Hydration for your next heavy workout.

Can you die from dehydration? Yep, it’s legit. Will that happen because you forgot your water bottle during a 5K? Probably not. But even mild dehydration can suck the life out of your performance. 2% dehydration can impact performance. In sport, that’s the difference between a PB and a DNF.

What Actually Happens When You Sweat;

Your brain notices your body's getting too hot, and you may overheat. To cool you down, your brain (specifically the hypothalamus) sends a signal to your sweat glands: "Open the floodgates!"

Sweat is about 99% water. And that other 1% is the magic (and why your clothes get salty-crusty).

That 1% includes:

• Sodium- Na

• Chloride- Cl

• Potassium-K

These are your electrolytes—the crew that keeps your muscles firing, your nerves zapping, and your heart beating steady. You need them to perform well. But when you sweat, they sneak out of your pores and evaporate into the void.

So what happens when you get dehydrated and lose those precious electrolytes?

-You lose water, which thickens your blood and makes your heart work harder. Not cool.

-Cramping, fatigue, headaches… the trio of “maybe I overdid it.”

-If you don’t rehydrate, your body's cooling system goes offline and you overheat. This is how people end up wobbling around like drunk giraffes at the finish line.

Electrolyte replenishment, how to get those guys back?

Let’s talk about those typical sports drinks. They look all flashy—neon colours, lightning bolts on the label, acting like, “Don’t worry champ, we got you!” Meanwhile, try to find the actual ingredients and dosages....Electrolytes? Maybe. Sugar? Definitely.

Convenient, tastes good, sure—but as a hydration strategy, it’s like carbo-loading for a 10-minute jog. All hype, no mileage.

One of my coaches gave me a solid tip: on hot training days, add a bit of salt to your water. Simple, old-school, sounds weird—works like magic.

So, here is a good option if you don't like spending on over-marketed under under-dosed stuff.

2g (1/3 tsp ) Himalayan salt 780 mg Sodium Chloride

14g (2 tsp) Honey 11 g carb, and 7 mg Potassium

200 ml (1 cup) coconut water 4 gram carb 370 mg Potassium

And a bit of squash for the taste, it will make up 1 litre of drink perfectly.

Now, let’s talk pro-level hydration. If you’ve hit serious dehydration—like water cutting for sport where you have to be a certain weight —there are proper rehydration sachets out there. Personally, I use something like Pedialyte (for people smart enough to read labels). Not the cheapest option, but they actually list their dosages clearly, No neon nonsense—just solid rehydration science.

Sodium: 650 mg

Potassium: 370 mg

Chloride: 840 mg

Stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay strong—those warm days are coming in hot!