Are you hydrated enough to ride XC?

Many riders have nothing to eat or drink all day at an event until they’ve finished riding. If you really really can’t stomach food, okay, but at the very least you must have enough to drink. Oliver Townend’s PA very kindly replied to my question about his eating and drinking habits at events:

“Oliver eats a healthy (as can be) breakfast on the morning of the event, nothing too heavy though, and will then drink Lucozade sports drinks (not the fizzy one) throughout the day which helps with both energy levels and rehydration as this is very important when he is riding so many horses throughout what can be some very hot competition days in the summer.”

I found these statistics – Points #5 and #7 are particularly important to event riders:

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. It is likely that this applies to half the world’s population.

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water is the number 1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic maths, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Do you want your reflexes dulled by dehydration? One of the major differences between professional riders and amateurs is the speed of their reactions. A pro can feel something going wrong and act to correct it before an amateur might have noticed it. Being hydrated just might make the difference between a clear and an annoying 20 penalties (or more).

So, even at events, you should be getting your 8 glasses of water a day. Of course, having a loo in your lorry (or parking close to the portaloos) becomes rather essential, but it’s worth it!

2009. Words Kerry Weisselberg – Photo Trevor Holt