Hydration is super important when training for and running marathons. Staying hydrated helps with endurance and recovery, so having a strong hydration plan for long runs and races is essential. Here are some key points to think about.
When you exercise for a long time, especially when running for over 90 minutes, your body loses water and electrolytes through sweat. Research shows that losing just 2% of your body weight because of dehydration can hurt your performance. For a typical guy who weighs around 70 kg (154 lbs), that’s about losing 1.4 kg (3 lbs).
To start off strong, make sure you’re hydrated before the marathon:
Start Early: Begin drinking fluids at least two days before the race. Try to drink about 500-750 ml (17-25 oz) of water or sports drinks each day.
Check Your Hydration: You can check if you’re hydrated by looking at the color of your urine. If it’s pale yellow, you’re good. If it’s dark yellow, you need to drink more.
During the marathon, here are some tips to make sure you drink enough:
Drink Fluids: Try to drink about 6-8 ounces of fluid every 20 minutes. Sports drinks with electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) are great for hot weather.
Know Your Sweat Rate: It’s helpful to understand how much you sweat so you can plan your hydration better. To find out your sweat rate:
Eating carbohydrates while running is really important for keeping your energy up. Here’s how to do it:
Carbohydrate Gels: Try to take in 30-60 grams of carbohydrates each hour. This means having one gel pack (about 30g of carbs) every 30-45 minutes and drinking water to help your body digest it.
Electrolyte Tablets: You can add these to your water to help replace lost salts and keep your electrolyte balance.
After you finish the marathon, start drinking fluids right away:
Drink Quickly: Aim to drink 1.5 times the amount of weight you lost during the race. So, if you lost 1 kg (2.2 lbs), drink about 1.5 liters (50 oz) of fluid.
Include Electrolytes: Recovery drinks that have both carbohydrates and proteins, along with electrolytes, can help you get back on track faster.
Weather Matters: Change your hydration plan based on how hot or humid it is. If it’s hot, drink more fluids to replace what you sweat out.
Find What Works for You: Everyone is different. Try out different drinks during your training runs to see what feels best for you.
Having a good hydration plan during long runs and marathons means understanding what your body needs. By drinking enough before, during, and after the race, you can perform your best and lower the chance of dehydration. Remember, hydration is unique for everyone, so feel free to tweak these tips based on what you find works best for you.
Hydration is super important when training for and running marathons. Staying hydrated helps with endurance and recovery, so having a strong hydration plan for long runs and races is essential. Here are some key points to think about.
When you exercise for a long time, especially when running for over 90 minutes, your body loses water and electrolytes through sweat. Research shows that losing just 2% of your body weight because of dehydration can hurt your performance. For a typical guy who weighs around 70 kg (154 lbs), that’s about losing 1.4 kg (3 lbs).
To start off strong, make sure you’re hydrated before the marathon:
Start Early: Begin drinking fluids at least two days before the race. Try to drink about 500-750 ml (17-25 oz) of water or sports drinks each day.
Check Your Hydration: You can check if you’re hydrated by looking at the color of your urine. If it’s pale yellow, you’re good. If it’s dark yellow, you need to drink more.
During the marathon, here are some tips to make sure you drink enough:
Drink Fluids: Try to drink about 6-8 ounces of fluid every 20 minutes. Sports drinks with electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) are great for hot weather.
Know Your Sweat Rate: It’s helpful to understand how much you sweat so you can plan your hydration better. To find out your sweat rate:
Eating carbohydrates while running is really important for keeping your energy up. Here’s how to do it:
Carbohydrate Gels: Try to take in 30-60 grams of carbohydrates each hour. This means having one gel pack (about 30g of carbs) every 30-45 minutes and drinking water to help your body digest it.
Electrolyte Tablets: You can add these to your water to help replace lost salts and keep your electrolyte balance.
After you finish the marathon, start drinking fluids right away:
Drink Quickly: Aim to drink 1.5 times the amount of weight you lost during the race. So, if you lost 1 kg (2.2 lbs), drink about 1.5 liters (50 oz) of fluid.
Include Electrolytes: Recovery drinks that have both carbohydrates and proteins, along with electrolytes, can help you get back on track faster.
Weather Matters: Change your hydration plan based on how hot or humid it is. If it’s hot, drink more fluids to replace what you sweat out.
Find What Works for You: Everyone is different. Try out different drinks during your training runs to see what feels best for you.
Having a good hydration plan during long runs and marathons means understanding what your body needs. By drinking enough before, during, and after the race, you can perform your best and lower the chance of dehydration. Remember, hydration is unique for everyone, so feel free to tweak these tips based on what you find works best for you.