One of the small payoffs I like to think my running affords me is a heightened insight in to how my body is feeling and what I need to do to take care of it. I know I need to stay hydrated throughout the day or not only will my run suffer, but I’ll feel completely different than if I had taken the time to put some high quality H20 into it. I always make sure to have a water bottle and a tube of NUUN with me. When it comes to staying hydrated, there is no other small step I’ve taken that makes such a huge impact on how I perform in everyday activities.
Hydration is a critical component to how efficient your body functions. Between 55 and 75 percent of our bodies are water. That number is usually higher the more lean muscle mass you have on your body because that type of tissue holds more water. Most all of the essential, life-preserving functions of the body require water to carry out their jobs properly. Water helps to lubricate our joints, improve our concentration, and boost our energy; all good things and especially so if you are a runner.
That’s where a product like NUUN comes in. NUUN is a little tablet that will dissolve in a glass of water and give you the electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) that you need to absorb that water quickly and put it to use. The only time most runners think about electrolytes is while they’re racing; and that’s a mistake. Just a two percent loss of water in the body can affect athletic performance. But in order to stay hydrated for that race and not worry about whether you’re being affected by that two percent loss, you need to be focused on staying hydrated all day. If you are just taking in water, you run the risk of not absorbing it; it will literally just pass through you. You know this is the case when you’re going to the bathroom every ten minutes and your urine looks just like the water you poured into your cup: crystal clear. NUUN helps to stop this because of its electrolyte formula. What I also love about NUUN is it doesn’t have all the sugar traditionally packed into a sports drink. Those sugars are great when I’m out on a run and need some energy to protect myself from bonking. But, if I’m just trying to stay hydrated during my day, I don’t need 400 calories of sports drink in my system just to get some electrolytes; I’d be a very fat (not fast) runner.
So, for me, NUUN offers the solution to staying hydrated during my day. There is virtually no sugar in the tablets, and the light flavor it gives to water makes those eight ounces much more appealing to drink. Now, I hate to admit it, but I love soda, especially Coke. But soda is probably one of the worst things you can do for your body especially if you are a runner. It dehydrates and is full of sugar and who knows what else. My favorite flavor of NUUN is called Kona Kola. It gives your water just enough of that cola flavor (at least for me) to stop that craving for a soda and hydrate you at the same time. I call that a win/win.
A good explanation of electrolytes: http://saltlakerunning.com/home/training/articles/electrolytes-2/
NUUN website: http://www.nuun.com
Our Online Store: http://www.mysaltlakerunningco.com/saltlake/product.asp?s_id=0&pf_id=PAAAIAINODLDNFEL