Cory has been telling me a lot lately how important it is to hydrate during a race. The same message has cropped up repeatedly in a fantastic book I’m reading at the moment called “Performance Nutrition for Runners” by Matt Fitzgerald.

One of the most illuminating facts I’ve read so far is how much more important it is to drink a sports drink instead of water. This applies before exercise, during exercise (if participating in a distance greater than 10k) and always (no matter what the distance) after exercise.

I am now in the habit of drinking a sports drink before and after a run instead of drinking water. One important note to make is that, to maximize the benefits a sports drink provides after a run, it’s important to drink it within the first hour after exercise, but preferably immediately following your run.

Largely based on the material within Matt’s Fitzgerald’s book, here’s a list of information to emphasize the importance of drinking a sports fluid instead of water.

1. Sodium found in a sports drink stimulates thirst whereas water does not. The feeling of thirst continues if a sports drink is consumed, which in turn tricks runners into drinking a greater quantity of fluid compared to water.
2. Water may be beneficial immediately before and during a run, but it does not provide the electrolytes and carbohydrates that a sports drink provides.
3. Sports drink hydrates runners better than water.
4. The carbohydrate content of a sports drinks provides a ready supply of glucose to the blood that the muscles draw upon for energy. The result is greater endurance.
5. Using a sports drink during running reduces muscle damage. The carbohydrates in a sports drink slows down the rate of glucose and glycogen depletion and reduces cortisol release, sparing muscle cells from depleting for the sake of energy.
6. Sports drinks allow runners to work at a higher intensity level (and thus run faster) in shorter workouts and in races where glycogen depletion is not a concern.
7. Sports drinks contain dissolved minerals (for example sodium) and carbohydrates, just like the blood does, whereas water contains only trace amounts of various dissolved minerals and elements. Therefore, the minerals in water can’t reach the bloodstream as quickly as the minerals in a sports drink can.
8. A sports drink allows for faster post-exercise recovery by limiting dehydration and reducing glycogen depletion, muscle damage and immune suppression. As a result, it takes the body less time to rehydrate with a sports drink compared to solely water consumption.
9. Drinking a carbohydrate-fueled sports drink during prolonged running is proven to reduce perceived exertion levels by keeping blood glucose levels higher. While water may do the exact same thing, it does so to a much lesser extent than a sports drink.
10. Using a sports drink during today’s workout can enhance your performance in tomorrow’s workout. This seems likely due to the effect a sports drink has on reducing muscle damage.