When racing for two hours or more you’re right on the threshold at which good hydration practices start to become crucial to perform at your best. Why not consider your marathon hydration strategy...
"}},"slug":"marathon-hydration-advice","blogTags":"Hydration","featuredPost":false,"author":{"name":"Andy Blow","slug":"andy-blow","facebookHandle":"https://www.facebook.com/andy.blow.3","twitterHandle":"https://twitter.com/andybl0w?lang=en","instagramHandle":"https://www.instagram.com/andyblow","linkedInProfile":"https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andy-blow-47b90133","stravaProfile":"https://www.strava.com/athletes/6999012","bio":{"childMarkdownRemark":{"html":"Andy Blow is a Sports Scientist with a BSc Honours degree in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Bath. An expert in hydration, he has co-authored a number of scientific studies and books.
\nHe was once the Team Sports Scientist for the Benetton and Renault Formula 1 teams and remains an adviser to the Porsche Human Performance Centre at Silverstone.
\nAndy has finished in the top 10 of IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 races, as well as winning an XTERRA Age Group World title. It was his own struggles with cramp that led to him specialising in hydration and founding Precision Fuel & Hydration.
"}},"title":"PF&H Founder and Sports Scientist","headshot":{"file":{"url":"//images.ctfassets.net/428xzyjdw7rf/2LTns8O1ZGOHSfDQGv2jZz/f6470d62f0c1f14e7239432f60a0b765/Andy.png"}}},"scientificallyReviewed":null,"image":{"resize":{"src":"//images.ctfassets.net/428xzyjdw7rf/5cDDFYbZlD4i2Z87CjynVC/627d552a5f8b621d6d95d62ebeeb9a30/how_to_stay_hydrated_during_a_marathon.jpg?w=1200&h=630&q=70&fit=fill","width":1200,"height":630}},"socialMediaImage":null,"body":{"childMarkdownRemark":{"excerpt":"When you’re racing for two hours or more you’re right on the threshold at which good hydration practices start to become crucial if you want to perform at your…","html":"When you’re racing for two hours or more you’re right on the threshold at which good hydration practices start to become crucial if you want to perform at your best.
\nHere's some things to consider when thinking about your marathon hydration strategy...
\nWhen people talk about hydration, most of the time it's about what and how much athletes should drink during exercise. These are clearly important questions, but your performance is also massively influenced by how hydrated you are when you start exercising in the first place.
\nOnce you begin sweating you're generally going to be fighting a losing battle against fluid and electrolyte loss, so starting off properly hydrated can be extremely beneficial. When you're properly hydrated you have a larger reservoir of fluid to draw from over time than if you're dehydrated.
\nStarting well hydrated has other benefits too. Optimal hydration maximises your blood volume and this helps general cardiovascular function and your ability to dissipate the heat produced by your working muscles. This reduces fatigue and enables you to maintain your performance for longer.
\nDespite the relatively obvious benefits of starting exercise well hydrated, a recent study of over 400 amateur athletes showed that around 31% of them were turning up to training sessions (and, in some cases, competitions) dehydrated!
\nHere are some tips to help you start well hydrated…
\nRead more about how to start hydrated.
\nHow much should you drink?
\nEvery athlete is different but, as a rule of thumb, very few runners can comfortably drink much more than 750ml (24oz) per hour - especially when running hard - so unless experience tells you otherwise, it’s unlikely you’ll need to drink more than that, especially if you got to the start line well hydrated.
\nWhat should you drink?
\nPersonalising your hydration strategy could really make a tangible difference to your result.
\nThat’s because everyone loses a different amount of sodium in their sweat and, if you don’t get replacing that right, you risk hydration-related issues like cramp, dehydration and hyponatremia.
\nMaintaining the sodium levels in your blood is crucial to performing at your best when you're working hard. Sodium helps you absorb and retain fluid, which keeps your blood volume up, reducing cardiovascular strain, fatigue and potentially helping you avoid cramping up.
\nJust drinking water when sweating over long periods dilutes your sodium levels, which can really impact your performance and could lead to hyponatremia, which can have some nasty consequences as highlighted in last year’s London Marathon where one runner ended up in a coma with the condition.
\nOf course, this is an extreme and rare example but it does highlight how bad things can get if you get your hydration strategy badly wrong.
\nHow much sodium you lose is largely genetically determined and doesn’t change too much due to acclimation, diet etc. So, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to hydration just doesn’t work.
\nTake the Fuel & Hydration Planner as a starting point for tailoring your hydration plan to your needs:
\nYou should be able to top up on the fluids and electrolytes lost in your sweat through the food and drink you normally eat in the hours after the race.
\nIf you struggle with cramp, or feel particularly dehydrated, some more deliberate fluid intake and sodium supplementation might be helpful. Here’s some advice on how to speed up your recovery by rehydrating more effectively.
\nWe hope you find this useful as you look for your best perform yet! If you have any questions about hydration at all, you can email our Athlete Support Team at hello@pfandh.com.
\nEnjoy your race!
\n