Leadville Trail 100 Preview: Golden Rules of Race Hydration

Experiment beforehand, not on race day. Sip steadily instead of chugging occasionally. Drink at least one bottle (or the equivalent thereof) per hour. And make sure your drink of choice is fortified with electrolytes and carbohydrates, not just plain water.

These are the golden rules of race hydration for events such as the Leadville 100.

“If you follow this protocol, your odds of having a successful race go way up,” explained Dr. John Heiss, Ph.D., lead scientist for the Herbalife24 product line, which includes Prolong, the official on-course drink of this year’s Leadville 100. “The other big key is remembering not to wait until you get thirsty before you start drinking. It’s very important to maintain a steady flow of fluids during the race. If you get behind on your hydration, it can be really hard to catch up.”

Heiss estimates that in a 10-hour race, the average rider will burn about 5,000 calories, making it critically important to consume a drink that has “a solid carbs content along with electrolytes.”

“That will keep you from cramping or bonking. Shoot for roughly 250 calories per hour and 500mg of sodium per hour. With Prolong you get that high caloric content without gastric distress because it’s using dual source carbs, which work better than single source.”

The catch with race hydration is that sometimes it’s hard to find the time to drink. As a general rule, mountain bikes perform best when riders keep both hands on the bars, so being strategic about when you reach down for your bottle or grab your hydration pack hose is key.

“I came into the race last year thinking it would be like a road race where there are lulls when you can drink and eat,” said Todd Wells (Specialized) who finished third in 2010, and is one of the favorites to take the overall win this year. “But the reality is that it’s pretty hard the whole time. I’d try to eat and drink whenever there was a flat section, or even on the mellower downhills. I’d also use the time rolling through the feed zone to make sure I was getting some food and drink going.”

Also remember that on-the-bike considerations are just one facet of your hydration strategy. “I’ll make sure I’m well pre-hydrated before the race begins,” said Cannondale pro Jeremiah Bishop, who was fifth overall last year, and will be a podium threat at this year’s race. “I’ll use some kind of electrolyte additive in a jug of water and be carrying that around with me the day before the race. I think it makes a really big difference to start ahead of the game.”

Bishop also recommends that whatever your drink of choice, make sure you like the taste. “It’s one thing to get something down your throat when you’ve been out for a couple of hours,” he explained. “But after 5-6-7 hours or more, it can be really hard mentally to eat or drink something that tastes bad to you. If you like the flavor, it’s a lot easier to stay on top of your hydration.”

If you’re curious about Herbalife24’s Prolong drink, or want to ask Dr. Heiss a question, stop by the Herbalife24 Basecamp located a block east of Leadville’s main drag on Third Street. (You can’t miss the Herbalife flags on the front of the 1870s-era house. Later in the afternoon is typically the best time to stop by.) Among other things, the Basecamp facility is meant as a place where riders can sample Herbalife products ahead of race day, and even take away free samples.

You can also learn more and ask questions via the Basecamp twitter feed, @Herbalife24HQ.

“It’s important to have mental clock and make sure that every 15 minutes you take a nice big swig of whatever you have,” explained Nate Whitman, director of the Herbalife24 Basecamp, and a nine-time Leadville 100 finisher. “Later in the day, it becomes more natural. But early on a lot of people forget and fall behind. Don’t let that happen, because that’s when you are laying the foundation for what is coming up down the road. On the flip side, don’t overdo it and drink so much that you get bloated. And definitely make sure you have it figured out beforehand. Race day is not the day to experiment with your hydration strategy.”