8 Glasses of Water: Fact or Fiction?

In the midst of the summer heat, news reports are telling people to properly hydrate and stay cool. So what is proper hydration?! 8 glasses of water a day? ... I've read books and articles about proper hydration during running/training, but in all honestly I'm still confused! There are different formulas and numbers involved, and since numbers #98723#! turn me off - I tune it ALL out. Too little water will cause you to pass out and too much water can make you sick ... My main goal is pretty simple - no fainting or passing out from dehydration!

So how much water do I drink throughout the day? About 55 ounces ... How did I come up w/ this number? Well, the man who sold me my size 9 running shoes gave me a simple formula for proper hydration ... Take your body weight in lbs, divide it in half, and that number is the amount you drink in ounces. Pretty simple huh? I simplified it even more to two bottles of my green Contigo water bottle. I'm not too sure of the science behind this formula, but it works for me and keeps it simple. Skip the gallons and liters, I just try my best to drink through those two bottles and eat plenty of fruit (which is a great source for liquids and fiber!)

To be honest, I'm not really good at drinking all that water b/c I hate the peeing that comes along w/ it! My staff probably thinks I have a bladder problem b/c I run to the ladies room in b/t every other patient. Nonetheless I try my best to drink more of the H2O and less of the coffee. The best way for me to gauge if I'm drinking enough water is the urine test. Your urine should be relatively clear or a little fluorescent yellow if you're taking vitamins; if it's a darker yellow (like mustard), then you failed the urine test and need to drink more fluids and try again later. Go ahead try it!

Here's what I wear on long runs to keep me hydrated and running ... this water holder fanny pack (aka energy hydration belt) is the best thing I've invested in!