nuun hydration Archives

Universal Advice from an Elite

Rizzo’s universal advice can be used by every runner

Patrick Rizzo is one of the most decorated and versatile distance runners in the United States. In December 2017, he ran 2:17:27 at the U.S. Marathon Championship in Sacramento, California. This made him a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon; a remarkable and almost unprecedented achievement which solidifies his running legacy. To honor this accomplishment, Colorado Running Magazine named Rizzo its runner of the month. Rizzo is competing in the Austin Marathon’s Elite Athlete Program on race day. He’s sharing some tips that have led to his success. His universal advice can be applied to all runners!

An Athlete’s Perspective – Issue 15

by: Patrick Rizzo

Race day for the Austin Marathon (Feb. 17th) is rapidly approaching. We’re in the final month of training now. This is where the fatigue sometimes gets the best of us. The mileage starts to think it’s winning. Nerves start to sneak into our thoughts. Taper madness is trying to set in. All of those things are normal though. It means you’ve been working toward a goal and you care enough to push yourself in order to achieve it.

Congratulations on getting this far! This is the metaphorical peak of the hill and now it’s time to come downhill. With that said, mistakes can still be made. Having covered the marathon distance 20 times myself, I’d like to share some universal advice. This universal advice is applicable to runners of all speeds and experience levels. Implement this universal advice to run your best and have a positive experience at the 2019 Austin Marathon.

One

Decide what you’re eating the night before the race and practice eating that same food before quality days. When a friend asks what you thought of the course, it’s better not to answer in terms of how frequent the port-o-potties were spaced on the course. Especially if it’s within your control to practice.

Two

Sticking with the specifics, have you tried nuun hydration? nuun performance will be the on-course hydration. Same with Gatorade gels and blocks. There will be two stations on the marathon course handing out nutrition. If it doesn’t suit your preference, plan ahead! Experiment with what DOES work and how you can carry that on race day. Gels pinned to the inside of shorts is a great way to carry your calories.

Three

What kind of shape are your shoes in? Will they make it to race day or are you 50/50? Now is the time to plan ahead. Nothing is worse than befriending the medical staff because your forefoot grafted to the insoles of your new shoes (yes, that happened to me at the London Marathon in 2013).

Four

Know your pace and stick to it. You shouldn’t be training more than five seconds faster than race pace and that’s even limited. If your regular runs are faster than goal marathon/half pace, either your goal is too slow or your training is too fast. Also, on race day, it’s easy for emotions to start out high (and take your pacing plan right with it). Prepare ahead of time to start at a pace that you plan to still find achievable in the last 5K.

Five

HAVE FUN! Really. If training has become “work” then you’re doing it wrong! I train 100 miles a week, with a wife, a kid, and a full-time job. It’s still something I “get to do” and not “have to do.” Dads and moms, you can’t be afraid to get that running stroller out for the easy days and chat with the little one while you’re out there. My son and I have solved the world’s problems while we run together. It also gives me time to bond with him and gives my wife a break to do her workout. Fun comes from having balance and perspective.

An Athlete’s Perspective is a blog series of event and/or training experiences written firsthand by the athletes themselves. An Athlete’s Perspective is a completely unscripted and raw look into the mind and daily life of an athlete as they prepare for their next race. Readers will discover training regimens, eating tips, gear recommendations, and an uncut perspective into the lives of people like you and me.

Hydration 101: Prepare for Race Day

in Blog post

Hydration 101: class is now in session

nuun is our chosen hydration partner for the 2019 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour. nuun performance will be available on course on race day. We encourage all of our participants to train with what will be on course. You should also know why proper hydration is beneficial for you before, during, and after your long run. Hydration 101 will teach you about proper hydration’s benefits and how it affects your body. Use the 30% off code below and save. You will also find nuun and a rainbow of their flavors at our Health & Fitness Expo. Swing by their booth and meet nuun!

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. Sometimes, it’s not so easy to just drink straight from a tap in order to help you hydrate yourself. You might find, that you are more likely to drink water if it is filtered. If this is something that interests you then you can check out Water Filter Way to help you find the best products to get pure water.

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.

Proper hydration will help 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.

Hydration will 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.

Hydration 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.

The experts at nuun wrote this Hydration 101 article. To learn more about nuun hydration, visit their website at nuunlife.com.

Meet nuun

in Blog post

Meet nuun hydration, the Official Hydration of the Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour

nuun is our chosen hydration partner for the 2019 Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour. We will serve nuun hydration products on race day. We encourage all of our participants to train with what will be on course. Use the 30% off code below and save. You will also find nuun and a rainbow of their flavors at our Health & Fitness Expo. Swing by their booth and meet nuun!

Who/What is nuun hydration?

Did you know that nuun stands for nutrition uncompromised? #makeyourwatercount Share on X We have chosen to partner with them because their product is designed and formulated by athletes, for athletes. Furthermore, all nuun products are vegan, gluten-free, and low calorie. This means that when you hydrate with nuun your body reaps all of the hydration benefits without consuming any extra junk and artificial ingredients.

Hydration is rad!

Hydration is important whether you’re running a marathon or a marathon of errands! A consistent intake of water throughout the day is the easiest way to start living a healthier lifestyle. Hydrating correctly can lead to increased energy levels, support healthy body function, and ensure your body is absorbing all of the nutrients from the food you consume every day.

Water + nuun = hydration bliss

Make your water count! Did you know that there is a better way to hydrate than with just water alone? nuun products are designed based on the science of fluid absorption. The right blend of electrolytes facilitates optimal water absorption. As a result, nuun hydration’s propriety blend of electrolytes and water replenishes what your body craves after workouts.

The experts at nuun wrote this article. To learn more about nuun hydration, visit their website at nuunlife.com.

Austin Marathon, nuun Announce Two-Year Partnership

in Press Release

Austin Marathon will feature nuun’s latest product, nuun performance, on race day

High Five Events is thrilled to announce a two-year partnership between the Austin Marathon® and nuun®, the pioneer of electrolyte enhanced drink tablets that turn water into an optimally balanced sports drink. The partnership with nuun, the Exclusive Hydration for the Austin Marathon, will make the Austin Marathon the first marathon in Texas, and third in the nation, to feature nuun performance on course.

“From the epic scenery and live music on course to the energetic neighborhood crowds and clean planet initiatives, the Austin Marathon is a must for every runner,” said Kevin Rutherford, nuun President and CEO. “We, at nuun, are proud to provide all runners on course with optimal and clean hydration that is used by all, from pros to first-timers.”

on-course flavors blueberry strawberry and orange mango.

nuun will provide their recently released and optimally balanced nuun performance to all participants. On-course flavors include blueberry strawberry and orange mango. nuun products will also be available at the start and finish lines. nuun performance precisely balances electrolytes and carbohydrates to fuel athletes during long and strenuous efforts. Additionally, nuun and the Austin Marathon will increase community engagement and product awareness by offering free samples to training clubs, hosting happy hours, and supporting various demo runs around Austin.

“nuun offers pioneering products and a phenomenal community engagement strategy that will continue to have a positive impact on Austin’s premier running event,” said Jack Murray, co-owner of High Five Events. “We’re glad they’ll be with us every step of the way for 2018 and 2019.”

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 27th year running in the capital of Texas on February 18, 2018. Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 20+ countries around the world. Having start and finish locations just a few blocks apart, being within walking distance of many downtown hotels and restaurants, and finishing in front of the picturesque Texas State Capitol makes the Austin Marathon the perfect running weekend destination. Participants can register for the marathon, half marathon, or 5K.

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