OCR Top Female Athlete, Sarah Pozdol, on Hydration for Spartan Sprints this Weekend

This weekend, two Spartan Races will be taking place – one in Idaho and one in Montana. Featuring 3-5 miles of 20-23 obstacles, neither of these races will be an easy feat. With temperatures expected to reach into the 70s and 80s, proper hydration becomes that much more important. In addition to weather, the brevity of the races can pose a significant hydration problem for participants. Sports science studies routinely find that athletes drastically underestimate the loss of water from sweat, so they tend not to fully hydrate both during and after exertion. Such underestimations will likely be exacerbated by the shortness of the contests; people will not realize how much water they will lose during the 40-60 minutes it takes to complete the course. Another area of concern for these races is the hydration of the children participating. Unlike adults, kids tend to be less aware of their bodies’ condition as it pertains to hydration. So, for some participants in these races, they will need to focus on keeping both themselves and their children sufficiently hydrated.

Mitigating the effects of weather and misperception of sweat losses that will plague adult and youth contestants in both Idaho and Montana this weekend does not have to be difficult. Consuming two vials of ORAL I.V., with 8-12 ounces of water, before the race and adding 1-2 vials during and after a race, like these Spartan Sprints, will help you and your children stay hydrated. Since ORAL I.V. does not contain a high volume of liquid, they can be taken quickly without bogging you down with gut issues and bathroom stops. And because ORAL I.V. is 100% natural, and contains no sugars or stimulants, it’s a no-brainer to aid hydration in kids.

Sarah Pozdol, an OCR athlete and owner of Crossfit CL2 has placed first twice, made the podium twice, and finished in the top ten three other times in Spartan Sprints, shares some insights the use of ORAL I.V. in racing:

“For many of my OCR races, I have used ORAL I.V. as a hydration method and have found it to be a major component in having a successful race. I have similar issues to younger or smaller participants whose body mass is smaller, resulting in a faster rise in body temperature; so when my body loses water through perspiration, it is especially important to provide it with the hydration it needs before the possibility of cramping arises.

I’ve also found the ORAL I.V. product to be beneficial in shaving pivotal seconds off of my time by not having to stop at every water station. The small amount of liquid provides me enough to satisfy my thirst as well as providing a way to wash down a much needed electrolyte packet halfway through an intense race.”

If you’re planning on racing in one of the Sprints this weekend, we wish you the best of luck (and hope you use ORAL I.V.)!