How to Hydrate During a Race

Staying hydrated is very important in order to maximize your performance during the race. But what are the ways to hydrate properly? How much should you drink?

Photo from www.ultrarunningltd.co.uk

Here are the hydration tips shared by Coach Andy Leuterio.

Exercise steadily depletes both glycogen and fat stores, approximately 500-600 calories/hour. The higher the intensity of your workout, the more you need to replenish glycogen.

When doing more than 90 minutes exercise, Andy recommends to consume an energy drink with electrolytes as a source of energy.

But how much should you drink?

– Sip, not gulp, about 500ml/hour. Setting the timer function on your watch to remind you to time your hydration regularly.

– Bring your fuel and hydration, like bottles, gels, with you. Make a point to always have an empty bottle every hour.

– Make an estimate of your projected race time, then compute
how much fuel and hydration you will need.

Andy recommends that hydration should continue throughout the day and to aim to drink back any water weight that you lose from any intense activity.

Coach Andy Leuterio is the Director & Head  Coach of Alpha Training Systems, an advanced coaching system for age group triathlets. He is also a Level II Body Geometry FITter and a sports marketing consultant.

Reference: Race Fuelling & Hydration Talk by Coach Andy Leuterio at Kickass Sports and Fitness Expo 2015.