What is Cross Country?
Cross country is a team running sport that takes place in the fall on a measured course over varied surfaces and terrain. In Wisconsin, high school boys run 5,000 meters, also referred to as "5K" which is approximately 3.1 miles. Wisconsin high school girls run 4,000 meters (4K) or approximately 2.5 miles.
What it takes to be successful
Dedication, Commitment, Hard Work, and a desire to have fun while improving yourself
Summer
Runners are strongly encouraged to be on some sort of a training regime during the summer. Pre-season summer training is essential to build a fitness base for intensive workouts and races during the season. Team members meet regularly throughout the summer for group runs, though WIAA regulations prevent the coaches from holding any organized and/or mandatory practice. Therefore, upperclassmen may need to take some pre-season leadership roles. Before the end of the school year, you should have all team members’ names, phone numbers, and email addresses if applicable. People who aren’t on the cross country team should be encouraged to join the summer activities. Ideas include:
Meet at Sandy Beach every Wednesday evening. Race a designated path that begins and ends at Sandy Beach. Wrap it up with a team cookout at the beach.
Form different running groups based on different schedules
Get in on some of the races in the area (See www.active.com)
Go for a bike ride/run – make it a biathlon
How to buy running shoes and equipment
We recommend buying shoes at a store that deals primarily with running apparel. Usually these stores have experienced runners as sales people who can help you choose the right shoe with the right fit. There is no denying the fact that running shoes can be expensive. Ask the coaches for store locations that offer discounts to high school runners. The best way to prolong the life and function of a new pair of running shoes is to wear them for running only, not as school dress or for PE class. Don’t forget to purchase spikes for race day. Loose fitting T-shirts and running shorts are adequate for daily training. On hot days, boys may prefer to not wear a shirt while training, while the girls may prefer to wear a top specifically designed for sporting activity. This is the option of each athlete.
Cross Country Vocabulary
Blind Spots . . . locations on a cross country course where trailing runners cannot see those ahead. Trees, bushes or hills often create blind spots
Cool-down . . . jogging and stretching done after a practice or competition to gradually allow muscles to purge themselves of waste products which have accumulated during exercise
Dual Meet . . . a meet between two teams
False Start . . . leaving the starting line before the gun sounds
Fartlek . . . taken from the Swedish words for "speed play." The workout consists of easy running with the addition of hills or short fast bursts, followed by a return to easy running.
Finish Chute . . . a rope bordered funnel past the finish line that moves runners into a single file order of finish.
Invitational Meet . . . a multi-team meet
Lactic Acid . . .the by-product of anaerobic exercise. Lactic acid is toxic to the cells and can only be tolerated in small amounts. It contributes to fatigue.
Kick . . . a burst of speed at the finish of the race
Pace . . . average running speed over the course
Pack . . . a group of runners in close proximity
Personal Record . . . best-ever performance on a course, referred to simply as a "PR"
Racing Flats . . . special, lightweight shoes designed for racing, rather than daily training
Split(s) . . . recording a runner's time as he or she passes a predetermined mark on the course in order to check the runner's pace. Usually splits are taken at the mile mark(s) or at the 1000 meter mark(s).
Starting Box . . . area to which a team is assigned on the starting line
Surge . . . a tactical increase in the pace during competition
Triangular Meet . . . a meet between three teams
Top 7 . . . the varsity members of a cross country team
Training Flats . . . running shoes designed for long wear in daily training
Warm-up . . . running and stretching done prior to practice or competition to gradually warm up the body for more intense training or racing
Workout . . . a daily training session
Training
Most people agree that the key to cross-country success in high school is building that base of training in the summer. Here are a few pointers about running in the summer.
How Many Miles a Week Should I Put In?
The number of miles a cross country runner should put in varies with age. One tip is that beginning freshmen should put in anywhere from 20-30 miles a week, sophomores 30-40, juniors 40-50, and seniors, maybe a little over 50, but not over 60. Unless you're a state champ who's probably going to Stanford, there is absolutely no reason to go over 60 miles a week in the summer. Save that higher mileage for college!
Some Helpful Hints
Here are just a few things about training in the summer:
1. Don't push it! If you develop some minor pain take one or two days off. Remember, it's better to only make it to 15 miles one week, if you are able to avoid a serious injury. Also, the high school runner should take at least one day off a week during the summer.
2. Keep a running log! You can make it as simple as writing down your mileage each day on a calendar. This will not only help you keep track of your miles, but will also provide you with motivation on days you don't feel like going out.
3. Keep yourself hydrated! In the summer months, the weather is usually lots hotter, so you've really got to pour in the fluids. To see how important water is, see "nutrition." Drinking water will allow you to get the most out of your training, since dehydration leads to a sharp decrease in performance.
4. Go to a running camp if you’re able! Running camps are usually run near the middle of the summer. This makes it easy for you to train, since you can divide up the summer. Spend the first half getting in shape for the camp, and after the camp focus all your attention on the season. And also, camps are lots of fun and you learn a lot!
How Fast Should I go?
Again, this varies with age and talent. A good rule for speed, is to run slow enough that you could carry on a conversation if there was someone running with you. For most runners this would be around 6:30-8:00 mile pace. Of course, when you are doing speed training, don't worry about this rule.
Speed Workouts Set aside at least one day a week for a speed workout. For example, one week you might do a fartlek, and the next week on that day, you would do a tempo run. One important note, don't start implementing this plan until toward the end July. Instead, on this day do hill workouts all the way through your base training (from early June through toward the end of July) especially if your cross country course has hills. Doing other kinds of speed work too early in training can make you peak too early in your season.
Tempo Runs
Tempo runs are another important workout in training for cross country. Tempo runs teach you to run at a fast pace for a long period of time. They really get you ready for the fast pace of a race. Here are a few pointers.
What is a Tempo Run?
A consists of a 10-15 minute easy warm-up jog, followed by a run at about your 10k pace. Which would probably fit in between 5:30-7:00 mile pace for the excellent high school runner. After that, 10-15 minute jog to cool down is also important. The distance of a tempo run should be from 4-6 miles.
When, and How Many Tempo Runs Should I Do?
You should start doing tempo runs toward the end of July and through August. Tempo runs should be done once and week, but without any other speed workouts.
Conquer the Hills!
I've found that hill workouts are one of the best workouts you can do for cross country Not only does hill work prepare for running hills in a race, it also builds muscle, and teaches you body to run fast when you're struggling for oxygen. It is an essential part of any cross country program. Here are a few pointers about hill work.
How Do I Do Hill Work?
Hill work, or hill repeats simply means sprinting up a hill, jogging back down over and over. You should try to find a hill between 200 and 400 meters. Also, be sure that the hill isn't to steep and not too flat, but medium. When you start to do hill work start with around 4 repeats, and gradually increase week by week until you can get up to 8 repeats. Remember that hill work is hard on the lower leg, and can aggravate injuries like Achilles Tendonitis, Plantar Fascitis, and shin splints. If you feel pain in any of these areas don't do hills! One other note, jog for 5-10 minutes to warm-up before you do the repeats. After the workouts jog 5-10 minutes to cool down. Never start your workout without warming up before hand!
Putting the Miles in With the Hills
When you do hill work you don't run very many miles on that day. Therefore, you may want to do your hill workouts in the morning, and in the evening put in 3-4 easy miles. This way you can get in the all important hill workout, without sacrificing the miles.
Fartleks
During a cross-country race, it is very unlikely that you will run the same pace throughout the whole race. You'll probably run fast, then slow, then fast again. This variation in your pace is due to the terrain and the race itself. One of the best workouts to prepare yourself for the varying pace is the fartlek. Here are some pointers about this workout.
What is a Fartlek?
A Fartlek (Swedish for "speed play") is simply sprinting and jogging off and on during a run. For example, a normal fartlek workout would be a 30-45 minute training run. However, instead of keeping the same pace through the whole workout, you sprint, then jog whenever you feel like it. You can customize the fartlek workout to how you feel. If you feel sluggish, limit the number of sprints you do, and take more time to recover. If you feel great, run the sprints hard, and sprint again maybe when you don't feel totally recovered. One good way to run this workout is to pick out objects ahead of you, like a telephone pole and sprint from that pole to the next then jog. One reason that the fartlek workout is so popular is that it is so flexible.
Track Intervals
Track intervals are extremely beneficial to runners. They teach us to run fast, and to run through pain.
What are Track Intervals?
Track intervals are essentially hill repeats on the track. One day you might do an 8 X 200 workout. This would mean do 8 repeats of 200 meters (half a lap). Or you could do 12 X 400, which is 12 repeats of 400 meters (a full lap). Here is a list of how many laps there are in standard metric track distances (You probably know this stuff, but this is for beginners too!):
100 meters 1/4 of a lap (a straight-away)
200 meters 1/2 of a lap (a curve and a straight-away)
300 meters 3/4 of a lap (a straight-away, curve, and straight-away),
400 meters A full lap
800 meters Two laps
1600 meters Four laps (Just about a mile)
3200 meters 8 laps (Just about two miles
Another way to do track intervals is to mix up the distances, like a workout of 4 X 400, 3 X 300, and 2 X 200.
Resting in Between repeats
The common wisdom is to rest two times as long as it takes to run the repeat. So if run a 400 in 70 seconds, rest 2 minutes 20 seconds. Just don't stop moving! At least walk around. Some days your coach might want you to jog to the next repeat and not walk at all. This is a lot harder, but it really gives you tons of benefits.
How Fast Should I Run Them?
This really varies with age and talent. In fact, it varies so much that you will have to ask your coach at what pace you should run. However, try this method to find your pace. Start out running 400 m. repeats at 90 seconds (200's at 45 seconds). This will probably be too slow for you, so go down 5-10 seconds. Go down until you feel you are running at little faster then your race pace. Hope this works for you!
General Information on the Cross Country Race
History of Cross Country
Cross country began in Britain. There is actually evidence that English school boys ran cross county as early as the 1830's. The first English cross country championship took place in 1876. However, since all 32 runners went off the course the race was declared void! In 1898 England and France got together for the first international championship. The international cross country championship steadily grew in popularity and by the 1950's most US high schools and colleges were participating in cross country.
The Rules
There aren't many, but here are a few.
1. Don't cut the course
2. Don't excessively push, hit, or kick the other runners
3. After the race, in the chute, don't try to get ahead of the runners who beat you!
4. No jewelry
5. Behave respectfully
6. Run fast
7. Have fun
Warm-ups
Warming up is so important for a race. It prepares your muscles for the race by increasing the blood flow to the legs, and expanding the muscles. Warm muscles work much better than cold ones. Here are a few points about warming up.
The Warm-up
1 Hour Before the Race
One hour before the race begin jogging slowly for 10-15 minutes to get your muscles warm, and ready to stretch. Make sure you jog at real slow pace, and run only on flat terrain.
45 Minutes Before the Race
45 minutes before the race begin stretching. Stretching lengthens the muscles, and also increases blood flow to the muscle being stretched. Stretch for 15-25 minutes.
25 minutes Before the Race
25 minutes before the race go to the bathroom!
5-15 minutes Before the Race
Start jogging again to keep warm, and maybe mix in some stretching too.
Do a couple easy strides. Mentally prepare to conquer.
What to Eat Before the Race
About 2-4 hours before the race make sure to eat! Fasting too long can lead to light headedness. Also, be sure that you don't eat later than 2 hours before a race, unless it's something very light. Eating too late my lead to gut aches, and also when you eat, blood rushes to your stomach to digest it. This takes blood away from the muscles, which are going to need all the blood they can get. Some good things to eat before a race include:
Bananas
Power Bars
Bagels
Pretzels
Raisins
Oranges
The Start of a Race
The start is crucial part of a cross country race. Here are a few pointers about the start. Bang!
Okay, the gun has just gone off, get going! Watch out for flying elbows and spikes. Try to get out fast, then settle in as fast as you can.
If you’re a better runner, don't get caught behind a bunch of people, try to move up to the front pack that will probably form.
Don't go out to fast! 3.1 miles is a long way. If you go out to fast, you'll suffer the consequences of oxygen debt, which means a terrible time, and lots of pain.
At about the quarters of a mile to one and a half miles into the race, you'll start to breathe very hard, it is imperative for you to relax and get your breathing under control. If you can get deep and control breaths in, you'll be able to ward off the effects of oxygen debt.
During the Race Okay, the gun has gone off, and you're starting to settle into a good pace, you're at the 3 quarters of a mile to the mile mark. Time to race! Here are a few pointers about tackling the course, and the competition.
Passing
During a race, you'll almost certainly be in the position to pass someone in a race. This is important because you’re passing someone will lower your team's score. When you see a runner ahead of you start to slow, get right up in back of him, then make your move. Accelerate your arm swing, lift your knees higher, and increase the power drive of your legs. Then gradually begin to run faster, and maintain that pace until you are pretty good distance ahead of the runner. If you slow too early, you may get re-passed by the now motivated runner. After you are a safe distance away, start to move back into your race pace, and get your breathing under control. You should probably only pass if you are feeling good. If you already are tired, you shouldn't accelerate, but maintain your pace and hopefully the runner will just fade back.
Running Uphills
You'll be best prepared for running uphill if you do hill workouts throughout your base training. But there is still a technique. Here are a few tips about running uphills.
Don't be scared! If you start to fear a big hill coming up, you've already put yourself at a disadvantage. Instead, think to yourself that you will CONQUER the hill. Pretend you are a well oiled machine preparing to move steadily up the hill.
Quicken the pace! Shorten your stride, increase your foot speed, and pick your knees up.
Lean into the hill! Slightly lean your body toward the hill. Also, keep your eyes looking up to the top of the hill. Don't look at your feet when charging up.
Drive off your back foot. This is very important. If you don't power off your foot, all your other efforts will be in vain
Don't tense up! It will be hard, but try to get your breathing under control, and relax. Tensing up will only lead to more pain running up the hill
Running Downhills Running downhill is a great time to do some damage to the racing field. Here are some pointers about running downhill.
Lean! Lean you body toward the hill. The farther you lean, the faster you'll go. Try to keep you center of gravity over your lead leg.
Keep you arms under control! Don't make your arms go crazy like many people do. Instead keep them swinging right next to your hip like normal.
And again relax! It's funny how so much about running involves relaxing. Downhill running is no different. Keep your breathing under control and concentrate on good form. Feel like you are effortlessly flying down the hill. Relaxing makes downhill running much easier.
Finishing Strong
Hopefully through the race, you've been able to pace yourself well, and at least have a little energy left for a strong kick. Here are some tips on how to initiate the kick.
Maintain your form! It's hard, but you've got to maintain a solid form at the end of a race. You head should be looking straight ahead, and focused on the finish line. Your arms should be relaxed, but swinging vigorously to generate speed. You should also begin to lift your knees higher, and push harder off your feet like you were running up a hill.
Control your breathing! It's hard enough to control your breathing when you're running at race pace, but it's even harder when you start sprinting. If you feel yourself start to hyper-ventilate try to get control. The better you can breath, the more oxygen your muscles will have.
Stay relaxed! Again, that word relaxed comes into running. If you can relax during the start of a race, in the race and at the end, it will be so much easier.
Finishing With Oxygen Debt
It happens to the best of us. Sometimes we go out to fast, and suffer the consequence, oxygen debt. Oxygen debt sets in when you run so fast that your body can not pump enough oxygen to your legs. This will immediately slow you down, and cause a lot of pain. You probably won't have enough energy to kick. The only way to counteract energy debt is to:
Slow down!
Get your breathing under control!
Relax!
And stagger on in!
Your time might be a lot higher than normal, but you've probably learned a good lesson: The races is 3 miles long, not 1 mile!!!
After the Race/Cool Down The race is over. You’re feeling really tired, maybe it's hard for you to stand up. But your day is not over yet. You've got to do a cool down! Here are some pointers about the cool down.
What Good is Cooling Down?
The purpose of cooling down is to return your body to its pre exercise level. It prevents muscle tightness, and helps blood return to other parts of the body besides the legs and arms. In other words, cooling down helps prevent injury.
How Do I Do a Cool down
Here's a little guide on how to cool down:
Keep moving! Right after a race, try not to sit or lie down. Instead, keep your legs moving by walking around.
When you feel like you can jog again, go ahead and go about a mile nice and easy.
Stretch! It is just as important to stretch after a race as it is before. However, be careful not to over stretch. Your muscles are very fatigued after a race, and stretching too hard can lead to injury.
Eat and Drink! Putting something in your body after a hard race can really help your recovery process. Drinking lots of water or Gatorade, and eating bagels, raisins, bananas, or power bars can make you feel so much better.
Congratulate yourself! You've just ran three miles as fast as could. No matter if you came in 1st or 51st, you did a great job. If you had a bad race, try to learn from it, and get ready for the next one.
Nutrition Vitamins are a vital part of our diet. They are not a direct source of energy, but they aid in the conversion of carbohydrates, fat, and protein into energy. This is extremely important to runners. Here are the most important vitamins, their benefits, and what foods to find them in.
Vitamin A
Benefits: Critical to the development of bones and teeth Helps maintain good eyesight Enhances the immune system Prevents red blood cell damage Sources: Dark green leafy vegetables Yellow-orange vegetables and fruits Liver Milk Butter
Vitamin B-Complex Benefits: Provides energy by converting carbohydrates into glucose Essential to the metabolism of fats and proteins Assists in growth Contributes to appetite Sources: Whole grain cereals Green vegetables Nuts Beans Poultry Fish
Vitamin C Benefits: Helps the formation of scar tissue Fights bacterial infection Reduces the impact of some allergy producing substances Helps prevent the common cold (Controversial) As an antioxidant, fights cancer, cataracts, and heart disease Sources: Broccoli Tomatoes Oranges Grapefruit Cantaloupe
Vitamin D Benefits: Critical for bone development and strength Maintains a stable nervous system Maintains a normal and strong heartbeat Helps in blood clotting Sources: Fish-liver oils Fortified milk Egg yolks Tuna fish
Vitamin E Benefits: Lessens oxidative damage after hard training Prevents lung damage from many pollutants Vital to the immune system Sources: Vegetable oils Wheat germ Whole grains Rice Leafy vegetables
Vitamin K Benefits: Essential to blood clotting Sources: Green leafy vegetables Vegetable oils Fish
Minerals Minerals, like Vitamins do not provide us with energy, but the work to ensure that our body functions properly. Minerals are essential for the functioning of the heart, they aid in warding off fatigue and cramps, and in the transportation of oxygen. This is very important to runners. Here is a list of some minerals, their benefits, and in what foods to find them in.
Calcium Benefits: Builds and maintains bone strength, which prevents stress fractures Builds and maintains teeth Helps regulate heart function Assists in muscle growth and contraction Sources: Milk Calcium fortified juices Beans Oranges Broccoli
Chloride Benefits: Maintains nerve impulses that control the muscles Maintains water balance and distribution Needed for the production of stomach acid Sources: Table salt (sodium chloride)
Iron Benefits: Along with protein, helps form hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs through the blood to the body tissues, which includes the muscles (Very Important for Runners!!!) Sources: Beef Lamb Pork Leafy green vegetables Iron fortified cereals Breads
Magnesium Benefits: Aids in the body's energy production Combats stress Assists in bone growth Helps regulate body temperature Sources: Bananas Green vegetables Corn Apples Whole wheat bread
Phosphorous Benefits: Helps in almost every chemical reaction in the body, assists in the use of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for energy Stimulates heart and muscle contractions Prevents tooth decay Sources: Meats Fish Chicken Eggs Whole grains Chocolate!
Potassium Benefits: Aids in the conversion of glucose to glycogen (Very important to running) Nourishes the muscles Stimulates the kidney to get rid of body wastes Sources: Bananas Green leafy vegetables Oranges Potatoes Raisins
Sodium Benefits: With water, helps retain fluids that counteract dehydration Helps our bodies produce a thirst sensation so we'll drink more fluids Sources: Seafood Poultry Carrots Beets
Zinc Benefits: Helps remove carbon dioxide from exercising muscles Aids in healing Boost the immune system Protects against pollution Sources: Beef Lamb Chicken Sunflower seeds
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, stored in the body as glycogen, are the secret to running fast and for long periods of time. Carbohydrates are a much more efficient source of fuel when compared to protein and fat. Here are just a few pointers about the "runner's fuel," carbohydrates.
Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates, which basically means sugar, are what you could call "bad carbohydrates" It is true that eating sugar gives you a quick boost, which gives you more energy. However, that boost also wears off in time, and actually swings back the other way to give you a blood sugar low. This low results in a decrease in energy. Foods such as cookies, cakes, and candy, and drinks such as pop all contain simple carbohydrates. They really are empty foods since they contain no essential vitamins and minerals, yet are high in calories
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex Carbohydrates are what we runners should include in great quantities in our diet. Foods such as pasta, cereal, bread, and vegetables are all high in complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates take longer to convert to glucose compared to simple carbohydrates which means they are a much more steady energy supply. They'll give us energy, without dropping out in a short time like sugar does.
Carbo-loading
You've probably heard of "carbo-loading" before a big race. What this simply means is eating large amounts of food that are high in complex carbohydrates. I highly recommend carbo-loading for the high school runner.
Protein
Protein is one of the most overlooked parts of a runner's diet. Protein is essential in the repair of muscles and tendons after a hard race or workout. Proteins also help the immune system by helping to form antibodies to ward off infection, and finally they provide with a small source of energy. Here are a few pointers about protein.
How Much Protein Do I need?
According to the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance, put together by the government) the average person should consume 0.4 grams per pound of body weight. To the 135 pound high school runner that would be about 54 grams a day. However, many other nutritionists believe that that number only applies to sedentary people. Most say that runners need to consume between 0.5-0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Applied to our 135 pound example, that would be around 67 - 101 grams of protein.
Where To Find Protein
Protein is found primarily in meats, and in fish, poultry, eggs, and milk. It is true that many of these sources are also high in fat, which is why many runners are low on protein. The secret is to eat a well balanced diet. Go ahead and eat that hamburger, just make sure to watch your fat intake after that however.
Fat
Fat is one of the most popular "bad guys" in people's diets these days. Fats contain more than twice as many calories as carbohydrates and protein. A high fat diet will almost certainly add pounds. However, if you eliminate all fat from your diet you'll suffer some serious consequences.
Positive Aspects of Fat
Interestingly, eating fat isn't all bad. Fat is a source of aerobic energy, fat transports the vitamins A,D,E, and K, and fat prolongs digestion by slowing down the stomach's secretions of hydrochloric (stomach) acid. In short, fat is an essential part of your diet.
How Much Fat You Should You Eat? Most nutritionists say that 30% of our diet should contain fat. Others say below 25% or even 20%. To make this simple, if you consume 2000 calories in your diet (which is normal) you should consume no more than 65 grams of fat.
Saturated Fat
Saturated fat is really the bad half of fat. When you eat foods that contain fat make sure that the saturated fat count is low. Saturated fats raise cholesterol, which is not a good thing. Saturated fats have also been shown to contribute to coronary heart disease, and other illnesses. Foods where saturated fats are found in high content are red meat, milk, butter, coconut, and certain vegetable oils.
Unsaturated Fat
Unsaturated fats are the good half of fat. Make sure you choose foods that have a high ratio of unsaturated fat to saturated. Unsaturated fat contains two categories, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The mono variety actually have been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fats can be found in most natural oils, including olive and peanut oils. The polyunsaturated variety is also important. This kind of fat has been shown to lower total cholesterol.
Water
Water is probably the most important thing you can put in your body besides air. Here is just a small list on why you need to drink water. Water helps dissolves nutrients, and carries them to all parts of the body. Water helps to carry away waste products from the body. Water is essential in helping the body to sweat.
How much water do I need?
Most nutritionists agree that us runners need up to 3 quarts of water a day, which is about 3 of those 32 ounce bottles of Gatorade! This might seem like a lot of water. But when we run, we sweat. When we sweat we lose a lot of water. When we lose lots of water, we can become dehydrated. When we become dehydrated, forget about running well!
Drinking Before a race
The more water you can drink before a race, the better you'll race. However, drinking lots of water right before you run can make you quite a large gut ache. Here are some rules about drink before a race. Make sure to get down at least 8 ounces of fluids 2-4 hours before you race. Allowing this much time shouldn't give any problems during the race Don't drink too much after 2 hours before a race until about 5-10 minutes before. During this time, go ahead and sip some fluid. (Note: Some people can drink a ton of water during this time and have no problems with their gut, but not me!) The reason you can drink 5-10 minutes before a race is when a race starts, your kidneys shut down so you shouldn't even feel it. Remember, everyone's digestive track is different, so experiment with these tips in practice. Don't wait till a big meet to try these pointers out!
Drinking After a Run or Race Right after a run and especially a race, it is imperative that you fill your body back up with fluids. At the very least, down the equivalent of one of those small Gatorade bottles (8 ounces), but ideally maybe around 16 or more ounces. One good way to see if you are hydrated is to see your urine is white or very light yellow. If it is you have plenty of fluids in you. ***Source: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/4258/running/index.html
