Keeping Hydrated while running

K09

Hi,

I did 5mile run today but despite drinking lots of water afterwards I have had a headache all day.
I didn't carry a water bottle with me on the run as I find it annoying to carry.

What do you do to keep hydrated? Do you just carry a water bottle?

Krusty_Clown

I used to carry a water bottle for anything over 13 miles, but I lost the bottle recently, and the drink belt doesn't really fit me any more, so now I stop off once or twice in a shop and buy a bottle of still water. I don't need as much as I used to. For 5 miles you should be fine without carrying water, just make sure you're well hydrated beforehand, and re-hydrate properly afterwards. Try weighing yourself before you go out and after you get back to see how much water you've lost.

ecoli

K09 wrote: »

Hi,

I did 5mile run today but despite drinking lots of water afterwards I have had a headache all day.
I didn't carry a water bottle with me on the run as I find it annoying to carry.

What do you do to keep hydrated? Do you just carry a water bottle?

Fluid absorbtion in the body occurs at a constant rate and cannot be increased after one gets dehydrated. For this reason it s important to hydrate well in advance and continue to do so up until your run. By doing this you should avoid the problem and explains why you were unable to get rd of the headache immediately by just drinking loads of water after the run ( though this is important to provide fluid to be absorbed by the intestines

RacoonQueen

Don't carry anything with me when I run. Ocassionally I'll bring a belt, by ocassionally I mean maybe once in a marathon training cycle. Ran 20 miles yesterday with no fuel or water. I drink a lot of water though and always ensure I'm hydrated which is probably why my method works so well for me.

911sc

5 miles is too short to get so dehydrated. You must have been well dehydrated before your run.

Simple test: check the color of your urine. If should be clear if you are hydrated. The less hydrated you are, the darker is gets.
See here for example

BrokenMan

Might be a stupid question but are you sure the headache is caused by dehydration?

Could be something else unrelated, onset of a cold or flu maybe.

Do you normally get dehydrated after a 5 mile run, if so you are probably not properly hydrated before you go out.

Time out

I sometimes get minor headache from hungar, but only after massive training session and if dont eat straight after.
I always carry a water bottle in hand when running, am completely used to it, so much so that it is more comfortable to carry it than not

RealistSpy

You have to be drinking a lot of water at least 3 day prior to your competition well that works for me. Sometimes when you are dyhydrated you don't know.

How Strange

K09 wrote: »

Hi,

I did 5mile run today but despite drinking lots of water afterwards I have had a headache all day.
I didn't carry a water bottle with me on the run as I find it annoying to carry.

What do you do to keep hydrated? Do you just carry a water bottle?

If you felt dehydrated in this weather with temps around 5oc then you must've been very dehydrated starting out.

Running 5 miles wouldn't dehydate you.

Always drink lots of water the day before or even two days before running. The longer the distance the greater the need to keep hydrated constantly but for 5 miles a couple of litres of water the day before would be enough. Avoid too much alcohol i.e. a good few pints the night before.

When I was training for DCM last year and doing my 20 mile runs I got used to hydrating before the run and at 10 miles (the 2nd lap of the route) I'd stop at my car, take a slug of water and then carry a 25ml bottle of lucozade sport with me for the final 10miles.

I didn't like the belt and hated carrying anything more than a tiny bottle in my hand when running.

az2wp0sye65487

Didn't want to start a whole new thread on the same subject so I thought I'd ask my question here.

Went for a 7K run on Sunday morning, but ended up walking in parts, just couldn't keep running. I had just gotten up about 20 mins before I went out the door. I normally run in the evening time, and I always drink plenty of water throughout the day when I know I'm going for a run that evening.

Sunday was one of the few morning runs that I've done. I should also say that on Saturday night I had a 750ml bottle of beer (= 3 ordinary bottles) and crisps, over the course of the evening.

I also got a bit of a headache during my run, but what bothered me most was not feeling able to keep running, and having to walk in parts. I take it I was dehydrated too?

eliwallach

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

the drink belt doesn't really fit me any more.

Piling it on, eh Krusty ? :rolleyes:

RoyMcC

Jesse Enough Desert wrote: »

Didn't want to start a whole new thread on the same subject so I thought I'd ask my question here.

Went for a 7K run on Sunday morning, but ended up walking in parts, just couldn't keep running. I had just gotten up about 20 mins before I went out the door. I normally run in the evening time, and I always drink plenty of water throughout the day when I know I'm going for a run that evening.

Sunday was one of the few morning runs that I've done. I should also say that on Saturday night I had a 750ml bottle of beer (= 3 ordinary bottles) and crisps, over the course of the evening.

I also got a bit of a headache during my run, but what bothered me most was not feeling able to keep running, and having to walk in parts. I take it I was dehydrated too?

Stevie, as per the replies above it is virtually impossible to dehydrate over such a short distance - see Racoon Queen & Krusty posts. True, one dehydrates to an extent overnight but that shouldn't be affecting you over 7k. Put it down to a bad run - there are not always explanations.

Stark

I sometimes get a headache that I can't shift if I lose a lot of salt during a run. Electrolyte drinks (or just a bit of salt in water) are useful in this regard.

I wouldn't get dehydrated during a 5 mile run though unless it was a really hot day.

K09

Thanks for the replies.

How much water should I drink before a run?? And how long in advance of the run?

I am hoping to do a 10mile run this weekend. So should I drink half a litre 30mins before run?

Thanks.

How Strange

K09 wrote: »

I am hoping to do a 10mile run this weekend. So should I drink half a litre 30mins before run?

Not unless you want to stop for a pee every 10mins

You hydrate the day before or two days before. What you drink that morning will have little effect on your hydration. It will sit in your bladder and as soon as you hit the cold air you'll have to go for a pee.

Even on my 20 mile runs I'd drink very little that morning and I wouldn't drink an hour before I go out so my bladder is empty.

TarfHead

K09 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

How much water should I drink before a run?? And how long in advance of the run?

I am hoping to do a 10mile run this weekend. So should I drink half a litre 30mins before run?

Thanks.

As well as quantity, you should also make sure the water is taken on over a period of time, i.e. bolting down 50cl of water before heading out is of less value than the same quantity sipped at a steady rate over the preceding hour.

Krusty_Clown

K09 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

How much water should I drink before a run?? And how long in advance of the run?

I am hoping to do a 10mile run this weekend. So should I drink half a litre 30mins before run?

Thanks.

Try having a good breakfast, with fruit juice and some water, at least a good 90 minutes before your run. I find coffee also helps to get things 'moving'. Sip water until 30 mins before you run, and off you go. As you run more and more, you'll learn what does and doesn't work for you (what to eat/drink, when to do it) etc. On a long run (20 miles etc), I usually end up having a sneaky pee at some stage (i run down a lot of country lanes!).

Krusty_Clown

eliwallach wrote: »

Piling it on, eh Krusty ? :rolleyes:

I have put on around 8 lbs since my last marathon, but I don't know where it's gone.
I can't find it anywhere.

ecoli

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Try having a good breakfast, with fruit juice and some water, at least a good 90 minutes before your run. I find coffee also helps to get things 'moving'. Sip water until 30 mins before you run, and off you go. As you run more and more, you'll learn what does and doesn't work for you (what to eat/drink, when to do it) etc. On a long run (20 miles etc), I usually end up having a sneaky pee at some stage (i run down a lot of country lanes!).

Wouldnt recommend coffee if the problem is hydration as it is proven to dehydrate the body rather than hydrate however if hydrated properly caffine is good to have 30-60 min before running