Water at Events

[mharky]

So have you not hydrated since the lakes?

If you don't hydrate, you will die. Fact.

[Klebe]

aahh, the power of advertising....


Craven A cigarettes

For your throat's sake, smoke Craven A

[HOCOLITE]

AR. Interesting you refer to 1 hour as to the time the gut can cope with the fluid. I hope I've not misquoted here. It's about 1 hour when I start to deteriorate. I have been known to pee on the course(how unprofessional ), and use energy drinks. Normally this is to prevent migraine like heads. When I played hockey as a youngster I didn't know these were due to dehydration, now I can handle it generally, balancing water and energy drinks.

[mharky]

Having to take a piss during a race is very bad. You shouldn't go much before either, unless you really have to. Once you start running ADH will be released causing water from your urine to be reabsorbed into the body. If you are needing to go on the run it's probably due to euhydration.

[helen]

I saw no reason not to have water at download at the Lakes. I accept it would have been extremely difficult to transport water up to the starts or finishes (taking the maps to the start on day 3 was hard enough). Bottled water wouldnt have been necessary (as it is a waste I agree) but a water lorry with cups like at the Oringen surely wouldnt have been out of the question?

I'd agree there bedders - I think that it would have been good to provide water at download because even though I was aware that it wasn't being provided and did take water with me, when it was left in the sun at the clothing dumps (especially on day 2) it was really quite warm back after being in the sun for an hour. Also, when it was hot on day 2, there was a noticable shortage of water in the assembly area. There was none provided, I had drunk all the supplies that I'd brought with me, and Wilfs had totally sold out of all types of cold drinks, meaning there was no way of getting a drink at the event, and by the time we left I was pretty desperate! I think lots of people made the mistake of not bringing enough with them on that day, especially as the weather was better than the previous few days.

[J.Tullster]

Having to take a piss during a race is very bad. You shouldn't go much before either, unless you really have to. Once you start running ADH will be released causing water from your urine to be reabsorbed into the body. If you are needing to go on the run it's probably due to euhydration.

If you need a piss though it means the waters in your bladder, where I think it's beyond reabsorbtion. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

[mharky]

I seem to remember a White Rose having a big water lorry on the campsite. I wonder how much it costs to get one it. For a big event it must be cheaper than bottles.

[Kitch]

Correct me if I'm wrong though.

what - on nopesort ? never !!
then again you tend to get corrected even if you're right

[mharky]

"ADH increased the water permeability of the renal tubles and collecting ducts"... which would mean if its in the bladder, then it is too late.

But then, if you are exherting yourself then your sympathetic nervous system will be active and hence bladder contraction will be inhibited.

[Adventure Racer]

I think you're misinterpreting me, Hocolite. I was only using an hour as my unit of measure - 600ml an hour, 300ml in half an hour etc. Having said that there is a minimum time before anything you drink will even be absorbed, though it is far shorter than an hour, and lacking the necessary info I'm not going to guess.

[jondub]

One issue that we have had here is that our lawyers were a concerned that if we ended up with any litigation arising from a dehydration incident and we hadn't followed the IOF guideline, a plaintiff would have grounds to claim against us. Hopefully in the UK, the 'all competitors enter at their own risk' is more watertight than here.

The BOF rules seem to indicate that the planner is repsonible for safety aspects of the course, so not providing any water would likely indicate that they considered the risk of dehyration from that course (with no water) was very low. The rules also seem to state that water controls may be necessary, but don't elaborate as to when they might be necessary (other than in 'extreme heat', which is not defined), or whose responsibility it is to make that call.

At the end of the day you want everyone to come back in one piece having enjoyed their experience. If not providing water will hinder the achievement of this goal, I would suggest that some is provided.

[mharky]

At the end of the day you want everyone to come back in one piece having enjoyed their experience. If not providing water will hinder the achievement of this goal, I would suggest that some is provided.

True, we are all doing this for fun afterall. But sometimes it is simply not economical to do so, and on those occasion I believe it is not to much to ask competitors to provide their own water.

[FatBoy]

I think from personal experience of what my body does, rather than scientific knowledge, the reason I would need water on a course is purely to prevent dehydration to the point of danger.

The two times I've had a problem where water points were "provided" and I didn't take water both were 30 degrees in open areas and I was over an hour both times without water, then a single water point near to the finish. A cup every 30 mins would leave me finished dehydrated but able to finish a 90 min course without too much problem. As it was both times I was hallucinating until the point I found a lake/stream respectively and drunk on all fours like a dog which didn't immediately fix the problem of course, but turned the corner toward feeling better.

If I know I'm going to be out >2hrs - e.g. longO, training fell run, etc then I accept I have to run with a bag and I'll use High5 (other products are available...) to maintain body salt levels. I know again from personal experiences that too much water without salts leaves me dizzy.

Orienteering <2hrs though - I prefer not to have to carry the extra weight and have it snag on trees etc and basically run myself down to be dehydrated at the finish. However M21L mid summer I need to take a bit of water on not to get in trouble. I restate though my preference is for water to be provided, but if the final details clearly state the water situation I will take water with me if necessary.

[graeme]

We are all doing it for fun, even the organisers. And for anyone who hasn't tried it, I can assure you that lugging 1000 person's worth of water up a large hill is no fun at all.

[awk]

when it was left in the sun at the clothing dumps (especially on day 2) it was really quite warm back after being in the sun for an hour.

Is that a problem? It might (there's some uncertainty over this) absorb a bit quicker if cool, but otherwise water is water from a hydration point of view. (And water sat around for hours in containers/bottles isn't going to be any cooler.

Also, when it was hot on day 2, there was a noticable shortage of water in the assembly area. There was none provided, I had drunk all the supplies that I'd brought with me, and Wilfs had totally sold out of all types of cold drinks, meaning there was no way of getting a drink at the event, and by the time we left I was pretty desperate! I think lots of people made the mistake of not bringing enough with them on that day, especially as the weather was better than the previous few days.

That's the point - some people had made the mistake, not the organisers....even if the organisers had provided the water, how much should they have provided? A cupful (O-ringen style), a small bottle (Scottish 6-day style)? Neither is more than a token gesture, and to ask the organisers to be responsible for ensuring sufficient for 1900+ people???? Definitely better to say take responsibility for yourself.