Fluid motion

GETTING YOUR WATER INTAKE RIGHT CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR RACE

RACE HYDRATION

WORDS: TINA CHANTREY

We all know how horrible it is to feel dehydrated during a race, especially at summer events, when the heat of the sun feels like a punishment rather than a pleasure. I recently ran the Paris Marathon, with temperatures exceeding 25°C. For the last mile, I was desperately looking for other runners with a water bottle. It was all I could think of. I crossed the line delirious, slumped against the roadside, and when the medic asked if I was OK, I responded: “I need water.” She told me it was 200m along the road. That 200m felt like another marathon!

I’m over cautious when it comes to hydration due to a history of kidney infections. Even during shorter races I tend to set off with a full water bottle in each hand. Recently, however, I’ve become much more aware of how heavy these seem and, even in Paris, I didn’t drink much in the first half of the race. Do I really need to carry all this water? Am I over-hydrating? It’s definitely time I rethought my hydration strategy.

BE PREPARED

It may be surprising to hear, but drinking water during a race may not be so crucial if you are properly hydrated (the scientific term for this is euhydrated) when you stand on the start line.

“Many people overlook the importance of being appropriately hydrated at the start of a race,” explains Dr Glen Davison, Senior Lecturer at the University of Kent’s School of Sport and Exercise Sciences (kent.ac.uk). “Everyone is different of course, but a good rule of thumb is to consume 5-10ml of water per kilogram of body weight, two to four hours before the event.”

Assuming you have had enough to drink during the few days before the event, this gives you time to top up your levels and enough opportunity to excrete any excess that you don’t need. “If you’re on for a PB you don’t want to get caught short midrace!” says Davison.