There are several reasons why many people want to follow the footsteps of Francisco Gomez, Andreas Raelert, Patrick Lange, Daniely Ryf, Chrissie Wellington, and Brigitte McMahon – the world’s most famous and successful triathletes.
Triathlon is one of the best high-impact whole-body workouts you can engage in. When you become a triathlete, you will be able to build and toughen all the muscle groups in your body. This is because swimming strengthens your upper body while cycling and running help you improve your lower body strength.
When you engage in these three sports regularly, you will develop leaner muscles, tone your entire body, and build your overall strength.
Training for and joining triathlons also enables you to keep a healthy weight and boost your energy.
Also, being a triathlete allows you to improve your cardiovascular health, keep your bones strong, and reduce your risk of injuries.
Lastly, the camaraderie you will develop with your fellow triathletes and your goal to improve your position every race will also do wonders for your social and mental health.
Importance of Hydration for Triathletes
Staying hydrated is crucial for the body to function optimally. It is doubly important when you are working out or doing a physically strenuous activity that lasts for more than an hour since your body can lose one quart of water within 60 minutes.
When you are working out, you excrete fluid from the body through urine and sweat. Due to this reason, you have to prioritize exercise and sports hydration during training and actual competitions.
If not, you will become dehydrated. And this will cause you to experience muscle fatigue and cramps, which can lead to lower performance, loss of coordination, and heat exhaustion or stroke.
Hydrating Your Body
Drinking water is the usual way of hydrating your body. In most instances, it is sufficient to keep your body cool, make your muscles and joints work better, and prevent cramps and fatigue.
However, when training for and competing in a triathlon, you will do well to supplement water with electrolyte beverages.
Electrolyte beverages contain minerals that conduct electricity. When distributed through the fluid in your body, they become electrical energy that facilitates several crucial bodily functions, such as controlling the fluid balance in your body and maintaining the correct acidity or pH of your blood.
Additionally, the electrolytes help the body muscles, including your heart, contract more efficiently and regulate your blood pressure.
Common electrolytes include sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. These are the same substances that you lose when you sweat heavily while training or competing.
Failure to replace these electrolytes can lead to cramping and hyponatremia, a condition pertaining to abnormally low sodium levels in the blood. It is caused by drinking too much water without replacing the lost sodium.
Although hyponatremia may not sound too serious, it is a condition that can result in performance-eroding symptoms, including weakness, fatigue, lethargy, nausea, muscle cramps, and headaches.
Studies also show that hyponatremia can also lead to more serious medical issues such as seizures and coma. When sodium in the body is extremely low, the brain cells may swell to allow the blood to get rid of excess fluid to achieve equilibrium. This situation is often fatal.
Best Hydration Practices for Triathletes
To avoid the negative effects of not being sufficiently hydrated when preparing for and during a triathlon, follow these tips:
- Choose the right electrolyte beverage.
As mentioned, it is important to drink electrolyte beverages in addition to water when you are a triathlete. However, avoid getting just any product that you see on grocery or convenience store shelves.
Hydration tabs, such as GU Energy drinks, are excellent options for your triathlon training and races. The right product has a good balance of electrolytes that, when combined with water, they hydrate and energize your body and enable your body to hold on to the fluid.
Keep in mind that if you drink water alone, your body will expel it quickly. Beverages with sodium and other electrolytes enable the fluid to stay in your body longer, keeping it hydrated and preventing dehydration.
- Ensure you have the right hydration system for triathletes.
Staying hydrated while training also starts with having the right drinking bottle and storage options as you run and cycle.
A handheld bottle is the easiest way to carry hydration as you train. It is easy and not too cumbersome to hold while you run.
If you don’t want to carry a bottle while running, give a waist belt a try. This accessory distributes weight evenly on your torso. Moreover, you can also use it to keep your phone, keys, and money.
If you don’t want to use a water bottle waist belt, opt for a lightweight vest or backpack that you are comfortable with. Choose one with pockets so that you can store your other running and cycling essentials as well.
- Drink energy drinks and electrolyte replacement beverages at the right time.
To get the most from electrolyte replacement beverages, including hydration tabs, drink them:
- In between workouts
- When engaged in vigorous-intensity workouts under 60 minutes
- When doing moderate-intensity workouts under 90 minutes
On the other hand, you will do well to load up on sports drinks:
- If you are engaged in a moderate-intensity workout for at least 90 minutes or more
- If you are doing a vigorous-intensity workout for more than 60 minutes
- If you have two training sessions in one day consisting of moderate to vigorous intensities
- The day before a race, especially if the event will be held in a hot and humid place
- During actual races
- Stay hydrated before and during your training sessions.
Before you start working out or training, you need to have a fully hydrated body.
Drink frequently throughout the day and at least 500mls of fluid two hours before exercising or training to allow time for any excess to be lost in the urine.
While working out or training, aim for 125 to 250mls every 10 to 20 minutes. You can also maintain optimal performance by replacing at least 80% of fluids caused by sweat loss when engaging in these activities.
Hydration plays a huge role in keeping you safe and healthy as you join the exciting and competitive world of triathlon. Avoid taking it for granted to enjoy the benefits of this sport and find success at the same time.