Have a Drink?

By Sarah Bowen Shea

Choosing the right mix of liquid and carbs will help fuel every run

It's 70 degrees, and you're heading out for a 10-miler. What should you grab? Water, sports drink, or maybe a drink with a shot of something extra, like caffeine? Answer: It depends.

Variables such as the length of your run, the temperature, and your pace affect what you should drink. For workouts that are about 30 or 45 minutes long, a few sips of water will usually do the trick. But for runs closer to an hour, it's important to choose a drink that has the right combination of water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes--compounds such as sodium and potassium--that help your body retain fluid.

"The right product will determine how much energy you have and how much you enjoy your experience," says Deborah Shulman, Ph.D., a sports nutritionist and competitive runner. So what exactly should you sip, and when? Use our guide for every workout.

Running Time: Up to 60 minutes
Drink: Electrolyte tablets

These nearly zero-calorie tablets, such as Nuun, CamelBak Elixir, and Zym Endurance, dissolve in water and provide electrolytes and flavor with few carbs. Use them if you have electrolyte-rich sweat (you do if you often have white flakes on your face postrun), if you're in sauna-like heat, or if you prefer to get carbs from other sources. Be careful if you take the tablets with energy gels that also contain electrolytes; the extra salt may upset your stomach.

Running Time: Up to 60 minutes
Drink: Low-calorie sports drink

Lisa Dorfman, a triathlete and sports nutritionist at the University of Miami, drinks low- or zero-calorie options, such as G2, PowerAde Zero, Motor Tabs, Nuun U, Crystal Light Hydration, and Luna Sport Electrolyte Splash, for workouts that aren't too long or too hard. They allow her to drink a lot of fluid without tons of calories. When it comes to longer or more intense runs, these drinks don't provide enough carbs to fuel your muscles.

Running Time: One to two hours
Drink: Sports drinks

Your body starts to significantly deplete stored sugars after 60 to 90 minutes of running. Reach for a drink that has about 60 grams of carbs (or about 120 to 240 calories) and about 300 to 1,000 milligrams of sodium per 32 ounces, such as Gatorade, PowerAde, Gleukos, Cytomax, and GU2O Sports Drink. Different brands use different forms of sugar, and some runners find their stomachs can handle one type better than another.

Running Time: Two hours or more
Drink: Endurance sports drinks

Drinks such as Gatorade Endurance Formula and PowerBar Endurance contain extra electrolytes to help offset large sweat losses and may help prevent cramps. "The longer you sweat, the more electrolytes you lose," says Michael F. Bergeron, Ph.D., who studies how exercise in the heat affects fluid and mineral balance. Researchers have found that the more salty drinks athletes consume, the less urine they produce and the fewer electrolytes they lose.