much fluid is right for you after only one time running in hot weather! It takes time and practice for us all to find what is optimal. Knowing your individual sweat rate is just one component that plays into hydration strategies.
11: Stretch After A Long Run Or Race
Being well-hydrated is important for post-run recovery. It actually helps with everything from tissue repair to toxin removal from exercising muscles. This is why it’s important to make sure you drink enough fluids both during and after your runs! If your goal is running long distances or running races, make sure that you are well hydrated before the race, and throughout.
This will help improve your endurance and performance. Be sure to remember to stay hydrated during a long run or race, by drinking small amounts of fluids at regular intervals. Most importantly, make sure to stretch after a long run or race in order to maximize flexibility and avoid injury.
12: See Your Doctor If You Have Concerns
As with any changes in exercise habits, it’s a good idea to check in with your doctor before starting a new routine of drinking fluids during activity. Drinking too much water can lead to hyponatremia – low sodium levels, which can be deadly if left untreated.
To Sum Up…
As we all know, unexpected things can come up during training or racing conditions (e.g., heat index higher than expected, people getting sick around you, etc…). Being able to adapt quickly and effectively will help ensure that your next run is the best it can be.
Keep your water intake consistent with your running goals and the weather conditions you will be training in. Which will help speed up your recovery process as well.