Water is essential to good health, considering it makes up about 50-70 percent of our body weight at any given time.
Drinking adequate amounts of water has major benefits on our health, such as, increased energy, brain function, lubricates and cushions joints, and most importantly, helps rid the body of wastes.
When training for any big running event, you’ll want to make sure you’re properly hydrated going into the race, during the race and after the race. Just like you prepare and practice running, you should be practicing your hydration along with it!
How much water do you need on training days?
On days you’ll be running long distances, or for more than 45 minutes, you’ll want to reconsider how many fluids you intake.
- Two hours before your run – It’s recommended to drink about 17-20 ounces of water or an electrolyte beverage.
- During run – Drink about 5-10 ounces of water about every 20-30 minutes while running, even if you’re not thirsty.
- After run – Post-exercise hydration gets your fluid levels back to normal and can help with recovery. For every pound lost while running, drink 16–24 fl. oz. of water.
Hydration Tips for Running
- Plan your route – You won’t want to carry all the water you’ll need on a long run for the entire run. Plan a route that will take you by a water fountain where you can drink or refill a bottle. You can also treat your car or house like a water station by planning a long run that loops back multiple times to your vehicle or house.
- Set a timer – You might get lost in thought during your run and not remember to intake fluids. However, it’s still very important to drink every 20-30 minutes while running, so set a timer on your phone or watch to remember when you need to drink.
- Keep fluids available – Whether you use a running vest, belt or handheld water bottle, the key is to keep fluids accessible. Try not to stop running completely when you’re drinking because you likely won’t stop enough times to be adequately hydrated.