In order for you to be able to run well and stay healthy, hydration is vital. Duh! Right? Well, when starting to run, the runner may know they he or she has to run, but not know much more. Do not let the cold weather fool you into thinking you do not need to increase the amount of water you consume. You may be sweating as profusely as during the summer, but you better hydrate still the same.

Drinking enough water so that the color of your urine is light yellow or clear is the old adage. It still holds true. The darker you urine, you more water you need to consume. Most people need around 20-30 ounces of water consumed per hours of exercise. For the beginner, you may not need to carry water on runs, but when you start to get into high mileage runs, carry some type of drink is recommended. Regardless, make sure to drink plenty of water during the day, whether or not you run.

The only time I drink a sports drink is when I am on a run. Why? Because we lose electrolytes when we run, and actually often need them more than water. In order to keep your body nourished (and you definitely will when engaging in a cardiovascular activity like running) you will need to consume electrolytes to increase your blood's sodium level.

Drink before you become thirty. When you are thirty, you have already become dehydrated. Drink continuously throughout the day - whether or not you are running, and not just when you are thirty. You want to be able to keep your body hydrated as the water you drink the day before you run, is the hydration that will be in your body during your run. Keeping yourself properly hydrated will ensure your muscles are nourished and can perform well, and your flexibility is increased. If you do not keep yourself properly hydrated, you may suffer from headaches, as well as sore muscles (especially bad when trying to increase endurance build up at the beginning), fatigue, and cramping. If you are dehydrated during a run, you will probably cramp up and wish you had drunk more water!

Remember: alcohol dehydrates. Consume moderately (beer contains some carbs, so that is why some runners do drink beer: but drink in moderation for several obvious reasons!) if you must, and drink extra water to make up for it.

The next thing for you to do is to drink a glass of water!

Now go grab a glass of water!

My name is Christian A. Lautenschleger, and I have founded http://starttoruntoday.com to help people lose weight by running. I write articles on subjects geared towards new running enthusiasts who are motivated by weight loss. Again, I have founded How To Start Running To Lose Weight, which is located at http://starttoruntoday.com. Thank you for reading my article!