It’s essential to stay hydrated throughout your marathon training journey, not just during one specific run.
What Are Electrolytes?
Electrolytes are minerals that include: calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, and sodium ions. These are all essential to our health and are found naturally in saltwater.
Chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, phosphate, sodium, magnesium, and potassium are needed for you to keep your body’s water balance. Electrolytes also help move nutrients into your cells, help to move wastes out of your cells, and help to ensure your nerves, muscles, heart, and brain are working the way they should.
How To Incorporate Electrolytes Into Your Training?
Nix the sugary sports drinks next time you’re out on a long run.
Drink more water & electrolytes! Water is the most critical nutrient in our bodies. Water forms blood plasma volume, which transports oxygen, glucose, and other amino acids to active muscles and tissues while carrying away carbon dioxide and lactic acid, which build up as we run faster. Proper hydration with water and electrolytes keeps your body’s core template regulated as you sweat to stay cool and control your training performance!
When Do You Need To Focus On Hydration?
Distance runners exercising in heat and humidity can lose around 3 liters per hour of sweat, losing significant amounts of water. When you are training for any running distance, or in your daily life, you need to focus on hydrating your body properly to live a high-quality, happy, injury-free life.
Explain, please! Dehydration causes our body’s not to work as well as they should, not just while running and training. We lose water living our lives daily, so replacing our bodies with proper water and electrolytes throughout the day during marathon training season is an extra essential.
Why Do Electrolytes Help Running Performance?
Electrolytes direct water and nutrients to areas of the body where it’s needed most to maintain optimal fluid balance inside the cells. Electrolytes help muscles contract and relax and assist in transmitting nerve impulses from your nervous system to diff body parts. Magnesium is my favorite electrolyte since we all can use it most of the time, and it can really impact our performance and longevity as runners with proper balance as we train. It can decrease blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen intake. Grab some almonds, or cashews to get your Magnesium fix! Most adults are deficient and don’t get enough Magnesium in their diet. Magnesium promotes bone health, muscle health, and heart health and can even reduce depression and anxiety, just to name a few benefits of the mineral. We all need Magnesium to function in our lives the way we’d like to optimally, as well as to perform and attain our running goals without any mishaps getting in the way.
Sports drinks neglect calcium and magnesium and include sodium and potassium, which many of us already get from food. We need ALL of the electrolytes to maintain optimal hydration and endurance. Sports drinks with high sugar can cause stomach cramps and impair performance.
Do GI issues ring a bell? I’m not ashamed to say I’ve experienced a good amount of GI issues during my training, and it’s time to kiss that goodbye for GOOD!
Where To Find High-Quality Electrolyte Options?
Finding an electrolyte add-in to water is critical. Pure electrolytes are the way to go. not sweeteners, sugar, or flavors that hinder performance and put your body at risk of suffering from dehydration.
I love the UCAN electrolyte replacement powder. It contains double the magnesium compared to other electrolyte options and is my favorite way to stay hydrated through summer training in NYC! Here is my link to make your UCAN purchase!
Summary
COACHING TIP: monitor your hydration during your training! If your urine is darker than pale yellow, drink up! Ensure you’re drinking enough water not to experience feeling lethargic or having hot or cold hands and injuries. Fun fact: water helps to lubricate your joints to move with ease as you continue with your training. Drink your water, and intake your electrolytes. Your body will thank you for it during your harder runs, and races!
What works for someone else might not work for you, so try an electrolyte add-in out with water during your marathon training to see what works best for you!
If you’re not sure, you can always ask! Email me here!
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