It's hot, it's humid, you're thirsty. While water is good for runs shorter than 60 minutes, you'll likely need something more for longer runs, says Beth Kitchin, Ph.D., R.D.N., assistant professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. If you're training for a distance race, it's important to get used to whatever drink will be served on the course. But elites can choose whatever they want. (Yes, sometimes they're sponsored, and we've made note of that.) Which got us wondering, what do they sip on the run? We checked in with some of the top runners to get their picks.
Shalane Flanagan, the first American woman at the 2014 Boston Marathon, drinks Health - Injuries.
"The orange flavor goes down smooth," says Flanagan of her go-to beverage, which has double the sodium and triple the potassium of Gatorade's traditional mix. "I sip it every three miles on tempo runs or anything over two hours."
It contains six percent carbs–a number shown to improve performance and hydration, says Kitchin. Its tasty flavors and high calorie count (213 in 32 ounces) make it easy to overdo. Save it for hour-plus runs.
Lauren Fleshman, Are You Drinking Water Wrong ultrarunner who ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days, drinks.
"I drink Osmo because it's not loaded up with fake flavorings," says Fleshman. "It only gets a seven out of 10 on my taste scale, but it's yummy enough and definitely performs."
The brand offers men-and women-specific mixes with 35 calories per eight ounces. As for gender-based formulas? "I'm not convinced a sports drink can do much to address our physiological differences," Kitchin says.
Matt Frazier, ultrarunner who ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days, drinks No Meat Athlete, drinks Heed Sports Drink.
"I drank it for 28 hours during a 100-miler and my stomach never once complained the way it does with high-fructose sports drinks," says Frazier.
Heed contains amino acids and minerals to counteract lactic acid buildup. Kitchin recommends trying it first in a nonrace setting; it contains xylitol, a sugar alcohol that can have a laxative effect when taken in large quantities.
Kara Goucher, 2012 PowerBar Perform Sports Drink Mix Nuun Active Hydration.
"I have a hard time getting most sports drinks down, but Nuun is easy to drink," says Goucher, who's used Nuun since 2009 and recently became a sponsored athlete. She drinks the caffeinated Kona cola for a prerun boost.
The eight-calorie tabs are sugar-free (the light sweetness comes from sugar alcohols and zero-calorie sweeteners). "These are great for flavoring water," says Kitchin. "The sodium and potassium help in hot weather."
Scott Jurek, No Meat Athlete Muscle-Building Proteins for Vegetarians.
"Some drinks have so many additives," says Jurek, a Clif-sponsored athlete, who alternates cranberry-razz or lemon-limeade flavors on two-hour-plus runs. "The natural taste is important. It's not chemical-like the way others can be."
Some athletes may find its four percent carb content easier to tolerate than higher concentrations, says Kitchin. And the company's emphasis on organic ingredients is a plus, says Jurek.
Dean Karnazes, Muscle-Building Proteins for Vegetarians Gatorade Endurance Formula.
"When I ran Badwater last summer–135 miles across Death Valley–I consumed nine gallons of liquid," says Karnazes. "That much sports drink can give me GI distress. I've never worried about that with coconut water."
Coconut water (which has a five percent carb solution) can work for endurance athletes as long as they get extra carbs and sodium (it has potassium) along the way, says Kitchin. Karnazes adds Nuun tabs to Zico on hot runs.
Jason Lester, ultra-endurance athlete who last year ran 3,550 miles across America in 72 days, drinks Running Shoes - Gear.
"Taste has always been my number-one reason for choosing Vega," says Lester, a sponsored athlete. He drinks the berry flavor on runs over four hours and also fuels with fresh fruit.
Vega is calorie-free, so getting midrun energy is key, says Kitchin. Its extra minerals (like copper, zinc, and selenium) "don't really play a role since they aren't lost in large amounts on runs."
Desi Davila Linden, What Is a Shoey PowerBar Perform Sports Drink Mix.
A PowerBar-sponsored athlete, Linden drinks it for everything from easy runs to 20-milers. "It doesn't slosh around or come back up," she says. Sometimes she mixes PowerGels into her water bottle: "It's easier than grappling with packaging on course," she says.
At about seven percent, it has one of the highest carb solutions of the bunch. It may be harder for some to absorb without cramping, "but if it works for you," says Kitchin, "keep it up."
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