I was going to combine fluid and food intake together in a blog - but each being so important they need their own focus.

With less than 3weeks to go until the London Marathon training should be reaching its peak and then slowly down giving your body time to recover before the race.

Before competing your final long training run, weigh yourself - and then weigh yourself at the end of the run. This will give you an idea of how much water you lose during a long run. Water makes up 60% of our total body weight. Losing more than 2% of your total weight will result in your performance being reduced. Have a look at the table below to get an idea of the consequences of body water loss.

It’s important to consider the conditions you are training in compared to what you will be running in for the marathon. For example the Gonarezhou National Parks team is currently training in very different conditions to that of London. With it being between 30-35degrees during their runs they lose a lot more water than they will during the London Marathon. Who knows what the weather will be doing on the day of the race if recent weeks are anything to go by. Be prepared for if its going to be cooler or warmer than you are use to when training. 

Don't rely on being thirsty to remind you to drink whilst running. Thirst can be a poor indicator of dehydration - we sometimes only feel thirsty when we are already 1-2% dehydrated and at that point your exercise performance will have already decreased. 

It’s important to start the hydration process before exercise. “Pre-hydration” will ensure you start the race well hydrated. Each water station you pass make sure you grab a bottle and sip on it slowly. 

After the race is complete - it’s important to keep hydrating to help with recovery.

Referencing Precision Nutrition : As a baseline they recommend that athletes costume a solution of 30g carbs and 15g protein (along with electrolytes) dissolved in 600ml of water for each hour of training. - Drink this slowly!

My next blog will be what to eat leading up to and on the day of the London Marathon.