Hydration and Fueling

Hydration and Fueling

Hydration, besides proper nutrition, has a very important role in athletic performance. How much to drink? Plain water or sports drinks??

What about fueling? Sports drinks or sports gels or energy bars or food??

Everybody is different!! It’s personal and requires trial/error!!

Hydration: look at your urine!
                  Light-yellow: ok
                  Very clear: over-hydration 
                  Intense-yellow: dehydration
Hydration prior to exercise:

        1) always hydrate, not just on the day you are running
        2) drink ~16 oz water at bedtime the night before the long run/race
        3) drink ~16-24 oz fluid (water or sports drink) 2-3 hrs before the long run/race
                if no urine or if urine is dark before the race  drink again!!! 

Hydration during exercise:

    1) aim for 1:1 fluid replacement to fluid loss ratio
               check your pre- and post-exercise body weight
              (the difference is fluid loss: it needs to be replaced!)
             *some authors suggest to replace fluids slightly more than fluid lost
              or may consider: 8-16 oz/hr
            (more for faster/heavier athletes and hot/humid conditions) * some authors             suggest to drink 4-8 oz every 15-20 minutes
            NEVER SKIP A WATER STATION!
       o drink water or rinse your mouth or pour it on your head!!
       o can alternate drinking water and sports drink at every station
    2) for long runs (more than 60 minutes) need hydration/fuel/lytes:

            sports drinks (source of hydration/energy/lytes) with:
       o ~110-175 mg of sodium/8 oz
                         Salt tablets are unnecessary!!!!
       o ~20-50 mg of potassium/8 oz
       o ~30-60 g rapidly absorbed carb/hr to reduce fatigue  or have a sports                    gel (source of energy/lytes)
       o same guidelines than sports drinks
       o always take 1 gel with water (at least ~8 oz water)!!
                      NEVER ALONE!!
                      NEVER WITH SPORTS DRINK!! o take 1 gel every ~45-60                                        minutes
       o after the second half of the long run:
                      may take 1⁄4 or 1⁄2 gel every 20 minutes to avoid stomach issues

Hydration post exercise:
    1) water, carbs and lytes
           usual meals/snacks and water should be adequate
    2) or sports drinks if no access to food after the long run

ALWAYS IMPORTANT:

NEVER TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT ON RACE DAY!!

PRACTICE DRINKING AND FUELING DURING TRAINING!!!

FIND OUT WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!!!

Don’t miss the next GoRun / Nutrition Tips!! 

           

BY: Maria “Lupita” Townsend, MS,RD,LDN,CSO,CNSC