Reid Coolsaet is practising drinking. For weeks if not months leading up to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, the elite runner will keep detailed information on how much he weighs before and after a workout and how much fluids he takes in during training in order to fine-tune his hydration and fuelling needs come race day. It’s an issue even rookie marathon runners need to pay attention to, Mr. Coolsaet says.
“If you can practise [hydrating] before the marathon, it can save you a lot of pain and agony,” says Mr. Coolsaet, who lives in Hamilton and trains in Guelph, Ont.
Proper hydration and fuelling is not as simple a matter as drinking when you are thirsty or downing a PowerBar when hunger pangs strike mid-race. Instead, experts say runners need to practice hydrating and fuelling well before an event. Otherwise, they may suffer muscle cramps or worse ailments that can hurt performance or even see them unable to reach the finish line.
Water is an ideal source of hydration when it comes to doing 90 minutes or less of physical activity, says Andrea Holwegner, a Calgary-based registered dietician. Any longer than that, however, and people will require some other liquid containing sodium and potassium in order to restore lost electrolytes.— iStockphoto
“It’s really important that part of the process of training is understanding what works for you and what doesn’t,” says Samuel Gutman, medical director of the BMO Vancouver Marathon and president of RockDoc Consulting, a Vancouver-based medical-consulting company.
For instance, some runners may find that gels, typically eaten to restore glycogen levels, upset their stomach, Dr. Gutman says. Runners who have never consumed them during training but take a gel midway through a race only to find they get cramps or diarrhea only have themselves to blame since it could have easily been discovered while preparing for the race.
Knowing whether it is best for a particular runner to have gel at the ready or an energy bar can make all the difference when it comes to reaching a goal time.
“In order to finish, even if you’re well trained, most people need some kind of nutrition on the course,” Dr. Gutman says.
Knowing when you will need nutrition on the course is also essential, says Dan Ouimet, chair of the Calgary Marathon Society.
“Be sure that you figure out when it is that your energy stores will be depleted,” he says. “If you think at mile 15, for example, you will need a reload of energy, you want to start consuming that reload at mile 13 because it’s going to take a mile or two for the calories to get in your system and kick into gear.”
Most energy bars will contain both protein and carbohydrates, helping to boost the body?s energy reserves. They are a great alternative for people who can?t stomach gels. But just like sports drinks, it is best to experiment with several varieties during training to find the brand that tastes best.
Knowing how much fluid to consume during a race is also essential, Mr. Ouimet says. Dehydration can result in cramping, vomiting and fatigue. Taking in too much fluids, a condition known as hyponatremia, can also pose significant problems.
Mr. Ouimet suffered a case of hyponatremia early in his endurance running career. “I started throwing up and I had no clue why,” he says of his third marathon. “It turned out I had just drank too much water and not enough electrolytes.”
In the worst cases, hyponatremia can result in seizures as the body’s stores of sodium are depleted. The condition can even be fatal, says Bruce Minnes, medical director of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
