Staying hydrated while running

Lately it seems that everything that can be liquefied and bottled ends up on the shelf at the supermarket.  Caffeine shooters, vitamin waters, and rock stars.   You add the choices the health food stores give, throw in the 2 ounce energy shooters, and mix in the smoothie station and it’s enough to keep your head spinning and your wallet dry.  Not sure where but I recently saw a product called “Llama Juice.”  I don’t know what it’s used for, or who the marketing geniuses were that decided to put Llama poo in a bottle, but really man – Llama poo?

For a runner staying hydrated at optimal levels is crucial; your body needs water.   Choosing what combination gives you peak performance is part personal preference and part science.   The length of your training session is also key.  Slam an energy drink and head out for a 25 minute speed work session and you’re  going to puke fizzy green stuff all over the sidewalk; trust me – I have been there twice.  Carbohydrate and electrolyte drinks like Gatorade can have substantial benefits, but only at longer distances.

Your body simply doesn’t need, nor can it absorb in time, the carbs, sugars, and salts a sports drink provides on runs under 30 minutes in length.   Sports drinks provide a balance of around 7% carbohydrates per serving, mixed with a trivial amount of potassium and sodium they allow your body to absorb them faster than water (about 25% faster).  It’s important to use these beverages to replace salts lost from sweating, but for many runs, water is still best.

Why? Water is less expensive, calorie free, and vital to survival.  On runs under thirty minutes your body has enough stored energy to burn without having to supplement.  Water is simply good for you.  It’s also easy on the gut.  There is a certain tolerance level for beverages, different for everybody, above which your stomach will fight back when exercising.   For me Gatorade is perfect, any more sugar and I’m gonna blow chunks.   With water your safe.

Here is my advice:

Runs under 30 minutes: Water is best.  Just grab a bottle and fill it from the tap or make sure your hydrated and leave the bottle at home.  Use your brain on hot days – You don’t want to get  dehydrated.  As little at 2% dehydration can affect your performance.

Runs over 30 minutes: For more lengthy runs sports drinks are perfect.  They provide you with the needed energy to restock your fuel cells.   They also contain sodium which you lose when you sweat.  You may also get bored with water and need a break.  If you have a sensitive stomach mix your sports drink with some water and drink small amounts at a time.

Marathons: During a marathon, or any exercise event lasting more than a couple of hours, you may need to experiment with some endurance specific sports drinks and carb gels.  These are available at your running store.  Long distance running burns enormous calories and you need to keep you blood sugar up to keep from hitting ” the wall.”  Trial and error is best, just make sure you take it slow.  Alternate water with your energy replacement drinks.  Part of your training is    finding ways to stay hydrated so train for it.

Really there is no golden rule.  Experimentation and trial and error are the best ways to determine what your specific hydration needs are.  Be careful with the gas station energy drinks, really.  I guess they have a place and I buy them from time to time, but they really don’t have a spot in a runners training program – there are simply better alternatives.