Run, Bike, and the Importance of Hydration!

These days, the roads are still covered with snow, and the sidewalks are no where to be seen, but I still need to run and bike.  So, Tuesday, I ran on the treadmill.  Not my favorite thing to do, but it got done.  I ran 40-45 minutes on the treadmill for about 3.75 to 4 miles.  Still stuck in 10 minute mile land, I have 4 months to bring that down along with all my other times.

Today, I used a spin machine since I can't take my bike out and I don't own an indoor bike trainer.  The spin machine was new, and came with a touch screen and video.  The plan was to bike about 45 to 50 minutes, but I ended up doing 23 minutes for about 9 miles because my calf started to cramp.  Which brings me to an important issue, hydration.

I was clearly not hydrated enough in my bike workout, resulting in a cramp.  One of the downsides to having a desk job all day, and being busy.  One thing I've done in the past to ensure I drank enough water throughout the day was to bring along a water bottle, like nalgene bottles:

Taking a water bottle to work ensured I drank water throughout the day.  Another thing to consider is performance energy drinks before and during a workout.  Many people know the major players - Gatorade and Power Ade.  But, there are many others out there, depending on an athlete's needs and how well their stomachs handle the drinks.  Other drinks include Cytomax and Hammer Perpetuem to name a few.  Visit http://www.trisports.com/drinks.html to see a list of more drinks.  Try them out to see what works best.