Tuesday, July 30, 2019

6 Drinks to Quench a Runner's Thirst

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Summertime and the running's not easy...especially if you're not hydrating! I never have to be reminded to drink. At work, there's always a bottle of water next to me so I can sip throughout my day. Hydration doesn't just start the morning of a race or a run. Runners need to stay hydrated all day, every day.

How do you know you're hydrated? The best rule of thumb is to make sure your pee is the color of lemonade. If it's like water, you may be overhydrating. If your pee is the color of apple juice, you've got some drinking to do, my friend.

Riddle me this...why do we compare the color of our pee to beverages? I don't know, but I can tell you that the color of urine is due to a byproduct of bilirubin, which is excreted by the liver. The amount of liquid we drink dilutes out the yellow. Multivitamins can color your urine bright yellow. Beets can make urine pink or even red (but not blood red!) Anything else should be checked by a healthcare provider.

What to drink when you need to quench your thirst? No ideas? Well, guess what? Urine luck...

www.takinglongwayhome.com


Water
For runners, the number one reason to drink water is that staying hydrated can maximize performance. As I said above, hydration is an all-day, everyday goal. Staying hydrated helps runners regulate body temperature, which helps conserve energy and make running feel better. Water is the best fluid for hydration. Water is readily available, calorie-free, and refreshing.

Sparkling Water 
Of course, there are all kinds of waters. I love sparkling water. Sometimes it's nice to have a little guilt-free fizz, isn't it? Many sparkling waters are infused with fruit flavors. My overall favorite brand is Spindrift, but it is a little more pricey than the others, probably because it's infused with a higher percentage of flavors. The cucumber flavor is particularly thirst quenching! You can also purchase a Soda Stream to infuse your own water with bubbles.

Yummy Spindrift!

Tailwind
On the run, hands down, my favorite way to hydrate is with Tailwind. Ever since my 2014 Chicago Marathon, still my PR, I've carried Tailwind in a handheld bottle on my long runs and races. Before I run a 5k, Tailwind is my 'pre-run'. With 200 calories in a 24 ounce serving, I sip on it for about an hour before the race and I am ready to roll. Tailwind comes in a variety of flavors--I usually drink the plain--and there are also several varieties with caffeine.

It really is all you need!

Kombucha
Have you tried this fermented drink that everyone's talking about these days? If you like your drinks with a little sweetness, Kombucha's lower sugar content, as compared to soda or juice, might be the ticket. Kombucha comes in a variety of flavors and has many health benefits. Loaded with gut-friendly probiotics, Kombucha may be beneficial for runners who suffer from GI issues. Kombucha also contains antioxidants, which can help with recovery from a hard workout or run. You can brew your own (my son does) or you can purchase any of the many varieties available commercially.


Iced Tea
I don't have a sweet tooth but I do love me some (unsweet) iced tea. It's hard to find unsweetened commercially available iced tea, so I brew my own. Homebrewed ice tea has many more health benefits than bottled, such as antioxidants. It's easy to brew your own--just pour boiling water over a tea bag, let it steep, then add ice. I've been experimenting with a variety of teas, especially green tea. Rishi is one of my favorite brands.

Beer
You know I can't talk about running and hydration without talking about beer. I'm not kidding when I say that nothing tastes better after running a race than a good beer. Yes, alcohol can be dehydrating, but I'm not drinking the whole keg. Beer tastes refreshing after a run and in moderation can rehydrate you. It's fun to celebrate and share a beer with your fellow participants. Bottom line, unless you're a high-level elite athlete, a post-run beer or 2 isn't going to affect your training.

After a run, what's your beverage of choice? I like beer! /via @oldrunningmom @kookyrunner @zenaida_runs #runchat #running 

What is your favorite way to hydrate pre-run?After a run? During? Sparkling water, yay or nay? How do you feel about kombucha? Do you like beer after a run? If so, what style is your favorite? BTW, as a former Tailwind Trailblazer, I still have stick packs of Tailwind. Let me know if you want me to send you some!

I'm linking up with Kim and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics. 




32 comments :

  1. Favorite during a run-Tailwind Naked. Favorite post run-chocolate milk. Favorite during the day at work-Ice cold water or Nuun Immunity. Favorite guilty pleasure-a good microbrewed beer, sweet tea, diet dr. pepper.

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  2. I like Tailwind. I haven't found a flavor yet that I didn't like, as all of them are very subtle. Good idea about starting to intake BEFORE the run. I'm going to try that. A really cold beer after a race is awesome, and is really the only time I ever drink a beer these days.

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    1. I agree with you--the Tailwind flavors are all very subtle. I don't really even notice the taste!

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  3. I agree with all of your drink choices. I'm not a huge beer drinker but I do enjoy a Coronoa every now and then.

    My friend just introduced me to kombucha cocktails (kombucha with champagne) and they are super yummy! Definitely not a drink for daily consumption though, lol.

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    1. We were just talking about Kombucha cocktails this weekend! My son and his GF were intrigued...

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  4. Pre run I like water + Nuun. Even in winter!

    Beer -- yuck,always, sorry. Like coffee, I don't even like the smell. Mr. Judy can no longer drink it due to gout, & even before that was never much of a beer drinker so you won't fine it here.

    Also nay to sparkling water (my sister loves it) an iced tea, although I drink hot tea year round.

    My pee tends to be pretty clear all the time. :) And yet I definitely never feel overhydrated.

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    1. My hubs has gout and is a homebrewer. He refuses to give it up!

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  5. Oh the yummy kombusha is my jam this summer especially the one from Kevita! So good! And I used to drink it at work but because it has .5% alcohol (which I didn't know) we are not allowed to drink it at work. Booo!!! I like it because I have GERD and kombusha seems to help with the heartburn. Now, I am on the fence on Spindrift-- didn't hate it but didn't love it. I have tried the mandarin but was just not impressed by the after taste.

    Angie (https://24theroad.com/blog)

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    1. i don't like all the flavors of Spindrift--my faves are the cucumber and the lemon.

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  6. I have tried Komboucha and didn't like the taste of it. Yes to beer!

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    1. There's a brand we get in Door County (Tapuat) and it is very good.

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  7. Interesting post with an important topic for this season.
    Pre race and during the race I prefer just water but, with meals, sparkling water.
    I also like iced tea but I don't know Komboucha and Tailwind.
    Please forgive me, I am teetotal and I don't like beer (this is a shame for a former rugby player like me).

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    1. I didn't know you were a rugby player! My son plays rugby. He played for a local club in high school and now at the University of Wisconsin! So I guess since you don't drink beer, no post-match boat races for you? :P

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  8. I'm all about Tailwind and that's thanks to you and some of the other bloggers i read - I didn't even know if it was available in the UK but hooray, it is. I will have some of that or gatorade made up from a tub of powder I have if I'm feeling dehydrated after a big run, too. I used to have a massive thing for banana-flavoured milk after any run over 14 miles but in my last mara/ultra campaign really wasn't interested. I go for squash normally - sugary if I need the oomf, sugar-free if I just need the liquid.

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    1. Banana flavored milk? Squash? Interesting post-race choices!

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    2. Oh the squash is for during a shorter run, too or just rehydrating if I don't need something fancy. Banana milk I used to really crave, I think it's the protein in the milk.

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  9. Kombucha! I never thought I'd like it, but it's growing on me!! :)

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  10. Plain water is where it's at for me this summer, and it's been a great change.

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  11. Iced tea has become one of my go to's this summer! It helps that I can walk to a few places that offer it post run

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  12. This is probably way too much information, but mine has been like apple juice recently! And I know its because I am just not drinking - I'm generally not a good "drinker" in summer so winter makes things even worse. (By the way, "urine luck" is brilliant!)

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  13. It is so hard to stay hydratedt this time of year! I feel like I'm drinking all day long and still not quite there. And I get calf cramps when I am dehydrated, so I know. In addition to carrying a bottle of water with me all day and carrying electrolytes on the run, I've started taking a glass of nuun right after I finish and another, nuun Rest, right before I go to bed. It adds a little extra hydration when I need it. Even if I do have to get up to pee in the middle of the night!

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    1. Yesterday, I was so busy at work that I didn't get to drink much! So I ended up chugging a bunch of water in the evening, which meant I was up 4 times to pee last night. UGH!

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  14. I miss a cold beer after a summer run! A session pale ale or IPA is my favorite for summer. Right now I'm drinking lots of Nuun. For a while coconut water was my favorite after a hot run.

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  15. I like water with a little bit of fruit in in. Like a few lemon and lime slices.

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  16. I'm a huge water drinker and use Nuun too! Also, I love wine..hehe

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