“Failing to hydrate properly is a major cause of more DNFs, race failures and underperforming days than you may imagine.”

First of all, for athletes training or competing in events less than 60 minutes, you don’t have anything to fear!  Exhaustive training/racing for under 60 minutes rarely results in any serious symptoms of dehydration.  Conversely, any strenuous activity over 60 minutes virtually mandates some form of hydration strategy.  To best identify your needs around hydration, we simply need to understand the amount of fluid being lost in any given hour of exercise.  To do this, weigh yourself (without workout clothes on) before your session, then do the same afterwards.  If you consumed fluids during the session, simply subtract that weight (roughly 20 oz of fluid per lb) from your post workout result.  Or, if you’d like to cut to the chase, Gatorade has a fluid loss calculator at the following website: www.gatorade.com/hydration/fluid_loss_calculator.

You will note from either method, that the average target ounces per hour to consume are roughly 16-24.  The higher end of this range and more would be the norm for extended activity in 85+ degree weather, and the opposite would be true for activity in the 50’s.  As with any foray into a change in training strategy, trial and error should be exercised during training sessions to better understand how your body processes such fluids at various temperatures and effort levels.

For longer efforts (4+ hrs), your other indicator of successful hydration should be “evacuation events”, that is, urination frequency.  If your hydration is dialed, you should be urinating approximately once every hour.  If this is not the case, you are dehydrated!  Increase your fluid intake appropriately and let your body react normally.  In many triathlons at the 70.3 distance and greater, the importance of hydration on the bike is forgotten as the wind cools your body and you fail to feel the sweat being generated by the skin.  Unfortunately, once you’ve figured out that you’re behind your hydration schedule (via no urination stops or extreme fatigue on the run) it is too late.  You will be virtually forced to reduce your effort, consume increased levels of fluid and reassess your time goals.

Another significant element forgotten by most athletes is the need to hydrate on an everyday basis.  Proper fluid levels in the body are as vital as proper oil levels in your car!  If your fluid levels are not appropriate, you can feel sluggish, tired or rigid (vs. feeling flexible).  This can be addressed with this consumption formula—body weight in lbs, divided by 2, converted into ounces.  As an example, if you weigh 150 lbs, divided by 2 this number would be 75, thus, 75 ounces of fluid per day should be consumed (any training fluid consumption is incremental!).  If you have never attempted such a regimen, I can guarantee that you will feel more energetic, recover faster and feel great.

Lastly, anything of too much is a bad thing.  Much has been made in the press about hyponatremia—an abnormally low level of sodium, frequently brought on by excess consumption of water.  This malady has caused death in a handful of athletes who have significantly over hydrated vs. their fluid loss result.  This can be addressed by staying true to your predetermined consumption goals outlined above and/or awareness of proper sodium/electrolyte intake.  If you are aware of your sweat rate, you can estimate the loss of approximately 220 milligrams of sodium per 8 oz of sweat.  Thus, any intake of fluid should be complemented by roughly this same level of electrolytes.  As a point of reference, an 8 oz serving of Gatorade (regular formula) has 110 mg of sodium.

Stay happy, hydrated and have a great workout!  Happy training!

Back To TriMax Nutrition Center »