You’ve got the training plan. But have you nailed the hydration?
It’s easy to focus on pace targets, long runs and ticking off weekly mileage. But as the miles stack up, how well you hydrate and recover can have just as much impact on how strong and consistent your running feels.
We caught up with George Kruis, ex professional athlete and Co-Founder of Fourfive, to chat about why hydration and recovery are often the missing pieces in a runner’s routine.
“Endurance training creates its own kind of stress, especially when you are balancing it with everyday life. Supporting your running with the right food and supplements can help your body cope with that load and stay resilient over time.”
With insight from the team at Fourfive, here’s how smarter hydration and recovery habits can support your running, whether you’re training for a marathon, a half marathon or simply building your weekly mileage.
Why hydration is key for running success.
Hydration plays a vital role in endurance running. As training volume increases, runners lose more fluid and electrolytes through sweat, which can affect:
- Muscle contraction and coordination
- Energy levels late in runs
- Temperature regulation
- Overall training consistency
Water alone is not always enough, particularly on longer runs or in warm conditions. Electrolytes, especially sodium, help your body absorb and retain fluid, supporting endurance and reducing the risk of feeling depleted.
A daily foundation for runners: creatine and electrolytes
Creatine is commonly linked with strength training, but growing research suggests it can also benefit endurance athletes.
For runners, creatine may help support:
- Muscle performance during repeated training sessions
- Strength maintenance as weekly mileage increases
- Recovery between harder workouts
When combined with electrolytes, it can also support everyday hydration. This makes it a simple daily habit for runners managing increasing training demands.
For many runners, consistency matters more than timing. Taking a daily creatine and electrolyte supplement may not show instant results, but it will make a difference in the long run.
Hydration support for long runs and warm weather
Longer runs are an important part of endurance training, whether you are building towards a race or simply increasing your weekly mileage. As runs extend beyond 60 to 90 minutes, hydration and electrolyte replacement become increasingly important.
Electrolyte supplements can be particularly helpful for:
- Long runs
- Hot or humid training conditions
- Back-to-back training days
- Runs where you finish feeling unusually flat or fatigued
Using electrolytes on these sessions may help maintain energy levels and improve how you feel towards the end of your run.
How to support recovery between your runs
As your training builds, recovery becomes just as important as the runs themselves. Longer distances and tougher sessions place stress on your muscles, which need time, rest and the right nutrients to repair and adapt.
Some hydration recovery supplements combine electrolytes with amino acids, which may help support muscle repair and reduce post-run soreness when training starts to feel more demanding.
They can be particularly useful:
- After longer runs
- Following faster or more challenging sessions
- During busier training weeks
The goal is not to speed up recovery, but to help your body feel ready and refreshed for your next run.
Supporting focus on early or low-energy training days
Not every run happens under ideal conditions. Early alarms, work commitments and accumulated fatigue are part of training for many runners.
Hydration products containing small amounts of caffeine and focus-supporting ingredients can help you feel more alert and mentally ready to run, particularly for early morning sessions. As with caffeine, these are best used selectively rather than every day.
How hydration and recovery supplements can fit into your training
Base or steady training
Heavier or peak training periods
Race week or lighter weeks
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Avoid introducing anything new
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Prioritise hydration, carbohydrates and rest
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Stick with what has worked in training
Supporting your running
There is no shortcut to improving your running, but good hydration, sensible recovery and consistent fuelling can all help you train more effectively and feel stronger, whether you are chasing a marathon goal or simply enjoying running regularly.
You can explore Fourfive’s hydration and recovery range here.
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