Drink to Your Health

Our Recommendations

We also believe that it's a good time to review your hydration practices. Runners need to pay more attention to their daily fluid consumption than most people, but we don't need to be obsessive. Given half a chance, the body will self-regulate to a normal, healthy state of fluid balance. Our recommendations:

1. Drink generously, but appropriately. Know yourself and your needs, and make adjustments for the weather. A runner training through the summer months in Chicago for a fall marathon may need to drink more during and after a slow 16-miler in August than during and after an all-out marathon effort on a cool October morning.

2. Use sports drinks. Before, during, and after workouts and races, drink specially-formulated sports drinks. These drinks contain the water you need, appropriate amounts of carbohydrates, and small amounts of sodium. It's the combo of all three that really helps you in the long run.

3. Pay particular attention to postexercise rehydration. You're likely to become temporarily dehydrated during a long, hard run, so make sure you drink enough afterward. The same goes for food. Get your fluids, get your carbohydrates, get a little sodium, get a little protein--and you'll be fine.

4. Weigh yourself daily during periods of intense training. If you're losing weight, make sure it's from fat loss, not chronic dehydration. You can also check your urine color. It should be clear or light yellow (unless you have recently taken some B vitamins, which can turn the urine bright yellow).

5. When running long and slow--4 or 5 hours or more--monitor your fluid consumption. Be sure you're not drinking more than you need. Also, consider running with a salty snack that you consume at the 20-mile mark. If you're a woman, pay particular attention to these recommendations.

6. Drink when you're thirsty. While it's true that your thirst doesn't kick in until you're 1- to 2-percent dehydrated, there's nothing terribly wrong with that. Remember: Your body has an "exquisitely tuned" water-balance mechanism. Use it.