Underhydrate and you will suffer from cramps. Ideally, hydrate every 3 to 4 km alternating between water and a sports drink. Do not wait for thirst to become too strong. To quench thirst, avoid cramps and dehydration. Remember the golden rule – nothing new on race day ! Try, test, experiment beforehand You could also try various types running gels, but these are not easily available. Supposed to be had 15 mins prior to the start, it provides sustained energy for most part of the half marathon. An easily available type is Unived RRUNN Pre Sports Drink Mix. Our recommendation – they work for us, so no harm in trying it out. One school of thought says that these are not required pre-race if you have had a good breakfast. Upto 500 ml of hydration with water or a Gatorade prior to the start is good enough if you have hydrated well in the preceding days. Remember – eat you must but eating heavy will make you sluggish or go Porta-potty hunting ! Experiment to find out the right combination of type, timing and quantity. A couple of bananas and a small bowl of oatmeal or a peanut butter sandwich is ideal. Choose wisely as we do not want to have gastrointestinal stress. Have a light breakfast two to three hours prior to the start time. To top up your glycogen and hydration before the race. A sports drink, such as Gatorade, or a glass of homemade lemonade a day will up your electrolyte levels too. Increase your water intake concurrently to keep up your hydration. Don’t go overboard or you may end up gaining weight ! Avoid oily foods to prevent the heavy bloated feeling. Easily digestible carbs such as pastas, rice, chapatis, potatoes, etc help. Increase the percentage of carbs in your diet to about 60-70% three to four days prior to race day. To maximise your running fuel (glycogen) prior to the race. Hence, trial and error are the buzzwords. The exact requirement of what works when and in what quantity is unique to each runner. So instead of technobabble and the endless analysis of pros and cons of each, we have curated our combined experience of 30+ half marathons in Delhi conditions since 2014. Like most things about long distance running the science of hydration and nutrition too has many viewpoints.
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