{"id":91783,"date":"2023-08-08T07:35:43","date_gmt":"2023-08-08T05:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/42krunning.com\/the-risk-of-dehydration-in-running\/"},"modified":"2023-08-08T07:35:43","modified_gmt":"2023-08-08T05:35:43","slug":"the-risk-of-dehydration-in-running","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/42krunning.com\/en\/the-risk-of-dehydration-in-running\/","title":{"rendered":"The risk of dehydration in running"},"content":{"rendered":"

The risk of dehydration in running<\/strong> is an issue that should concern anyone who runs, especially when taking part in races over a certain distance (or duration), and even more so when they\u2019re held in summer or in humid conditions.<\/p>\n

Dehydration occurs when a person loses more fluids than they take in<\/strong>, which ends up leaving the body without enough water to function normally.<\/p>\n

The proper functioning of all vital functions depends<\/strong>, among other factors, on proper hydration<\/strong>. With prolonged exercise, water loss through sweat and urine is very high, and it increases significantly when temperatures are high, as in summer, or in humid environments. The risk of dehydration must always be considered when doing intense, prolonged sport, but especially in summer because the risk increases. <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
Aid station at the Palma Marathon. (Photo: Palma Marathon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dehydration: an enemy to be feared<\/h2>\n

Dehydration is one of the enemies<\/strong> runners face in any long-distance race from the second hour of competition onwards<\/strong>. And it\u2019s not just any enemy\u2014it\u2019s one that must be taken very seriously. <\/p>\n

One of the main reasons for dropping out in endurance sports<\/strong> is inadequate hydration, insufficient hydration, or both.<\/p>\n

\"Dehydration<\/a>
Ultrarunner Iv\u00e1n Penalba suffered the consequences of incorrect hydration at the recent Badwater 135, which left him on the ropes, although fortunately he recovered and was able to finish. (Photo: Joaqu\u00edn Candel).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s common for dehydration to take runners out in the marathon and in trail running events that go beyond 2\u20133 hours of racing; however, it\u2019s preventable<\/strong> and often happens due to athlete mistakes.<\/p>\n

First of all, it\u2019s worth noting that it\u2019s not only necessary to be properly hydrated<\/strong> at the time of the event, but also in an athlete\u2019s day-to-day life. So, poor hydration is one of the limiting factors for good performance, post-training recovery, and preventing complications during competition. <\/p>\n

As mentioned earlier, the main causes<\/strong> of dehydration are sweating<\/strong> and urination<\/strong> (that is, situations in which fluid is expelled from the body). These vary depending on weather factors such as temperature, humidity, and wind. <\/p>\n

\"Dehydration<\/a>
Runner at an aid station at the Palma Marathon (Photo: Palma Marathon).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Symptoms and consequences of dehydration<\/h4>\n

The first symptoms<\/strong> of dehydration during a race may appear when the problem can no longer be solved; this happens because the athlete may previously have overlooked symptoms they didn\u2019t give enough importance to: thirst<\/strong>, less frequent urination<\/strong>, darker urine<\/strong>, fatigue<\/strong>… As dehydration worsens, these symptoms can be compounded by low energy, dizziness, confusion, an irregular heart rate, nausea… <\/p>\n

Some of the consequences<\/strong> of dehydration are as follows: <\/p>\n