Trail runners must take care of hydration carefully following a precise strategy and not waiting for the sensation of thirst to arise, usually when it is already too late (loss of water between 2% to 5%) and the first symptoms of dehydration appear. Here is a Mini-Guide to recognize the symptoms of dehydration and to hydrate properly throughout the day and in trail running workouts.
SYMPTOMS OF TRAIL RUNNER DEHYDRATION
The first symptoms of dehydration appear after the loss of low percentages of body fluids. Here are the main symptoms to help recognize excessive fluid loss:
Pay attention to the signs to avoid heatstroke that occurs around a loss of 30% of fluids. If you reach this point stop immediately and seek shelter from the heat and drink cool water.
EXAMPLE OF HYDRATION STRATEGY DURING THE DAY FOR A TRAIL RUNNER
It is important to distribute the intake of water and other liquids throughout the day:
HYDRATION DURING TRAIL RUNNING TRAINING
During training, it is advisable to use a drink that also contains energy and saline components. Here are some tips on how to choose and manage the drink:
HYDRATION AT THE END OF TRAIL RUNNING TRAINING
Reintegration during post-training trail running recovery is just as important as the phases that preceded it.
ADVANTAGES OF CORRECT HYDRATION IN TRAIL RUNNING
Proper hydration in trail running allows you to:
Find out more about trail running nutrition here Nutrition Articles or about Nutrition Plans specifically designed for trail running.
Scientific resources:
Fluid replacement during prolonged exercise: effects of water, saline, or no fluid
Diet, Hydration, Lifestyle and Training Practices of Elite Kenyan Endurance Runners
Digital Strategic Marketing Director – certified Innovation Manager – in multinational companies, she is still today the only Italian female athlete to have ran 900 km and 55,000m D+ in the mountains in a single stage race (Transpyrenea 2016, 3rd women overall). She counts numerous Podiums and international Victories on races over 100k. She holds a SNaQ CONI certification as a Trail Running Coach, Athletic Trainer and in Nutrition and Sports Supplementation. Since 2014 she is President and sports executive of innovative technology startups and companies, including Trail Running Movement and Digital Sport 360. She trains elite trail running athletes and she teaches in trail running coach certification courses. She is an author of sports articles on training, nutrition and supplementation in trail running and running, both in Italian and in English and Spanish. She manages relationships and collaborations with Federations and Race Organizers.