How to Hydrate for Better Performance
By Fred
Matheny for www.RoadBikeRider.com
If it’s the
summer cycling season, it’s probably hot
where you live. Cyclists and other outdoor
athletes are the first to notice rising
temperatures. And the hotter it is, the
faster you lose fluids when you ride.
Fluids are
crucial to your performance and sense of
well-being. We’re really just big bags of
fluid—our blood contains about 50 percent
water. Because water helps keep us cool, a
loss of only one percent of our bodyweight
as sweat means a significant loss of speed
and endurance.
I know you’ve
heard it before—drink, drink, drink! But
it’s amazing how few cyclists heed this
advice. They forget to drink because of the
excitement of the ride, then they wilt
before the end.
But proper
hydration is easy. Here’s how:
-
Ride
Early or Late. You’ll need to
replace fewer fluids if you ride when
it’s cooler. One approach: commute by
bike so you ride early in the morning
and again in the evening when
temperatures have moderated. Ralph
Phillips, owner of Fairwheel Bikes in
Tucson, beats summer temperatures above
100 degrees with dawn rides.
-
Pre-hydrate. Make sure
you’re well hydrated before the ride.
Most people are chronically dehydrated
because they simply don’t drink enough
water. Keep a bottle on your desk and
sip frequently all day. For an energy as
well as fluid bonus, down 16 ounces of a
sports drink about an hour before the
ride.
-
Drink
During the Ride. Because your
body’s sensation of thirst lags behind
its need for liquid, always sip from
your bottle before you get thirsty. When
you feel thirsty, it’s already too late.
Make it a habit to reach for your bottle
every 15 minutes and slug down a couple
of big swallows.
Most riders
need one big bottle (about 28 ounces)
per hour but it’s highly variable
depending on temperature, intensity of
the ride, and other factors such as body
size. Experience will help you judge
your fluid needs.
Weigh
yourself before and after the ride.
Compare the figures. If you’ve lost
weight, drink 20 ounces of fluid for
each pound of bodyweight you’re down.
Keep drinking until your weight has
returned to normal and your urine is
pale and plentiful.
-
Restore Sodium Levels.
Those white stains on your clothing and
helmet straps after a hot ride come from
the salt that you sweat out. It needs to
be replaced. Low sodium levels are
associated with increased incidence of
cramps. Heavy sodium losses lead to
hyponatremia, a potentially
life-threatening condition.
Your sports
drink should contain at least 100 mg of
sodium per 8 ounces (check the label).
It may also help to salt your food when
you’re riding frequently in hot weather.
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