To drink or not to drink

[ZootHornRollo]

understood flopsy

Leaving MikeT's theory aside, I think on balance people - me included - have probably become overconcerned with hydration, as wisdom has been accepted - though the evidence and science behind it is pretty flimsy - that one has to drink so much every 20 mins or whatever.

From experience I reckon that: dehydration does affect performance - but only after a lag time, and probably only at fairly high aerobic work rates.

i.e., at a stately pace of say 5mph over the fells, as long as I was well hydrated when I started and conditions weren't warm, I could get away without drinking anything for maybe two hours before it had an impact. Even then it might be more psychological than physical - I might feel thirsty and worry about it.

I would probably feel the effects of dehydration after I finished but it wouldn't slow me down. Also if I wanted to suddenly up the pace I might then start to feel the effects.

[ZootHornRollo]

Which just goes to show we all have a Goldilock spot.
(Did I just write that?).

hehe, yes you did - what does it mean?

[Latege]

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.

I don't think most of us do carry or drink LOADS of water on the run; just enough to feel comfortable. And filling a bottle with a pint of water and carrying it up and down a few hills on a belt round my waist really isn't that complicated.

[Stolly]

Sorry, even though I'm bored with my own argument let alone Mike T's, I can't help myself saying one last thing. I totally understand about not drinking for the sake of drinking but in one of Mike T's posts he used the example of running a marathon with just a small cup of water. The point I've been trying to make (and seemingly failing with) is that trying to run a similar distance in the hills on a hot day (but with 5,000 odd feet of climbing and bogs and tussock grass and whatnot thrown in) on the self same cup of water would be effing stupid. I've been out in the hills loads of time completely and utterly desperate for a drink, so dehydrated I've long ago stopped sweating. I've collapsed from heat exhaustion during a race before and fainted another time after a very long and hot 6 hours in the hills. Lets just say that I've tried the not drinking thing before (albeit not purposely) and know precisely what liquid nowadays I need to take with me on long hot runs. And its more than a cup of water.

[Stolly]

I don't think most of us do carry or drink LOADS of water on the run; just enough to feel comfortable. And filling a bottle with a pint of water and carrying it up and down a few hills on a belt round my waist really isn't that complicated.

Precisely

[Mountain Goatess]

If you feel thirsty have a drink....simples!

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[Eleanor]

Lets just say that I've tried the not drinking thing before (albeit not purposely) and know precisely what liquid nowadays I need to take with me on long hot runs. And its more than a cup of water.

Me too. My simple equation goes "hottish day + longer than 60 minutes hard terrain at speed = take small bottle of water in hand".

[Hes]

I second that (although I put it in my bumbag/backpack). Seems like common sense to me.

Me too. My simple equation goes "hottish day + longer than 60 minutes hard terrain at speed = take small bottle of water in hand".

[stevefoster]

If you feel thirsty have a drink....simples!

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Works for me Mountain Meerkat. And if you fancy a Guinness after simples too, unless the pub don't serve it, then it's not so simples and downright frustrating!

[MP1]

If in doubt ... As the great man used to say - Drink!