Drink Right or Else - Dangers for Distance Walkers

Keeping enough fluids and salts in your body during a long distance event such as a marathon, a 20-miler, or a half-marathon is crucial to finishing feeling good, as well as avoiding an IV and a trip to the emergency room.

Dehydration

The basic rule of thumb is to start a walk having had 16 oz. of water (a pint or half liter), then replenishing with a cup of water every 15-20 minutes. That is about a water bottle-full an hour, about a half liter or pint. End your walk with a big glass of water. That will prevent dehydration - losing too much fluid from your body. New guidelines in 2003 tell distance walkers and runners to drink as soon as thirsty.

Signs of dehydration: Dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, stomach ache, back pain, headache, irritability, decreased urination.

Hyponatremia (loss of sodium or body salt)

Sweating removes both water and salts - electrolytes - from your body as you walk. Depending on the humidity, you may not notice how much you are sweating. For walks of over an hour, replenishing your electrolytes with sports drink is also important to prevent hyponatremia. It is recommended to drink 1 bottle of sports drink for every 2 bottles of water. Eating salty snacks such as pretzels before and during long walks is another source of salt. New guidelines in 2003 emphasize not overdoing it on plain water, as some walkers drink more than the recommended water amount and flush out their body salts, ending up sick with hyponatremia. Do not overdrink at the end of you walk, either. Be sure to have salty snacks or sports drink after your walk.

Signs of hyponatremia: nausea, headache, cramps, confusion, slurred speech, bloating and swollen hands.

Getting Hydration Right

Weigh yourself immediately before and immediately after a long walk. If you are getting dehydrated, your weight will drop from the loss of water. If you are losing body salt and drinking too much plain water without salt, you will gain weight. Keep records of what and how much you drank, sweat level, salt, etc. and adjust so you are not gaining or losing during the walk.

Carrying It

How do you carry along sports drink on a long training walk where you won't have any support? Assuming you have a source of water, buy the powdered sports drink mix and mix it with your water. It adds little weight and could keep you out of the emergency room.

Deadly Quotes

Anne Thimm heard plenty of excuses for not drinking enough water and sports drink at the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. At 20 miles a day for three days in hot weather, those excuses could put you in the hospital. Read these deadly quotes:

Next: 10 Quotes That Could Put You in the Hospital