Drink less, perform better - really!

The overwhelming advice from experts in the fields of coaching, Sport Science and Exercise Physiology, when it comes to hydration, is: drink often and drink lots. 

Add to these messages from "experts" the daily bombardment of messages from manufacturers of sports drinks and various waters, that if we do not consume ridiculous amounts of fluids, at all times during athletic endeavours of any kind, we are not only putting our performance at risk, but our health.

Guidelines developed by a well respected body of researchers and "experts" known as the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) has recommended fluid consumption levels of up to 1200ml per hour of activity.

If you are running a 5 hour marathon, that is a lot of fluid.

All this to protect us from ending up like this:

As a species, our physiology allows for a certain degree of dehydration over time, even up to 6% - 7%.

We have been told that even a small decrement of hydration, as low as 1% - 2%, can be disastrous.

I then ask: how is it possible for the winner of an endurance event such as a marathon or Iron distance triathlon), to be the most, or one of the most dehydrated athletes in the field?

This defies all logic. Exceptional performance - dehydrated state.

The protagonists rebuttal is well, if the  they are performing at this exceptional level in a dehydrated state, imagine how they might perform had they been "optimally" hydrated.

Somehow I do not think drinking one or more liters of fluid per hour is going to enable elite marathon runners to shave another minute or 2 off the winning time.

"It might", I hear you say.

Let's consider reports from athletes who have consumed fluids to the prescribed ACSM guidelines. They often complain about GI tract discomfort, including vomiting and diarrhoea.

They feel they have to force themselves to drink to keep up with the recommendations. This too has a detrimental impact on the event.

I ask you: Does vomiting and dealing GI distress sound like a good strategy for running a PB or performing optimally? I do not think so.

The million dollar question then becomes: How do we manage our fluid intake during training and racing. What are the guidelines that do work in favour of us achieving success.

It is so simple, so simple it is actually laughable that this debate even exists:

Drink to thirst! 

We have been using our thirst mechanism to manage levels of body water and hydration status for tens of thousands of years.

Some how I do not think that our physiology has changed that much since the appearance of the first water tables at the New York marathon in the mid 1970's.

Do you?