Hydration strategies, how much to drink when you sweat. – Le Col

Hydration strategies, how much to drink when you sweat

Hydration is a personal science. That’s why we’ve teamed up with the sports scientists and our partners, Precision Fuel & Hydration, to bring you expert advice on how to build a hydration strategy that actually works for you. Whether you're heading out for a short, sharp session or taking on an all-day endurance effort, this guide breaks down what to drink, when and why trial and error could be your most powerful tool.

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Building Your Plan Through Trial and Error

Hydration can seem straightforward: replace the fluids you lose while exercising. But in practice, things get more complex. Your gut can only absorb so much at once, your pre-ride hydration status matters, and the way your body reacts to fluid loss isn’t the same as someone else’s. That’s why even top athletes take time to refine their approach through trial and error.

Rather than sticking rigidly to a drinking schedule or relying solely on thirst, many successful endurance athletes use a hybrid approach, starting with a basic plan tailored to their needs, and adjusting as they go based on experience and feedback from their body.

What Should a Hydration Strategy Be Based On?

To build an effective plan, you need to consider:- Your personal sweat rate- The sodium concentration in your sweat- The length and intensity of your sessions- Your access to fluids during the activity- Your past experience with hydration and performanceLet’s look at how hydration needs shift depending on activity duration...

< 90 Minutes: Focus on Starting Hydrated

For sessions under an hour and a half, the key is to begin well hydrated. It's worth drinking a strong electrolyte drink before sessions where you'll be sweating a lot. This is known as 'preloading' and the extra sodium in these drinks help your body retain more of the fluid you drink, and help you maintain your performance. That said, it’s smart to listen to your body. If you’re training again soon or pushing hard in the heat, sipping small amounts or rinsing with a carbohydrate drink might offer performance benefits.

90 Minutes – 4 Hours: Fluid Intake Gets More Critical

As training or racing time increases, especially in warmer conditions, fluid intake becomes a performance factor. Here's a general guide to test in training:

- Low sweat rate (<1L/hour): ~300–500ml per hour
- Moderate sweat rate (1–1.5L/hour): ~750ml per hour
- High sweat rate (>1.5L/hour): Up to 1L per hour

Sodium matters too. If you’re a “salty sweater” or cramp regularly, consider:

- Low salt sweaters: ~500mg of sodium per litre
- High salt sweaters: Up to 1,500mg per litre.

4+ Hours: Ultra Distances Require Strategic Planning

For ultra-endurance efforts, hydration needs may not drastically increase, but fatigue management becomes critical. Fitter athletes may need to front-load fluids slightly more, while slower participants should beware of overhydration, which is linked to hyponatremia. Sodium supplementation remains important, but total intake from food and drinks needs to be balanced.

Knowing When to Adjust on the Fly

Hydration strategies must be flexible. Here are common signs that you might need to adapt mid-session:

If you're overhydrated:

- Bloated or sloshy stomach
- Frequent toilet stops

Difficulty drinking more If you're underhydrated:

- Thirst or dry mouth
- Lethargy or light headedness
- Elevated heart rate for your effort level

With experience, you’ll get better at reading these signs and tweaking your intake accordingly.

Takeaways

A well-thought-out hydration plan starts with understanding your own needs: how much you sweat, how salty that sweat is, and how your body performs under different conditions. But no plan is perfect from day one. The key to success is structured experimentation, both in training and racing, and adapting based on what you learn. If you want to dive deeper into the different types of drinks to use at different times, check out our partner’s extensive series of guides on what to drink and when.

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