To drink or not to drink

[Mountain Goatess]

I expected to lose weight in a marathon, about 3 or 4lbs, principally water. I always found afterwards that 7 or 8 pints of Guinness filled this lacuna to my satisfaction.

I believe it's the case that, whilst no-one has died of dehydration in a marathon, several have died of hyponatraemia.

Or inebriation in your case BL!

[Flopsy]

I believe it's the case that, whilst no-one has died of dehydration in a marathon, several have died of hyponatraemia.

I think most of us can (and do) manage to find a happy balance somewhere between the two!! :wink:

[stevefoster]

I always found afterwards that 7 or 8 pints of Guinness filled this lacuna to my satisfaction.

A man after my own heart, nowt like copious amounts of Guinness after a good run, Bloody Marvellous:thumbup:

[Stolly]

....water overload - nasty, can even be fatal, sometimes with very little warning.

This is ridiculous! I'm just talking from personal experience when I get very very thirsty on long runs; I'm not talking about trying to drown myself!!

[Eleanor]

I never realised that having a drink of water could be so complicated - my head is spinning from reading this thread. I like fell running because of the lack of technical know-how and equipment needed to get out there, so I think I'll keep my happy ignorance on this technical matter

[Brotherton Lad]

You are quite right, Eleanor, and fell-running being a grassroots, bottom-up sort of sport (may Allah be praised), that's just how it should be.

I suppose the point is of more relevance to road running, where over-commercialisation brings inexperienced people in who feel (and indeed have been told) they have to drink constantly. I expect we've all seen 10k races with people carrying bottles and even Camelbaks and, even then, you'll get complaints that there is not enough water on the course, as if drinks at the start, halfway round and at the end are a dereliction of duty.

I, for one, didn't realise that the use of glycogen in the energy pathway released water, though it makes perfect sense now Mike has pointed it out.

[Flopsy]

You are quite right, Eleanor, and fell-running being a grassroots, bottom-up sort of sport (may Allah be praised), that's just how it should be.

I suppose the point is of more relevance to road running, where over-commercialisation brings inexperienced people in who feel (and indeed have been told) they have to drink constantly. I expect we've all seen 10k races with people carrying bottles and even Camelbaks and, even then, you'll get complaints that there is not enough water on the course, as if drinks at the start, halfway round and at the end are a dereliction of duty.

I, for one, didn't realise that the use of glycogen in the energy pathway released water, though it makes perfect sense now Mike has pointed it out.

I think that is what many of us have been trying to say, that just cause we drink doesn't mean we are drinking loads and loads with the risk of over-hydrating.

I'll never be a top of the pack runner anway and so feeling comfortable with my hydration levels is more important than getting my maximum performance.

Personally I struggle with the fact that I am not a scientist. So one scientist / medical boff says one thing and another says another and because science is not what I know everthing one person says makes perfect sense but then so does eveything someone else says too. I don't have the knowledge base to distinguish what is technically 'right' and what is technically 'wrong'. I don't know who to believe as they all sound convincing. So me personally (and I suspect others) feel overwhelmed with all the info and think b***er it I'll just do what feels right for me.

[ZootHornRollo]

yeah fine but ...

What MikeT is arguing is that you can be less concerned about carrying and drinking loads of water: to me that means you can be less encumbered and frees up the running experience. It's one less thing to worry about.

Just cos it's expressed scientifically doesn't mean it's complicating anything - it's actually the opposite.

[Flopsy]

yeah fine but ...

What MikeT is arguing is that you can be less concerned about carrying and drinking loads of water: to me that means you can be less encumbered and frees up the running experience. It's one less thing to worry about.

Just cos it's expressed scientifically doesn't mean it's complicating anything - it's actually the opposite.

Not complicating things for you maybe. But Mike is saying the exact opposite to other 'scientists / medical bods (who say that just a small level of dehydration affects the peformance), so who do I believe?

If I don't carry water, I will feel thirsty, so I will be carrying less but feeling worse. I also have a medical reason why I cannot become dehydrated without consequences.

Also many places have so many tourists etc nowadays that I can't guarantee I would be happy with the natural water supply en route. It's not a reliable source. Sure on the more remote runs (such as MM's) but not many of the more local runs.

I like others (I suspect) don't carry so much water that I feel encumbered. Just enough to stop my thirst and stop the start of dehydration.

[Brotherton Lad]

Which just goes to show we all have a Goldilock spot.

(Did I just write that?).