by N. Rodriguez

Created on: August 10, 2009   Last Updated: August 11, 2009

Staying hydrated while running, whether you are training or racing, is necessary for optimal performance. when you become dehydrated, not only does your performance plummet, your health is at risk. Death from dehydration is very uncommon, but it is very possible.

It is important that, while training, you take breaks occasionally to rinse your mouth out with water, ice cold or room temperature it does not really matter, but do not swallow the water. Swallowing the water will cause you to cramp up later and it will make your training that much harder, unless you have been training for hours without any sort of hydration, it is recommended that you do not actually drink anything, but you keep your mouth wet.

Now, when you are done training, it is a good idea to drink a sports drink like powerade or gatorade, at room temerature. Most people will tell you that just drinking water when you are done is enough, but they are very wrong. Sweat is not just water, it is water, sweat, and many other minerals that your body is losing in an attempt to cool you off and keep you from dying from heat stroke. So drinking water alone does not replace what you loose by sweating.

I have been asked by many fellow runners, is it a good idea to drink an energy drink like Redbull, right before my race? My first impulse, to hit the person on the head, but after i repress that impulse, I can come to understand where they are coming from with their question. I can see how you would think this may be an excellent help, a big boost of energy right before your race, but no, it is not a good idea. The reasoning behind this is two fold. For one thing, it is dangerous to consume energy drinks, which accelerate your heart rate, and then do something that evokes mass amounts of adrenaline, like race, which makes your heart race even faster. This can lead to a heart attack, which can lead to death. The second reason is this, you will crash, and you will crash hard! If you are at a track meet, and you crash after your race, your performance will be horrible in following races.

I have also been asked if it would be a good idea to drink coffee or soda in between races, because the caffeine may increase performance. Again, the answer is no. The reasoning behind this is that coffee and soda do not sit well, and when your racing, you are pushing your body, and with an upset stomach you would not be performing optimally. So in other words, drinking either of those will hurt you more then it will help you.

In between races, it is important to get yourself back to your fullest. The best way to do this is to rest, and to stay hydrated by drinking room temperature sport drinks. People often ask me, wouldn't it be better to drink ice cold drinks? Unfortunately, ice cold drinks will cause you to cramp up if you run after drinking them, and it is a bad idea to rehydrate with cold drinks because they will upset your stomach and make you uneasy.

So, to sum this up, when you are resting after training or between races, the best drink for you is any type of sport drink, at room temperature, not ice cold. Happy racing, and dont forget, stay hydrated! It could be the difference between winning and losing.

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