Some views on Hydration - Please Read

[Rahul Verghese]

An article in the New York Times
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/05/how-much-to-drink-during-a-marathon/

Please read that

and then then some comments below:

Very topical and very interesting reading going through all the links.
The critical issue is 'how much' is being consumed at each water point
I would argue that just as there are different strokes for different
folks neither should you, as a standard, wait until thirsty, nor drink
at each water stop and finish the cup, or have a pre ordained sipping
routine. You have to listen to your body.
In India we have a peculiar issue where temperatures and humidity
levels are WAY above what you find in Chicago and NYC during their
marathons - so sweat is much higher and the finish times are much
longer - a 4 hour finish time is considered fast in India whereas the
equivalent in those runs is a sub 3 hr. It is important to keep
'appropriately' hydrated in the early stages - especially for slower
runners, else you will have more systemic issues in the latter stages.
We recommend to each runner at our runs that you must take at least a
sip at EACH water point and if necessary, drink more, at our runs in
India. Now at our runs of longer distances - starting with Shimla, we
have gone in for 60ml cups so that runners who by habit - finish the
cup, do not get too much of a dose. They can always pick up another
cup if they want. Or during a long run, sip from your water bottle
along your run but never have the equivalent of a 'glass' of water
along the way - that feast and famine routine would be worse.

The study says - "Slower runners generally sweat less, and many have
been told to drink copiously. If you ingest more fluid than you lose
through sweating or urination, however, you dilute your blood’s sodium
levels" Not sure if sweating less is the issue for slower runners in
India as the heat levels pick up dramatically in Indian conditions
unlike in the temperate climes and also being on the road for 5 hours
instead of 3, leads to a different sort of cumulative stress -
muscular, hydration, psychological and everything else.

Net net I wd argue that we need to drink smaller quantities a little
more frequently than most of us do at the moment, in India, and listen
to our bodies as we go along and take in a bit more or a bit less as
required. Also good to talk about water intake and make it a bit more
measureable as we talk to fellow runners and get a better sense of how
much we are ingesting per 30 mins or hour of running - just as we talk
about shoes or gait or anything else. This would make us a lot wiser
for each one of us, and am sure would improve our runs on a regular
basis.

Lets drink to running!!
water that is.

Rahul Verghese
www.runningandliving.com