....of water, that is.
Gone are the days when drinking water before, and during a long distance race was a sign of weakness. Go out on the the Chicago Lakefront trail, and you'll see runners wearing belts with one or more bottles attached. Others run with hand held bottles.
Reminder: Chicago is not a desert city, and the lakefront trail has functional water fountains.
I was one of those bottle carriers too. I had a nice Nathan water bottle with a hand strap which I picked up dirt cheap at Marshal's. I say had because I left the darned thing at the grocery store checkout line, and forgot to take it home. It was on a day when I was shopping for Gatorade.
But losing my water bottle wasn't the reason I'm rethinking my hydration practice. I've had a sudden attack of common sense.
Do I need that excess fluid sloshing around when I run? Do I need to drink before a race. Maybe just a sip.
When I'm in a race, I know when I'm thirsty. I don't need to stop at every water station for a cup.
Saturday, when I ran 13 miles I didn't obsess over whether I should bring a water bottle, because a) the weather was colder so I might not sweat as much b) there are water fountains at my destination, River Park If I need a sip-no problems. c) If I keeled over, perhaps dehydratrion wasn't the problem, maybe it would have been excessive blood flow to the legs, and not to my head.
There's another reason my thinking's changed. Dr Tim Noakes. I've only read excerpts of his new book Waterlogged, (I intend to get the book) but it's enough to make me re-evaluate my water consumption. How much water can I process? And if I do gulp down water and/sport drink, won't my "personal best" be the dash to the nearest toilet?
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