| Hydration for Runners |
Hydration is an extremely important factor for runners of any standard. If you're running or exercising for 30mins or more, you should strongly consider taking some water or electrolytes drink with you. By staying hydrated, your body will be able to perform more efficiently. Water is needed for cooling, waste processing and joint lubrication and can give you a mental pick-up when you take a sip of fresh, cool water during your workout.
It's estimated that 2/3 of our body weight is water. Water plays a major role in numerous body functions and performance factors. Benefits of proper hydration include increased flexibility, muscle strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness. When we become dehydrated, we can experience headaches, muscle fatigue, and soreness. There have also been psychological correlations drawn between hydration levels and self-esteem and confidence increases. Needless to say, the benefits of staying hydrated are well worth the forethought and effort as you plan your workouts, races, and daily routine. |
| Six Hydration Tips That Can Increase Your Running Performance |
| Here are some hydration tips and guidelines for keeping you in tip top running condition and to optimize your running performance: |
| 1.Drink even when you don't feel thirsty |
| It's tempting not to drink when you don't feel thirsty but dehydration can easily sneak up on you during your run. You're losing fluid and electrolytes during exercise which needs to be replaced in order to promote good blood flow to the muscles, supplying them with sodium, potassium and carbohydrates they need for fuel. Drinking fluids also helps to cool your body and maintain a normal body temperature. |
| 2.Start drinking before your run |
| Before you head out for a run you, you should make sure that you have hydrated yourself properly in order to maximize performance and prevent dehydration during your run. Several hours before your scheduled running or exercise session, drink at least 0.5ltr of fluid in the form of water or sports drink. By taking your fluid in well before you start running you should have fewer problems with running on a stomach filled with fluid. |
| 3.Drink during your run |
| As a general rule, you'll want to drink around 125milliliters of fluid every fifteen to twenty minutes during your run. If you're running on a warm day, you may want to consume a bit more to compensate for excess fluids lost due to the heat |
| 4.Practice proper rehydration after your run |
| The most precise way to rehydrate yourself after a run is to weigh yourself to determine how much fluid you lost during your running/exercise session. You can then replace the lost fluids by drinking 0.5ltr of fluid for every pound lost through sweating. |
| 5.Sports and Carbohydrate drinks |
Sports and Carbohydrate drinks are a fantastic source to help replace the potassium and sodium lost from sweating and is also a valuable fuel to replenish your muscles when they're working hard. They've even been shown to boost running performance. By replacing lost electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, you reduce your risk of developing a painful muscle cramp during your running session. If you plan on running longer distances, consider substituting a sports drink for at least half your portion of your fluid supply.
By following these hydration tips and maintaining proper hydration during your runs, you'll increase your performance and reduce the incidence of serious medical problems related to dehydration. |
| Hydration Carriers |
| Now that you're more familiar with the importance of your body's hydration requirements here are some recommended hydration handheld bottles and belts. |
| Handheld |
| Handhelds are ideal for training runs between 30mins to 60mins and for race distances between 5k and half marathons. One of the best parts about handhelds is that the ones made for runners have straps that attach to your hand, making it much easier to carry them for long distances. If you're running a long race you may also prefer to take 2 handhelds, not only for balance but also so you can put water in one and an electrolyte mixture in the other. Here are some models that we recommend: |
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| Click here to see or full range of handheld water bottles |
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| Fuelbelt |
Fuelbelts have become very popular lately, especially for trail runners. Fuelbelts are ideal for using in half marathons, marathons or for longer race distance. We recommend training with it as well so you get used to wearing it. The great thing about fuelbelts is that they have 2-4 different bottles, making it easy to mix up your water sources. You could use 2 for water and 2 for electrolyte drinks, but you could mix it up any way you like. Fuelbelts also have pockets, which make them great for solo runs because you can store credit cards, mobile phones, keys, and gels without having to lug a bag around. Here are some models that we recommend: |
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| Proper hydration can be a difference maker between optimal performance and serious injury. The products above can give you an edge both in training and racing. |
Click here to see our full range of hydration belts.
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We hope you have found this information useful
All the best!
SUB4 - Keep on Running.. |
