Marathon runners keep up their energy levels high and prevent dehydration using a combination of different types of drinks. They don't drink water very much, though!
What marathon runners drink
When water enters the stomach, it is much less concentrated than the fluid inside the stomach cells, so it tends to draw water out of the body, rather than replenishing it.
Instead, a marathon runner will use an isotonic drink during a race to stay hydrated. This contains enough dissolved sugars and salt and other electrolytes to make it of equal concentration to the body's cells. It is therefore absorbed easily through the stomach and small intestine.
Over a very long event, a marathon runner will also take occasional hypertonic drinks - these contain more sugars, such as glucose, to provide an energy boost as well as keeping fluid levels up.
An experienced marathon runner knows how to balance isotonic and hypertonic drinks to maximize performance.
What to drink during a marathon
If you're thinking of running a marathon, it's really important to stay hydrated and energized.
There are plenty of drinks on the market that claim to offer these benefits, so my suggestion would be to try out a few different 'sports drinks' during your training, and see which ones you prefer.
There are two main tips to drinking during a marathon that you may also want to consider:
What marathon runners drink
When water enters the stomach, it is much less concentrated than the fluid inside the stomach cells, so it tends to draw water out of the body, rather than replenishing it.
Instead, a marathon runner will use an isotonic drink during a race to stay hydrated. This contains enough dissolved sugars and salt and other electrolytes to make it of equal concentration to the body's cells. It is therefore absorbed easily through the stomach and small intestine.
Over a very long event, a marathon runner will also take occasional hypertonic drinks - these contain more sugars, such as glucose, to provide an energy boost as well as keeping fluid levels up.
An experienced marathon runner knows how to balance isotonic and hypertonic drinks to maximize performance.
What to drink during a marathon
If you're thinking of running a marathon, it's really important to stay hydrated and energized.
There are plenty of drinks on the market that claim to offer these benefits, so my suggestion would be to try out a few different 'sports drinks' during your training, and see which ones you prefer.
There are two main tips to drinking during a marathon that you may also want to consider:
- Firstly, the main drinking should happen 10 minutes before a race begins. This will give your body time to digest the electrolytes, salts and sugars so that the effects of a sports drink will peak at the correct time (towards the end of the race).
- Drinking water alongside sports drinks is also a bad idea. You'll just end up with a diluted blend in your stomach, and this will slow down the absorption of nutrients that your body will need during the race...
