Hydration? What are you using?

[factory]

Hi everyone. I see lots of different prodcuts for sale for mixing in your bidons. Some with magnesium, some glucose, some both. Some for pre exercise, some for during. Endles varietes, seems to be quite complex. I remember when plain old water was the go.

I recently bought some Endura rehydration formula and am trying that (http://endura.com.au/products/endura-rehydration) Seems to work well.

What are others using?

[The 2nd Womble]

I found my mouth works well for all of them, but my neighbour gave me his Endura (he doesnt like it) and I find its pretty good. The flavour is an aquired taste

[sandberry]

I commute approx. 8kms each way, with occasional rides of longer distances, almost always just use water.
When I feel like something a little more, I use Procari Sweat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocari_Sweat) in powder-form, adding a little bit to my water - it's common in Asia, where I first found it while swimming competitively.

[Aphexchefpusher]

Hi everyone. I see lots of different prodcuts for sale for mixing in your bidons. Some with magnesium, some glucose, some both. Some for pre exercise, some for during. Endles varietes, seems to be quite complex. I remember when plain old water was the go.

I recently bought some Endura rehydration formula and am trying that (http://endura.com.au/products/endura-rehydration) Seems to work well.

What are others using?

The Endura formula has reduced lactic acid build up during riding and cured my thigh aches the following day after a long hard ride, normally take in 1 bottle per hr........great stuff

[sumgy]

e-Load.
Cheap, good and tastes decent.

[marinmomma]

Now that the heat has returned to Brisbane I usually take one bottle with a half/half mix of Endura and Staminade...haven't acquired the taste for just the Endura on its own, and one bottle with just water for any ride over 40+ k's.

[Le Velo]

High 5 energy source .... Can be bought online at http://www.fastgear.com.au ... I found it better and cheaper than endura too

[ausrandoman]

I drink water and eat food.

[cavebear2]

Nuun tabs are the best, no sugar, (use sorbitol) high mg, good fizz, good flavours (much better than 'Zero') My favourite flavour is tri-berry. I use 1 tab per 700ml although Nuun say up to 1.5 tabs

[ni78ck]

water
i tried many products when i first started out and i still got cramps. now i find i dont need those products.
i find the trick is just to ride more and your body will do the rest!!

[winstonw]

eLoad, Shotz, and Nuuns have electrolytes in concentrations closer to that of sweat, and are designed specifically for endurance exercise.

More commonly available "sports drinks" sold via convenience stores do not have enough electrolyte to replace that lost in sweat, and on longer rides this will be an issue.

Endura Magnesium Rehydration Formula doesn't have enough salt to replace sweat losses (6x less than eLoad) and if you try to double the powder added to water, you will double the sugar, and very likely take more Calories than you expend.

Sodium lost in sweat varies from 230 to 1200 (and higher in some circumstances) mg/L. eLoad has 1180mg/L. Endura has 187mg/L.

The AIS's general advice is water is ok for low to moderate intensity rides under 30-45 minutes in the tropics and an hour in colder weather.
However, the gold standard is to replace sweat losses.
There's been a lot more science done on this stuff in the last 10 years. People can stick to what was advised 50-100 years ago, but keep in mind they also said endurance athletes should not drink when exercising so as to harden their bodies up, and eat steak for energy. No professional endurance athlete follows such pearlers anymore.

[nayfen]

What is a hydration routine? (blurb off interwebs)
â– Avoid starting exercise dehydrated. Drink plenty of fluids for several hours prior to exercise.
â– If you are well hydrated you should be able to pass a good volume of clear urine in the hour before exercise.
â– Drink at least 500ml (2 cups) of fluids 1 hour before exercise.
â– Drink at least 150ml of fluids every 15minutes during exercise.
â– During exercise take advantage of all breaks to drink up.
â– After exercise drink liberally to ensure you are fully re-hydrated.
â– Splitting the amount of fluids between water and rehydration formula is a great way to ensure you are hydrated and electrolytes are replenished
â– Always remember to keep up the fluids even in winter months as dehydration during exercise can occur in any environment.

I alternate between golden circle sports cordial and biddons of water on 30km+ rides. and add a banana, museli bar and or samich on all day rides. pretty cot effective about $4 for 10 liters of mixed drink and cheaper when you buy it on special.

[Marty Moose]

Endura really like it works great. I also take extra magnesium and put a little sea salt on my food.

MM

[Addictr3]

First 3 hours I use water, than eat and some form of sports drink the next 3 hours.

[pauls51]

For anything under 100k I usually have 2 bidons and a mix between water and Powerade.

[R12RT]

Just for something different.

On a recent group charity ride I saw what looked like Coke in a riders bottle...

[trailgumby]

I've found Endura craps on any of the supermarket-baught brands of lolly water (Powerade, Staminade, et al). With the mass-market sugar-based stuff I feel fine for a few minutes with the insulin spike and then it dumps me. Which is what table sugar does.

The maltodextrin base of Endura gives a slower burn for more sustained energy, without the uncomfortable and unpleasant peaks and troughs. One 750ml bidon mixed at isotonic concentration + 1 gel + half a soft fruitcake bar per hour and I can keep going at a maximal traiing pace for hours (80kg male), so far for 60km off-road and 80-odd on-road.

The downside si that the magnesium takes a bit of getting used to. Best to trial it on some more relaxed training rides before using it in a race in case it doesn't gree with you. Not being able to keep up the nutrition or to keep it down will put you in the hurt box - not nice 30km from anywhere in the middle of nowhere in the bush. A gel 10 minutes before the start is a good idea. This strategy worked really well at the Back Yamma Bigfoot last time I raced it, and at The Mont in April as well.

The guys doing the longer races like 8, 12 and 24 solos use stuff like Hammer Perpetuum, which has protein in it as well, usually every second bottle.

These days I tend to use High5 purchased from Wiggle as the price is half that of Endura. If you're not going flat out you can lower the carb intake or stretch it out over a longer period.

[sumgy]

I

The guys doing the longer races like 8, 12 and 24 solos use stuff like Hammer Perpetuum, which has protein in it as well, usually every second bottle.

These days I tend to use High5 purchased from Wiggle as the price is half that of Endura. If you're not going flat out you can lower the carb intake or stretch it out over a longer period.

Not me.
I use e-Load (a bidon every 45 - 60 mins) and some e-Load Zone Caps intermittently.
A Gu; half a nutrition bar, half a banana or some other easily digestible food source every 45 mins or so and a bigger meal (maybe pasta, rice, peanut butter sandwiches) every few hours. I have even been known to eat some cold pizza.

I find the taste of the High5 too metallic. I have used it and it has done its job well though.
But I love e-Load.
Very easy on the stomach and the flavour is not overpowering like some others.

[ZepinAtor]

But I love e-Load.
Very easy on the stomach and the flavour is not overpowering like some others.

Where do we get hold of this magic e-Load Mr Smudgy ?

I've been going ok (just satisfactory) with Endura & Balance (Re-fuel & recover), but definitely need more as I've felt completely depleted only 2-3hrs into a couple races recently.

If these sodium levels are the key, then e-Load is a step in the right direction.

I only (yesterday) purchased a container of Balance Mag-Primer which has 477mg of sodium/ 100g, but this is still under half of the e-Load of which you speak.

[sumgy]

Endurance store.

[koen]

I usually use one bidon of water and one of cordial if it is a longer ride (over 2 hours in the warmth)
I used to use Golden Circle cordial but that seems to have changed and I can't get 750ml bottles anymore so I use Cottees at about half strength with a pinch of salt if its sweaty. I usually just want a bit of taste and energy. Works well. Red goes faster than orange:)
Racing I liked nuun tabs, lemon lime one per 750ml, as they aren't sticky and easily added and the flavour is mild and pleasant. Not sure where I can get them in Brisbane.

[sumgy]

Racing I liked nuun tabs, lemon lime one per 750ml, as they aren't sticky and easily added and the flavour is mild and pleasant. Not sure where I can get them in Brisbane.

Avantiplus stores.

[koen]

Racing I liked nuun tabs, lemon lime one per 750ml, as they aren't sticky and easily added and the flavour is mild and pleasant. Not sure where I can get them in Brisbane.

Avantiplus stores.

Thanks! I learn so much on these forums.

[Addictr3]

I use the BSc Endurance stuff, which is good cause as I play lower grade footy for Manly, I get a good deal

[cooperplace]

water, water, water