A bit more about.... dehydration

Very relevant this week – I found Monday’s runs hard work, not least because I hadn’t drunk much liquid at all during the day. An experiment I haven’t tried yet is to weigh yourself before & after a run to get an idea of just how much you are getting through!

Symptons can include:

· A run feeling much tougher than it should.

· Headaches afterwards.

· Dizziness or light headed feeling.

· Dark, concentrated urine.

Before you run

Make sure that you drink before you run.

· For morning runs, I try to drink water 1 hour before I run – earlier if possible. If I drink too much just before I run, it can be uncomfortable for me, leading to stitch.

· If you are running in the evening, try to drink much more during the day - little & often is a good approach.

· Little & often is also a really good method to adopt if you are worried about bladder control – you won’t then need to drink in the half hour before you run, so a quick last minute loo visit should be enough to ensure that you are comfortable but still well hydrated.

On the run

· For runs of less than 45 minutes, you don’t normally need to drink whilst running. Having said that, a sip of water gives many of us a quick boost when we’re starting to flag. If it is very warm, you might want to take a drink with you.

· For longer runs, drinking en route becomes necessary.

· Water, squash or a sports drink are all good. Hypotonic sports drinks are designed to be absorbed by your body even quicker than straight water – Lucozade and Powerade are brand leaders, but you can make your own (see the recipe at the end).

· When you run for more than 90 minutes, you’ll have depleted your glycogen stores. To avoid running out of fuel, you could go for a multi tasking liquid that will hydrate you and refuel you! Try the Refuel Recipe at the end of this article.

· Carrying your drink is always an issue! Loop shaped bottles are easier to carry, waist packs enable you to carry bottles or a water bladder without impacting your posture.

· Alternatively, plan your route to go past a shop, take a couple of quid & just buy & drink! This fabulously pragmatic tip came from Dawn.

After your run

· Drink as soon as you can after your run – water, soft drink or sports drink.

· Try to avoid alcohol until you’re sure you’ve fully rehydrated. Otherwise you may feel the effects a little too swiftly – I do have experience of this!

DIY Hypotonic Recipe: 1 part fruit juice, 3 parts water

Refuel Recipe: Hydrating and energy rich, this is something Anne R developed with her husband for long mountain bike rides – but is also good for long runs.

Mix 200ml fruit juice, 3-4 tsp glucose powder (available from Boots) with between a pinch and half a tsp of salt. Dilute up to about 750ml with water. Tweak the quantities if you don’t feel that the mix is quite right for you – we’re all different.