The Importance of Hydration

I know you have all heard it a thousand and one times, but allow me to tell it to you again so you can hear it for your 1,002nd time.... Drink water! I know, I know, i just had to say it. But what they say is true, water is important. Anyone who has taken a basic biology class knows about how water is an important component in the process that helps cool and regulate body temperatures as it evaporates off of skin( aka sweating), and that the average human body is made up of about 70% water, but I am not here to tell you about all that, I am here to offer a few tips. Any one who has tried to drink the recommended H20 amount for the day, about 8 glasses, knows that it is not necessarily the easiest task. So how do people go about obtaining the substantial amount of fluids that is so vital to the health of everyone, but especially runners? Well I am not sure if there is exactly a science to the art of hydration yet, or at least I am not aware or it, but I will let you in on what I do.

Tip number one, ALWAYS carry a water bottle with you. If you constantly have easy access to water, than you are more likely to drink it when you see it mocking you from the corner of your desk.

Tip number two, try to get a water bottle with a straw. Now to be honest I am not totally sure why this works, but drinking from a straw seems to make it easier to get more out in less time, and makes you subconsciously drink more fluids.

Tip number three, if you are anything like me, water is 10 times more appealing when it is cold, so try to keep it that way and add a few ice cubes in the morning. Hopefully it will make you want to drink more.

Tip number four, if you are truly disgusted by the taste, or lack-there-of, of water, than feel free to add a packet of crystal light or some Mio to add some flavor.

Tip number five, try to drink two water bottles by the time you get out of school or off work. This makes it so that you have already drunk around 48oz of water and don't have to try and chug the whole recommended 64+ ounces of water before you go to bed. Not only does that put you in danger of diluting your blood too much, it will also make you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night... like five times, and trust me... i would know.