How to Keep Hydrated While Running

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Providing your body with enough fluids to keep it hydrated while you run or perform other exercise can help you avoid common aches and pains such as muscle cramps. It is also an essential line of defense against heat exhaustion. Keep hydrated while running by preparing your body and your mind in advance.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Water bottle clip or back pack
Water
Water bottle

Step1

Drink water the night before you set out for your run. You should consume enough water for your urine to have a clear or pale yellow appearance. This amount will vary from person to person and it is not necessary for you to drink so much that the need to urinate happens every 15 to 30 minutes. Dark urine indicates that you are not hydrated enough.

Step2

Avoid training during the hottest part of the day because excessive sweating can cause dehydration. If you plan to run in a humid climate, plan your run for the early or late part of the day when the humidity is less and the temperature is lower.

Step3

Drink only when you are thirsty as you run, according to recent research from the USATF (United States Association of Track and Field). In the past, runners have been advised to drink at regular intervals, particularly during long, marathon-style races. Ultimately, you should learn to listen to your body to determine when you need to drink more water.

Step4

Forego the sweat suit or nylon pants when running and try to keep cool. You should wear light clothes that allow air to pass through them so that your body may stay as cool as possible throughout the duration of your activity.

Step5

Keep an eye out for symptoms such as feeling faint or woozy, which may indicate that you are on the point of becoming dehydrated. Drink water or a sports drink with electrolytes to replenish your system.

Step6

Weigh yourself before and after long runs. You will need to replenish any fluids you have lost during your run and general guidelines suggest that between 1 pint and 1 liter of water should be consumed for each pound you lose during your run.