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10 weeks to 10K - week 3
10 weeks to 10K - week 3
The importance of staying hydrated
Wow it’s week three already! Now that you have the knowledge and tips on how to train for your 10K run, the next important thing to remember is keeping hydrated.
Running and dehydration often go hand in hand and after oxygen, water is a close second on the list of essentials for life.
Water makes up 60% of your total body weight and performs many crucial functions, including nourishing cells, carrying food through the body, eliminating waste, regulating body temperature, cushioning and lubricating joints and maintaining blood volume and pressure.
Every day we lose water by sweating, breathing and urinating, but It’s the sweating in particular that runners need to pay attention to. This is because as soon as you start to run, you start to dehydrate, meaning that rehydration during running is crucial to performance.
The NHS recommends that we consume around 1.5 litres or 8-10 glasses of water a day and when undertaking any form of exercise, it is recommended to increase this amount to replenish the water lost by the body in the process. Also, it is important to spread out your water consumption throughout the day and during exercise.
While running, water helps prevent your mouth from becoming dry, it promotes good cardiovascular health and keeps your body cool – all of which helps ensure you get the very best out of yourself and your training.
To stay hydrated during training, we would recommend using either a hand held water bottle, a multiple bottle belt or a hydration packs/vests.
Happy running!