How much water do you drink?

This Fat Girl Runs

Per day? Whilst running?

I drink over 3L per day but as I don't run very long runs I don't usually bring water with me. I'd only take a little bottle for runs over 9k.

Just wondering what other runners do for hydration.

Itziger

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Per day? Whilst running?

I drink over 3L per day but as I don't run very long runs I don't usually bring water with me. I'd only take a little bottle for runs over 9k.

Just wondering what other runners do for hydration.

Wow!

I'd say on a normal day about a litre. On big running days I hope a bit more. I probably don't drink enough but then again, I don't feel thirsty either.

Cabaal

I try to drink 2ltres,

I don't bother with any water on runs unless the run is over 10miles (or its seriously hot and over 5miles), did a 20mile run last weekend and only took around 600-700ml's with me. Got on just fine (I didn't bother with gels etc)

As long as you properly hydrate you shouldn't need water at all for the first hour of running afaik,

barryoneill50

Cabaal wrote: »

I try to drink 2ltres,

I don't bother with any water on runs unless the run is over 10miles (or its seriously hot and over 5miles), did a 20mile run last weekend and only took around 600-700ml's with me. Got on just fine.

As long as you properly hydrate you shouldn't need water at all for the first hour of running afaik,

snap!

clear thinking

The 1950's US research on drinking 2l has been debunked, or at least misunderstood, as it includes water content in fruit, veg etc. This thing of going off lashing in litres is ridiculous. Where it is important is after a run / training. If you lose water through sweat then you should replace in a 2:1 ratio, e.g. start of run 70kg, end of run, 69kg, therefore drink 2l with electrolytes such as a small pinch of salt. Otherwise its hokum to be sitting in work pouring water in and expecting some sort of benefit from it.

Mr Freeze

I don't drink more than a litre of water a day I'd say. Drink about 4 - 6 cups of tea.

I don't drink on runs less than 16 - 18km. I would get thirsty near the end of those runs, but that's normal.

On a longer run, I would take the same amount of water as in a race of the same distance which would be a sip or 2 of water every 5 or 6 km or so. Probably a cup of waters worth over a half marathon distance.

I ran 25km on Saturday with 2 0.1 Litre gel bottles on a belt with water in them. I should have brought a 3rd as it was quite hot.

This Fat Girl Runs

clear thinking wrote: »

Otherwise its hokum to be sitting in work pouring water in and expecting some sort of benefit from it.

Except that I get really thirsty, and as I don't drink anything but water (and the occasional decaf coffee), I drink a lot of it. I also find the more water I drink the fewer headaches I get, and I used to get headaches a lot! Ditching caffeine, chocolate and fizzy drinks helped too.

generic2012

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Except that I get really thirsty, and as I don't drink anything but water (and the occasional decaf coffee), I drink a lot of it. I also find the more water I drink the fewer headaches I get, and I used to get headaches a lot! Ditching caffeine, chocolate and fizzy drinks helped too.

The more water you drink the more you excrete leading to a viscous cycle. That's why many athletes in sports with weight classes will drinking massive amounts of water between 72-24 hours prior to their weigh in. They cut it down to as little as possible 24 hours before weigh in but the body hasn't yet acclimatised to the decrease in intake and keeps excreting it.

Enduro

Its very simple... don't drink unless your thirsty. If you're thristy then drink. We have evolved to have an excellent system for regulating our water intake, and thirst is your body's way of letting you know when you need to drink.

ecoli

clear thinking wrote: »

The 1950's US research on drinking 2l has been debunked, or at least misunderstood, as it includes water content in fruit, veg etc. This thing of going off lashing in litres is ridiculous. Where it is important is after a run / training. If you lose water through sweat then you should replace in a 2:1 ratio, e.g. start of run 70kg, end of run, 69kg, therefore drink 2l with electrolytes such as a small pinch of salt. Otherwise its hokum to be sitting in work pouring water in and expecting some sort of benefit from it.

Problem with that is that water derived from this source require the digestive system as well as other chemical reactions to take place which require water at a cellular level. You also have to take into account things such as alcohol and caffeine consumption in the average Irish lifestyle. When these are all taken into account I would imagine that though the figure in stand alone research might be excessive when you take in other variables sounds about right for the average sedentary Irish person without accounting for exercise

Enduro wrote: »

Its very simple... don't drink unless your thirsty. If you're thristy then drink. We have evolved to have an excellent system for regulating our water intake, and thirst is your body's way of letting you know when you need to drink.

Roughly 60-70 % of Irish people have been found to have some level of chronic dehydration which correlates to the level of renal disease which is one of Europes higher (pretty alarming given our average temperatures)*

* other factors obviously come into play but more a way of highlighting that hydration level discreprancies amongst cultures can be wide ranging

@OP Ideally I would aim to be drinking about the same as you atleast not always the (though I do have a particularly high caffeine intake)

Enduro

ecoli wrote: »

Roughly 60-70 % of Irish people have been found to have some level of chronic dehydration which correlates to the level of renal disease which is one of Europes higher (pretty alarming given our average temperatures)*

* other factors obviously come into play but more a way of highlighting that hydration level discreprancies amongst cultures can be wide ranging

Have you got good link for that? (Asking as I want to read the research out of interest). The first thing that strikes me off the top of my head is that it could be related to our levels of alcohol consumption. Would be interesting to see the nature of the research.

ecoli

Enduro wrote: »

Have you got good link for that? (Asking as I want to read the research out of interest). The first thing that strikes me off the top of my head is that it could be related to our levels of alcohol consumption. Would be interesting to see the nature of the research.

I have a hard copy somewhere at home i'll try and dig out or find an online link to it.

Agree that alcohol and coffee do play a major role in it without a doubt but I think these cultural variables need to be taken into account as we do as often diuretics can almost trick the mind into thinking its hydrated.

Ososlo

I'd sip on about 3 litres of water a day whether thirsty or not. Could that have adverse effects?
I haven't noticed any except for having to pee every 15 mins but wondering now if it's excessive and bad in some way.

rainbow kirby

2-3 litres a day sounds about right for me. I'd generally go through 3 x 750ml bottles of water at work, just sipping away at the desk, then wouldn't drink a huge amount in the evening unless I'm cycling and it's hot.

This Fat Girl Runs

I'm ok with drinking 3L, doesn't seem to have any bad effects on me and has done me good as I mentioned, with the headaches. I'm happy enough!

plodder

Ososlo wrote: »

I'd sip on about 3 litres of water a day whether thirsty or not. Could that have adverse effects?

I don't think so. Someone is probably going to mention hyponatremia, but it really isn't an issue in everyday life (or every day running), where it's better to err on the side of slightly too much hydration rather than slightly too little imho. There'd be days when I'd drink 3 l as well, though not every day. Thirst is a good indicator, but I find myself stuck at my desk at times, and only after a while realise I've been thirsty for half an hour.

walshb

I don't get this ingesting water for the sake of it. It's like some new craze. People drinking water all day long. Of course, stay hydrated, but obey your thirst. Ingesting when not thirsty or not really in need surely can't be all that good for you. Puts a strain on the kidneys. I would ingest between 1-2 litres a day. That includes water from all sources. I know some people ingesting 2-3 liters a day not including tea and coffee and water from foods. Non active people too.:eek:

As fro running. I think it's safe to ingest water when you start to feel thirsty or start to overheat. No need for water in a short race, unless you are taking a long time to complete it. Every one is different, but the average fit person probably needs 500 mls of water for every 60-70 minutes of running.

gerard_65

"Psychogenic polydipsia is the psychiatric condition in which patients feel compelled to drink large quantities of water, thus putting them at risk of water intoxication. This condition can be especially dangerous if the patient also exhibits other psychiatric indications (as is often the case), as the care-takers might misinterpret the hyponatremic symptoms"

Summary: Drink lots of water and your nuts.:pac:

Ososlo

walshb wrote: »

I don't get this ingesting water for the sake of it. It's like some new craze. People drinking water all day long.

Yes but do you have a youthful fresh dewey complexion like I have from my 3L a day?:pac:

walshb

Ososlo wrote: »

Yes but do you have a youthful fresh dewey complexion like I have from my 3L a day?:pac:

That's just your natural look I would imagine!;)

Oops69

ecoli wrote: »

I have a hard copy somewhere at home i'll try and dig out or find an online link to it.

Agree that alcohol and coffee do play a major role in it without a doubt but I think these cultural variables need to be taken into account as we do as often diuretics can almost trick the mind into thinking its hydrated.

With respect ,I'm not aware Of diuretics having an effect or 'almost ' on 'the mind ' they all act on the glomerular apparatus in the kidney only and not centrally in the pituitary , hypothalamus or cerebral cortex .

gerard_65

walshb wrote: »

That's just your natural look I would imagine!;)

walshb turning on the charm!! Pigs are flying:p

walshb

gerard_65 wrote: »

walshb turning on the charm!! Pigs are flying:p

I do my best to try and compliment at least one person each day. Job done for today. Roll on tomorrow.

Laois_Man

My view is that you don't wait until you're thirsty because at that point you're already dehydrated.

I haven't felt thirst all day but I have still failed the pee test this evening.

Also, I get daily e-mail newsletters about running stuff and it's odd how often I get e-mailed about the very thing tha's the heat of discussion on that very day. Today, my newsletter was all about beverages - not just water, lots of stuff

http://www.runnersworld.com/hydration-dehydration/the-very-best-beverages-for-runners?cm_mmc=NL-Nutrition-_-1792592-_-08072014-_-The-Best-Drinks-for-Runners

ecoli

Oops69 wrote: »

With respect ,I'm not aware Of diuretics having an effect or 'almost ' on 'the mind ' they all act on the glomerular apparatus in the kidney only and not centrally in the pituitary , hypothalamus or cerebral cortex .

Would the stimulation of the trigeminal nerve through the consumption of either substance not illicit a response?

rom

walshb

Laois_Man wrote: »

My view is that you don't wait until you're thirsty because at that point you're already dehydrated.

I would agree with this.

TFBubendorfer

Laois_Man wrote: »

My view is that you don't wait until you're thirsty because at that point you're already dehydrated.

That's a myth that has been debunked.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterlogged-Serious-Problem-Overhydration-Endurance-ebook/dp/B0081U6WWG/

clear thinking

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Except that I get really thirsty, and as I don't drink anything but water (and the occasional decaf coffee), I drink a lot of it. I also find the more water I drink the fewer headaches I get, and I used to get headaches a lot! Ditching caffeine, chocolate and fizzy drinks helped too.

That's perfect, just drink when thirsty, thirst is the body's natural water regulator.

This Fat Girl Runs

Who knew that simple question would be controversial! But, interesting debate! I love it!

:P

plodder

Oops69 wrote: »

With respect ,I'm not aware Of diuretics having an effect or 'almost ' on 'the mind ' they all act on the glomerular apparatus in the kidney only and not centrally in the pituitary , hypothalamus or cerebral cortex .

I don't think the effect would necessarily need to be as direct as that. If you are a regular drinker of coffee or alcohol, then it's possible your body just gets habituated to being dehydrated to some extent.

That's a myth that has been debunked.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterlogged-...dp/B0081U6WWG/

I haven't read the book, but my understanding is that Noakes is talking specifically about taking on water during endurance events, not drinking 2-3 litres of water during everyday life (as a runner, in warm weather that we are unaccustomed to). These are very different situations. When racing you are sweating and losing electrolytes. If you only replace fluids with water, you can get this EAH condition (dangerous swelling of the brain). But, that's not going to happen by drinking moderately more than you need, in every day life. All that happens is you'll go to the toilet more often. Your kidneys regulate the electrolyte levels, because that's what they are designed to do. TBH, this idea that it puts your kidneys under strain seems highly suspect to me.

walshb

The thing is that thirst can come on gradually, and can give off different signs. Every person may feel it differently. It's not an exact science. Drink when thirsty, or failing this, drink over the course of the whole day in relatively equal amounts.

kal7

I tend to drink about 2l a day as drink. Food contributes a bit too.

I keep an eye on urine colour. Brown need more, clear need less, light straw colour just right.

Believe it is very personal, sweat rates, level exercise, etc.

Some marathon winners were found to be quite dehydrated, so it may not affect there performance too much. But for some of us could be big thing.

ThePiedPiper

I often see people swigging on 750ml bottles of water around the clock, can't say I see the point of it. Another poster earlier mentioned going to the toilet every 15 minutes all day. To me, that's just putting undue pressure on the liver and kidneys.

Personally, when training, I would always go by the 100ml per mile rule, so if I have run 10 miles, I know I'll need to drink about 1 litre do rehydrate after the run. If the weather is especially hot and its a faster run, then I might need 120-150ml of water per mile to rehydrate. I have found after marathons, I'm about 3 litres dehydrated. I don't drink anything in races of less than marathon distance, and in a marathon distance race, I might consume about 300ml possibly.

In the morning times, assuming I was not in a dehydrated state heading for bed, I find that about 200-300 ml of fluid is sufficient, maybe another 500ml over the course of the day, via tea or water or whatever, then the replacement of lost fluid comes into it.

walshb

kal7 wrote: »

Some marathon winners were found to be quite dehydrated, so it may not affect there performance too much. But for some of us could be big thing.

But wouldn't their goal be to take on as little weight as possible whilst remaining somewhat healthy/hydrated? They are in a serious race situation, so they want to be barely hydrated in the sense of minimum weight added to them, as well as not having to take toilet breaks which could lose them a race. Many other 'marathon' runners who aren't elite or too serious will drink more.

Maybe some seasoned marathon runners could explain their goal/strategy as regards intake of fluids in a marathon race?

gerard_65

This is the extreme. Remember these people were stopping themselves from relieving themselves.

http://www.undergroundhealth.com/why-drinking-too-much-water-can-be-harmful-to-your-health/

I just judge the colour of my pee. Rarely drink on the run, even on very long runs, unless the weather is very warm.

Ososlo

If your pee is completely clear like water does that mean you're drinking too much water?

gerard_65

Ososlo wrote: »

If your pee is completely clear like water does that mean you're drinking too much water?

Just means your hydrated. Clear or straw colour is good but a dark yellow is not too good, but, its only a rule-of-thumb. Some foods like beetroot can change the colour.

My daily intake is whatever water is contained in sandwiches, crisps and cans of club orange!

On the day before a run I will hydrate a lot. Then have a litre about 90 mins before I start. On a normal day that will enable me do about 30km on 750ml of water.

LUPE

On training days I usually run around 6 or 7pm, so I'll have about 3 litres throughout the day and 2L after to re-hydrate.

For races in the morning I'll have a couple of litres the previous evening then 1.5-2L in the couple of hours prior to race, then another 2-3L throughout remainder of the day.

echancrure

I actually went for 26 miles last Saturday but it was sunnier than I thought!

I ran out of water at mile 18. I only brought 0.7 litre with me.

I had to stop at mile 20 and run / walk the last 6. Not great fun but a valuable experience.

Will bring my backpack next time...

Ron DMC

echancrure wrote: »

I actually went for 26 miles last Saturday but it was sunnier than I thought!

I ran out of water at mile 18. I only brought 0.7 litre with me.

I had to stop at mile 20 and run / walk the last 6. Not great fun but a valuable experience.

Will bring my backpack next time...

On long runs on hot days, I run past public drinking taps for refills.

(Not that I ever get in enough long runs...)

joe123

2l over the course of the day is about right for me. Feel so much better if I sip away during the day.

Find I get far less shin splint type senastions in my legs during sport too.

Definitey wouldnt agree on the only drink when you are thirsty as I feel you should never feel overly thirsty if you are sipping away.

joe123

2l over the course of the day is about right for me. Feel so much better if I sip away during the day.

Find I get far less shin splint type senastions in my legs during sport too.

Definitey wouldnt agree on the only drink when you are thirsty as I feel you should never feel overly thirsty if you are sipping away.

Maximus Alexander

I'm thirsty a lot, I probably drink 2 or 3 liters a day regardless of whether I run or not.

ger664

If you eat enough of Fruit and Vegetables then there is really no need to be slugging down 2-3 Liters of water a day.

gerard_65

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

I'm thirsty a lot, I probably drink 2 or 3 liters a day regardless of whether I run or not.

Have you been tested for diabetes?

barryoneill50

If it's possible try and make sure you run past a graveyard on a long run. Always taps there....

Maximus Alexander

gerard_65 wrote: »

Have you been tested for diabetes?

Nah I've never really been a hypochondriac. :pac:

DOCO12

barryoneill50 wrote: »

If it's possible try and make sure you run past a graveyard on a long run. Always taps there....

Great tip Barry, I'd never thought of that before. You wouldn't mind I actually usually leave my water at a stop quite near the graveyard too

On a typical day I'd easily drink 2 litres. Plus about 5 cups of tea and maybe a coffee or two instead of tea. It's more of a lifetime habit at this stage.

echancrure

Ron DMC wrote: »

On long runs on hot days, I run past public drinking taps for refills.

(Not that I ever get in enough long runs...)

Yeah I should probably have done that: I did pass a hotel and a garden centre.