Tag Archive for: marathon hydration

Hydration Strategies for Long Runs & Hot Days (Even in Winter)

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Staying hydrated is crucial for marathon runners, whether you’re training in the sweltering summer or braving a chilly winter morning. Dehydration can sneak up on you, impacting your performance, recovery, and overall health. In this guide, we’ll cover the best hydration strategies for long runs and hot days, with tips that apply year-round—even when the weather is cold.

Why Hydration Matters for Marathon Runners

Proper hydration helps regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, and transport nutrients for energy and recovery. During a marathon or long training run, your body loses fluids through sweat—even in winter. Failing to replace these fluids can lead to fatigue, cramps, and decreased performance.

Signs of Dehydration During Long RunsA woman in workout clothes with a towel around her neck stands outdoors, shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight with her hand, looking tired after long runs on hot days. Green trees and sunlight are visible in the background. Austin Marathon Half Marathon & 5K

  • Thirst and dry mouth
  • Headache or dizziness
  • Dark yellow urine
  • Muscle cramps
  • Fatigue or confusion

If you notice any of these symptoms during your marathon training, it’s time to adjust your hydration plan.

 

Hydration Tips for Hot Weather RunsA child in an orange shirt drinks water from a plastic bottle outdoors, sunlight shining overhead and water droplets shimmering—perfect hydration strategies for hot days. Austin Marathon Half Marathon & 5K

  1. Pre-Hydrate:
  2. Start your run well-hydrated. Drink 16–20 ounces of water 2–3 hours before your marathon or long run.
  3. Electrolyte Balance:
  4. Sweating leads to loss of sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes. Use sports drinks or electrolyte tablets during runs longer than 60 minutes, especially in hot weather.
  5. Drink Early and Often:
  6. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Sip 4–8 ounces of water or sports drink every 15–20 minutes during your run.
  7. Dress for the Heat:
  8. Wear light, moisture-wicking clothing and a hat or visor to help manage sweat and sun exposure.

Hydration Strategies for Winter Marathon TrainingA woman in a light blue jacket, black leggings, and gloves runs on a snowy path in a winter landscape, surrounded by snow-covered trees, demonstrating the importance of hydration strategies even on long runs in cold weather. Austin Marathon Half Marathon & 5K

  • Don’t Skip the Water:
  • Cold weather can suppress your thirst, but your body still loses fluids through sweat and breathing. Stick to your hydration schedule, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
  • Warm Fluids:
  • Carry a thermos with warm water or herbal tea to make drinking more appealing on cold days.
  • Monitor Sweat Rate:
  • Weigh yourself before and after runs to estimate fluid loss and adjust your intake accordingly.

 

How to Create a Personalized Hydration PlanA person writes a checklist labeled “PLAN” on a tablet using a stylus. Several boxes are checked, and handwritten notes mention hydration strategies for long runs, suggesting digital planning for hot days or endurance activities. Austin Marathon Half Marathon & 5K

  1. Calculate Sweat Rate:
  2. Weigh yourself before and after a one-hour run. Each pound lost equals about 16 ounces of fluid.
  3. Adjust for Conditions:
  4. Increase fluid intake on hot, humid, or windy days. In winter, don’t decrease your intake drastically—your body still needs hydration.
  5. Practice During Training:
  6. Test your hydration plan during long runs to see what works best for your body and stomach.

 

Marathon Day Hydration ChecklistA close-up of a hand writing in a notebook with a black pen. The grid-patterned page, titled “CHECK LIST,” includes items like hydration strategies—essential for hot days and long runs—with several tasks checked off and more to go. The background is blurred. Austin Marathon Half Marathon & 5K

  • Hydrate well the day before
  • Bring your preferred fluids or know what’s available on the course
  • Start sipping early in the race
  • Listen to your body, but don’t rely solely on thirst

 

Hydration is a year-round priority for marathon runners. By following these strategies, you’ll be better prepared for long runs and race day—no matter the weather. Remember, every runner is different, so experiment during training to find your optimal hydration routine.

 

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Hydration: 5 Things You Should Know and How They’ll Help

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You know about hydration, now learn about how it helps your body

Nuun is the Official Hydration partner of the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon. They know a thing or two about hydrating athletes. The experts at Nuun are constantly gathering information about how athletes can better fuel their bodies. This blog post was written by the Nuun experts to educate athletes and provide them with the information needed to be successful during training and racing.

Hydration is energy (for your muscles)

Most people think that the purpose of hydration is to prevent dehydration and replenish electrolyte stores that may be lost via sweat. Although both of those are true (recent studies have shown that electrolytes may play greater roles in fluids absorption than sweat replenishment), the fundamental goal of hydration is to deliver oxygen to working muscles. Try to think about hydration or the fluid you are consuming as a way of helping your muscles breathe, which in turn gives them the energy they need to perform.

Editor’s note: proper hydration, along with these 6 tips from this Austin Marathon blog will help you run your best!

Water does not hydrate you

Yes, you read that correctly! While water does fundamentally provide your body with fluid, it does not truly hydrate you. Water needs to be in a specific concentration (composing of carbohydrates and electrolytes) to exit the stomach and move into circulation where it can be used by the body. Our water needs to contain sodium to ensure proper fluid absorption. To make matters even more complicated, your “water” should contain different amounts of carbohydrates and electrolytes before/during/after your workout.

Mitigate gastric distress during exercise

To put it simply, when you are exercising, your body (stomach) is under stress. There are ways you can eat and drink to mitigate that stress or encourage it. When it comes to hydration, if the ratio of carbohydrates to fluid is too high or the electrolyte profile is too low, the delivery of fluid slows down. It sits in the stomach. That’s what causes sloshing and GI issues during racing. 

Help you fuel better

This builds on the previous point. With proper hydration, you can help eliminate the GI issues that can come with it. This allows for faster and more efficient fueling. This is achieved by not overloading your system and using multiple pathways to absorb fluids and carbohydrates.

Aids in recovery

One area that is critical to the recovery process is rehydrating. Rehydrating not only replenishes fluids lost during exercise, but it also aids in replenishing the electrolytes that were also lost. Keep in mind: drinking too much too fast can degrade the potential gains of the workout. Here’s why: over time your body has developed a strong immune system that helps repair itself when it is under the stresses of exercise. Therefore, naturally, your body begins repairing itself, slowly rehydrating, and continuing to hydrate throughout the day.

Editor’s note: recover faster when you follow this long training run recovery timeline from the Austin Marathon!

Nuun Hydration is our Official Hydration partner. Head over to www.nuunlife.com to stock up on your hydration supply and train with what will be on course. Save 25% with the code below!