Summer is here! Summer brings lots of great things: pool parties, cookouts, longer days and much more. It also means the arrival of much warmer temperatures, especially here in the USA Midwest. My wife loves the warm 80 & 90 degree days, but if you have ever run in the heat, you know it is not much fun. The rising temperatures can pose serious health risks to runners. It doesn’t matter how strong or fit you are, the human body needs water to perform up to its potential. Every person has different needs to hydrate their body, but there are some general guidelines and best practices to follow.
What is Dehydration?
First, it is important to understand what dehydration actually is and what causes it. The human body is an amazing creation, but needs water to survive and function. It may not seem like it, but around 60 percent of the human body is made of water! The brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%. Even your bones contain 31% water! The body needs water to be able to function and run normally. While a human can possibly go more than 3 weeks without food, the body cannot go much more than 3 or 4 days without water.
According to WebMD, dehydration occurs when your body does not have enough water as it needs. You body loses a lot of water each day through sweating, urinating, breathing, salivating, and other less obvious ways. An average sedentary adult human outputs roughly 2550 ml of water per day, which equates to 0.67 gallons! This is only the baseline though, as physical activity can take your daily water loss to OVER A GALLON A DAY. It can be very hard to track exactly how much water you output during a normal, but finding the right replenishment level is crucial to maintaining healthy hydration levels.
What are Symptoms of Dehydration?
A big mistake people make often is only relying on the symptom of thirst as a gauge for determining dehydration. Most adults will not feel thirsty until they are already in a dehydrated state. Other common symptoms of dehydration include:
- Feeling thirsty, which means you’re already dehydrated!
- Fatigue
- Dry eyes and or/dry mouth
- Cramps
- GI distress
- Headaches
- Confusion and Dizziness
- Muscle spasms
- The feeling that exercise is much harder than normal
While these symptoms can also be signs of other illnesses, it is important to watch out for any of them. When you are dehydrated, your heart has to work harder to pump blood to the parts of your body that need fuel. Therefore, as your dehydration level increases, the more difficult it becomes for your body to regulate its temperature. That is the last thing you want as a runner.
Hydration as a Lifestyle
I believe the best way for runners to successful avoid dehydration is to make hydration a part of their daily routine. If you only think about your hydration after your run, then you probably are running a water deficiency in your body. Here are some ways to add hydration into your everyday routine:
- Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day or have one nearby. I take a water bottle with me to work each day and has helped me increase my water intake.
- Drink a glass of water with every meal to hydrate.
- Eat foods that are high in water content, like watermelon, strawberries, or cucumbers.
- Limit coffee and other caffeinated beverages like tea and colas. Alcohol is not good for the body either, as it is a diuretic, which removes water from the body .
Hydrate Before The Workout
Hydration first needs to start before your planned run. Starting your run with a full tank of gas is the best way to ensure a successful workout. However, do not try to guzzle a ton of water right before the run, as this can lead to digestive issues during the run. Nobody wants to deal with water sloshing around their tummy while running. The goal should be to consume 12-16 fluid ounces of water within the hour before your run. Try to spread the hydration out over the course of that hour to avoid over-hydrating at one time. It is best to avoid sports drinks with their artificial flavorings and dyes at this time. For a long run, especially in warmer temperatures, it is best to start pre-hydrating the night before to make sure the body has stored up for the journey.
Hydrate During the Workout
If you have ever played a team sport, then you are familiar with hydrating during the workout. You head over to the bench, grab a bottle or fill a cup, and down some good ole H20. Hydrating while running can be a little more tough, as typically there is not a break or halftime in a run. However, it is important that you keep your body hydrated while running. The typical standard to shoot for is to take in 4-6 fluid ounces of water every 20 minutes. Try to avoid guzzling large amounts of water at one time, as drinking small amounts frequently helps the body better absorb the liquid.
When running at a track or treadmill, bring a water bottle so that you can easily hydrate along the way. However, most runs do not allow for the luxury of leaving a water bottle along the side to pick up. There are many popular options to choose from, so pick one that best suits you! I do not like to carry things in my hands while running, so I use small water bottles that clip onto my SPI-Belt. For those that are ok with carrying things, many runners opt for hand-held water bottles. Others use hydration backpacks to get the job done. The important thing is finding what works for you and using it!
Hydrate After the Workout
Once you finish your run, it’s also important to start replenishing the fluids you just lost. While water is still a great option post-run, this is now a time to also add in some other forms of recovery drinks. Here are some great options to get your body refueled:
- Chocolate Milk – This drink has an ideal mix of carbohydrates and protein that help your tired muscles recover.
- Sports Drinks – Popular drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are a great way to get your body fueled back up on electrolytes lost in the workout.
- Endurance Powder Drinks – There are tons of options here, as this convenient option only needs to be mixed with water. Most have necessary carbs and protein to aid in hydration and recovery
For the average person, you should be aiming to consume 20-24 fluid ounces for each pound lost during your activity. If you have a short, easy workout, you won’t need as much replenishment because you didn’t output as much as a long, hard workout. Test weighing yourself immediately before and after a run to estimate your body weight lost due to water output. This can give an estimation of how much is needed to hydrate your body.
Managing your hydration levels is a crucial part to being able to reach your full potential. You want your engine running on all cylinders to be able to improve your fitness. If you have never really paid any attention to your hydration before, I suggest starting with some form of log. Make it a part of your routine and pretty soon you will be on your way to new heights! To see how hydration fits into marathon training, check out my article on How to Train For a Marathon. Happy Running and Stay Hydrated!
