The Hydration Plan

Everyone knows that if your exerting energy you need to replace that energy via water and/or nutrient rich foods. From grade school we are taught to drink lots of water and eat healthy foods before, during, and after exercise. That is a good place to start but if your doing extensive training or anything that is considered an endurance event you have to do better than that and approach it with your hydration plan. This hydration plan cannot only be water as the term hydration infers. It needs to consist of water, vitamins, sugars, carbs, salts, and proteins.

During my first marathon I relied solely on the aid stations to keep me hydrated and sustained for the event. Some people will say that that's no problem people do it all the time, and really it's not that I couldn't finish the race, but I didn't enjoy the race. Having to slug through the later stages of any race with only water and some nasty tasting electrolyte beverage is miserable. Not to mention that since you didn't properly sustain yourself during the event your body started eating itself, which in turn took away vital nutrients that your muscles and tendons need to repair and hydrate themselves. Now your legs are locked stiff and your feet look like balloons! I got enough of that during SFAS! After that first marathon I decided to do some homework to see what other people were doing and how I can improve my experience during an endurance event. What I came up with is pretty much the plan that I stick with to date.

If I am going to be on the road, trail or in the gym for more than thirty minutes I start hydrating with water early and often. I take a drink of water every four to six minutes. If the training session or event is going to be more than an hour I take in some sort of nutrients, usually a GU pack, every twenty-five to thirty minutes, and start to alternate between water and electrolytes every five. I maintain this regiment till the two and a half to three hour mark depending on terrain, weather, or what my body is telling me. After three hours I will start to take in some sort of heavy protein such as a peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich which supplies a power punch of sugar, protein, potassium and carbs. I wouldn't suggest it later in the race as peanut butter on mile forty five is like trying to swallow a piece of a Goodyear tire! From there on out it is all about listening to your body. If you are craving pretzels you probably need salt, or if you wish you were on a skittles commercial where you can taste the rainbow chances are you need some sugar. I think sugar is the most underrated nutrient during these events. My secrete weapon during a long race is a honey bun. I imagine that what athletes may have been reading this probably just shut down their computers. That's o.k. though, every body is different. There are any manner of people running and winning these events, from fruitarians, to paleos, to junk food junkies. Shoot the ultra-marathon man himself, Dean Karnanzes, proclaims in one of his books that one of his favorite endurance foods is pizza! I will be the first to announce that I am by no means a dieter. I pretty much eat whatever I want....within moderation. However, sugar during an endurance race enters into your body and blood stream relatively quick which means you don't have to run another six miles before you start to feel the benefits of what you have consumed. Just remember not to over eat or drink during the race. There is nothing worse than not being able to run or drink water because you just slammed four GU packs and some chicken soup. Trust me!

A friend of mine recently ran his first endurance event which was the table rock ultra in the mountains of North Carolina. I don't suggest making that your first event. He asked me for advice and I gave him the exact plan that I have explained here. Drink something every five minutes. Eat something every twenty-five minutes. While he didn't set a blistering record at the event, he did finish it and was ready to run again within the next day. As I eluded to before, by keeping that water and nutrients fresh in your body throughout the event keeps your body from peeking and then hitting a trough while your making your way to the next aid station. Thus keeping you in the race longer and feeling stronger!

I hope this helps. If anyone has questions or strategies they use please post them in comments.

Happy Hydrating!