Water or Sports Drink But when you're running long and feeling drained, sports drinks are ideal. They contain electrolytes and carbs that facilitate water absorption and help prevent fatigue. The added sodium helps your body hold onto fluid and prompts you to drink.
If you're exercising, then you should have water with you. Your body loses water much more quickly than it loses electrolytes, so you must stay hydrated during your runs. If you have to pick between a bottle of water and a bottle of sports drink, always choose the water.
Drink 600 to 1200 ml of fluid per hour of exertion. Your beverage of choice should contain carbs, sodium, and potassium. Isotonic drinks are a great source of energy for your run. Isotonic means it has the same osmotic pressure as blood plasma, so it's able to be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.
The findings of the study indicate that consuming an energy drink an hour before exercise does help to improve running performance.
Red Bull Energy Drink can be consumed before, during and after sportive activities. Red Bull Energy Drink is a functional product, but it is not a thirst quencher. It has not been formulated to deliver re-hydration. Hence, water should be consumed in addition to Red Bull Energy Drink during exercise.
In fact, studies suggest that sports drinks, such as Gatorade, that combine fructose and glucose together are more easily absorbed during exercise than glucose-only solutions. Moreover, the specific 6% carbohydrate solution of Gatorade has been shown to optimize fluid absorption rates during exercise.
Beans, broccoli, and berries: remember those three B's as you don't want to eat them just before a run or a workout. The same goes for apples, lentils, anything whole grain, and other brassica vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale). These are some of the top foods that runners should avoid.
Maintain hydration: Drink about 5–10 fl. oz. (or a few good long drinks) of water every 15–20 minutes while running. Drink after: Post-exercise hydration gets your fluid levels back to normal and can help with recovery.
Fruit and vegetables for vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Lean protein such as fish, poultry, beans, lentils and tofu. Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado and nuts. Healthy carbohydrates such as rice, whole grain breads/pastas and oatmeal.
Overall, it is established that consuming low-to-moderate doses of caffeine (from ~200 to ~400 mg, equivalent to 3 to 6 mg of caffeine per kg of body mass) ~1 h before exercise (15~80 min) improves endurance performance by 2~7% [12,21,22].
Energy Drinks
If you are planning to go for a long run, avoid the consumption of energy drinks. Most energy drinks are loaded with sugars and some even contain caffeine, which can create an urgency to urinate. Excessive caffeine consumption also causes the heart rate to pump up and augments the runner's stress levels.
2 hours before the run: Oatmeal, granola, avocado toast, a PB &J are all great choices. 1 hour before the run: Something easy to digest like an energy bar should settle well. You could also include 8-12 ounces of a sports drink with electrolytes to make sure you're properly hydrated.
You should eat a banana 15-30 minutes before running. This fruit offers easily digestible fuel, as it contains natural sugars that are quickly broken down to provide energy for running. Plus, they aren't too harsh on the stomach, so they won't cause gastrointestinal issues during a run.
30 to 60 minutes before a run: Eat a small, carb-rich, low fat snack like a piece of fruit (no nut butter), a small handful of raisins and granola, a handful of pretzels, crackers, or plain popcorn.
Rather than going with something artificial or excessively sugary, we recommend COCO5 Clean Sports Hydration Multipack as the best electrolyte sports drink for runners. It's 100% natural, with absolutely nothing artificial, and contains 50% less sugar than traditional commercial sports beverages.
Drinking sports drinks, such as POWERADE ION4, before intense exercise helps to ensure that you begin in a well hydrated and well fuelled state. This can be particularly useful if you find it difficult to eat, or find you need many bathroom stops prior to exercising.
A guideline I like to follow is taking in 3 or 4 long sips of water every 15 or so minutes. On long runs, I'll often fill my hydration pack with water that has a hydration tab mixed in it, called Nuun, which has added electrolytes, like sodium.
By drinking 500ml of fluid two hours before a run – try water, a sports drink or diluted fruit juice – and another 150ml of fluid just before you run, you'll have enough time for your body to clear what you don't need before you set off.
A cup of coffee or tea, energy gel, or even caffeinated gum can do the trick without making you feel too jittery. “Having a small amount of caffeine 30 to 60 minutes before you run can give you the little boost you need to help you get out the door,” says Coach Hillary Kigar.