Maintaining Proper Hydration on the Day of New York Marathon : Maintaining Electrolytes, Avoiding Over-Hydration or Under-Hydration.

On the day of your N.Y. Marathon, it is important that your body has received the proper amount of nutrients that it needs. It is also equally important that you maintain proper hydration levels. Just as it is important to ensure that your body is not dehydrated, is important to avoid over hydration.

We all lose a significant amount of minerals (including sodium) in a sweat, and also in urine. A marathon runner’s blood sodium level, therefore, goes down as (s)he continues to sweat her/his way toward the marathon finish line. Of course, sweating is essential to maintaining body core temperature at 37ºC. However, if the resulting loss of body-fluid/electrolytes (including minerals such as chloride, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium) goes unchecked, it often leads to dehydration, and eventually collapse and/or heat stroke.

If a marathon runner over compensates by drinking an excessive amount of water/fluids along the way, this is an increased risk of blood sodium level going down to dangerously low levels, possibly resulting in Hyponatremia. When that occurs, symptoms such as drowsiness, excessive fatigue, nausea, and vomiting are often present. In extreme cases of Hyponatremia, serious complications such as seizures, loss of consciousness, and even death can occur.

One of the quickest ways to find out if you are property hydrated is to examine your urine output. Ideally, your urine should be clear, and abundant. If your urine is not plentiful, but appears concentrated or dark yellow, it is more than likely that you are under-hydrated. One of the best ways to maintaining your blood sodium level (and to preventing Hyponatremia ) is to drink Sports Drinks or electrolytes that a specially formulated to help you boost your essential blood mineral levels.