1. Drink Plenty of Water
Marathons have water aid stations set up along the course for your consumption. However, as exhibited in the 2007 Chicago Marathon, relying solely on the race for hydration can be disastrous. As temperatures soared into the high 80s early in the race, many runners complained of aid stations running out of water and sport drinks. As a result of poor hydration and soaring temperatures, many runners collapsed or had medical issues, filling up aid tents and overextending medical personnel and Chicago area emergency rooms. Both runners and race officials were frustrated and disappointed with the early closing of the 2007 Chicago marathon. Hydration is essential to long distance running.
Water hydration should start days before the actual event. This gives enough time for muscles and ligaments to be well lubricated. On race day, drink early in the race, even if you do not feel thirsty. Once you become dehydrated, it is difficult for the body to regulate energy expenditure effectively.
Most sport or running specialty stores carry runner's belts which can hold one or two water bottles. Carrying your own water ensures you will have hydration.
If you do not like the sloshing or weight of the water bottles around your waist, ask a friend or relative to have a water bottle available for you at a designated spot during the race.
Every mile you should be taking in 4 oz. of fluid. A quart an hour is an ideal goal, though this amount will be greater in warmer temperatures.
2. Fuel Yourself With Sport Drinks
Sport drinks help replenish sodium, glucose and electrolytes lost during long runs. Experimenting with a brand and flavor that agrees with your body during training is important. If your marathon is passing out the brand you trained with--great! If not, you will need to supply your preference of sport drink with a runner's belt or a supportive friend along the course route.
According to the book "Marathon: The Ultimate Training and Racing Guide" by Hal Higdon, research in fluid replacement indicates that drinks with 6 percent sugar solution empty from the stomach as quickly as water. Ingesting 30 to 60g of carbohydrates per hour of exercise will help maintain blood glucose oxidation late in exercise and delay fatigue.
3. Hydrate With Gel Packs
If you are training for a marathon at some point, you will hear runners talk about hitting the wall. Hitting the wall is an expression which refers to total energy exhaustion. Your muscles have been depleted of glycogen storage. Gel packs can help refuel your muscles.
The contents of gel packs are usually sodium, potassium and a carbohydrate mix. These ingredients help replace your body's lost fluids. Gel packs come in many brands and flavors. Just like sport drinks, you should experiment during your training to see how your body responds. Some runners ingest a pack every few miles while others wait until the latter miles to help them finish the race. Again, try out different ingestion schedules in your longer training runs.
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