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== Fellrnr's Hydration Guidelines ==
* '''When you are thirsty, drink. If you are not thirsty, don't drink.<span style="color:red">Over-hydration kills!</span>'''* '''If salty things (potato chips, etc) appeal, eat salty things or drink with electrolytes. If salty things (or the thought of salty things) are nauseating, drink water.'''
* Don't drink to make the suffering of a race less - if you're not thirsty, drinking won't help your misery.
* Don't drink a fixed amount; let your thirst guide you.
* '''Skin Turgor.''' When you pinch the skin on the back of your hand and release, it should spring back into shape. If it moves back slowly, you may be dehydrated. If it 'tents', then you may be badly dehydrated.
* '''Salt Stains.''' These salt stains on clothing, or a salty crust on the skin are sometimes considered a sign of 'salty sweating'. I do not believe this is the case, but rather an indication that conditions are producing a lot of sweat, but the sweat is evaporating and leaving the salt behind. Cooler conditions produce less sweat, and warmer/humid conditions cause the sweat to roll off, taking the salt with it.
* '''Lack of urine.''' This can be a sign of dehydration, but not always. One cause of [[Hyponatremia]] is a hormone that stops you producing urine.
==Weight Drop from Dehydration==
If you weigh yourself before and after you run the difference between the two numbers will be the change in body water. However, on a longer run (~16+ miles), you will lose about 4 pounds due to burning off carbohydrate ([[Glycogen]]). So if your weight has dropped 0-4 Lb, you're probably hydrating okay. If your weight has dropped much more than 4lb, you may need more fluids and possibly electrolytes. If your weight has gone up, you probably need more electrolytes.
== The Fellrnr Drinks ==
Pre-run - 24-32 oz of fluid with 1/4 tsp salt about an hour before the run. This gives my body a chance to keep or flush out the fluids and electrolytes. (I also take a pinch of potassium salt ('No Salt') and a magnesium supplement before the run.) For training runs where I don't need extra calories, I drink add 1/4 tsp salt, plus a pinch of 'no salt' to each quart of water. This tastes a little odd, like very soft water. For races, or training runs where I want extra calories, I use Gatorade with the same extra 1/4 tsp salt, plus a pinch of 'no salt' to each quart. This makes the Gatorade taste very strong - try it before you run with it. '''Reminder - As always, I suggest you do your own research and make your own decisions, taking what I write as one source of input.'''