Half-marathon and full-marathon runners' hydration practices and perceptions
Eric K O'Neal1, Jonathan E Wingo, Mark T Richardson
1Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, University of North Alabama, Florence, AL, USA. eoneal1@una.edu
Journal of Athletic Training
|April 11, 2012
Summary
Recreational runners often believe sports drinks enhance performance and hydration, yet few monitor their status. Education on hydration monitoring and individualized strategies is crucial for runners.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Recreational runners' hydration behaviors and beliefs are not well understood.
- Understanding these factors is key to optimizing performance and health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate beverage choices and their rationale among runners.
- To identify negative performance and health outcomes associated with dehydration.
- To explore methods recreational runners use to assess their hydration status.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted with 276 runners (146 men, 130 women) participating in a marathon event.
- Participants completed a 23-item questionnaire regarding hydration habits and experiences.
- Runners were categorized into tertiles based on training volume, performance expectations, and experience.
Main Results:
- Runners with higher experience/volume (High group) consumed more sports drinks and believed they were superior for hydration and performance during long runs.
- Seventy percent of runners reported performance decrements due to dehydration, and 45% experienced adverse health effects.
- Only 20% monitored hydration status, primarily using urine color (7%) or body weight changes (2%).
Conclusions:
- Runners' perceptions often favor sports drinks, but practical hydration monitoring is infrequent.
- There is a need for improved education on effective hydration monitoring techniques.
- Developing individualized hydration strategies is essential for recreational runners.
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