Forums >Health and Nutrition>Training Tip - A Brief History of Water Theory (from Running Times)
I've got a fever...
As runners, many of us enjoyed a long, cool spring, full of perfect running days, but the recent heat wave that has crossed the country was reminiscent of the most recent surprising heat wave: The 2007 Chicago Marathon weekend. Organizers were criticized for running out of water, cups and ambulances. In light of this, you might be surprised to learn that only 40 years ago, race organizers were not allowed to provide fluids before the 11 kilometer mark of a marathon and after that point runners could only drink once every 5k, according to the IAAF rule number 165.5. In fact, this rule was more relaxed than the 1953 version which specified that "refreshments shall [only] be provided by the organizers after 15 km.No refreshments may be carried or taken by a competitor other than that provided by the organizers." We've certainly come a long way from those days, but, as Tim Noakes points out in his tome The Lore of Running, we now have a tendency to overdo it a bit. We're not talking about hyponaetremia (or overhydration) but we're simply drinking more fluids than it is possible for our bodies to absorb when we are in a stressed state. During competitive running, its just not possible to replace fluid at rates equal to sweat rate, due in part to gastrointestinal distress. Noakes found in a 1993 study, that both fluid and carbohydrate absorption from the intestine was lower than expected during exercise. He found that while running, athletes had a hard time absorbing more than approximately 700 milliliters (about 23 ounces) per hour. If they tried to drink more than this, they felt bloated, which indicated some volume of unabsorbed fluid in the intestine. "The only runners who are capable of drinking [enough to keep up with their sweat rate] are those who develop water intoxication (hyponaetremia)," and they tend to be the back of the pack runners, who are running slowly enough to be able to take in so much fluid. In contrast to popular belief, Noakes says that NOT all of the weight loss over a long run or race needs to be replaced in order to maintain performance. Indeed, when runners were tested after hot races, it was found that those with the greatest degree of dehydration were the winners. So how does all this apply to you? While you're running and racing this summer, drink. When you're thirsty and not too much. About 16 ounces (1 pint) per hour will be as much liquid as most of us can absorb.
On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.
rectumdamnnearkilledem
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
Good Bad & The Monkey
In contrast to popular belief, Noakes says that NOT all of the weight loss over a long run or race needs to be replaced in order to maintain performance. Indeed, when runners were tested after hot races, it was found that those with the greatest degree of dehydration were the winners.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
Runners run
Yes. The obsession with hydrating while running is so over done. If you're running any kind of pace you can't hydrate enough anyway, and it's not the end of the friggin world to finish a run or race a bit dehydrated. It's normal, actually.
When I bring water on a hot run, I do it just to avoid cottonmouth, which is a much bigger problem than actual thirst for me. And in races, most of the water at water stations goes on my head rather than in my mouth, to help me cool off. Keeping cool is much more important to me performance-wise than actually drinking a lot of water.
Half Fanatic #846
The obsession with hydrating while running is so over done.
"I don't always roll a joint, but when I do, it's usually my ankle" - unk. "Frankly autocorrect, I'm getting a bit tired of your shirt". I ran half my last race on my left foot!
Is it a problem when one starts to get chills, dizzyness, nausea, and weakness?
I read somewhere not too long ago ( and will try to track it down again ) that even slight dehydration can result in a substantial decrease in performance. Is that not the case?
Ostrich runner
http://www.runningahead.com/groups/Indy/forum
Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson