Recently I was reintroduced to a hydration problem. It's not hydrating itself as I drink plenty of water, usually 64-72 oz a day. However, a lot of it is plain water. I'm not sweating plain water though. I'm sweating out salt and electrolytes as well as water. So while I was rehydrating the water aspect, I was still getting depleted in electrolytes. Thus last week I had what I thought was an exhaustion headache, which then led to some annoying cramping. I was still able to function, but I was always uncomfortable. I talked to my dad, who was a cyclist for a long time, and he mentioned he suffered the same issues when he didn't replenish his electrolytes.
I didn't want to admit that after my long athletic history that I didn't know how to properly fuel my body. Still, I went to the store and bought various enhanced waters and electrolyte water enhancers (I bought Mio specifically...). I started using these additions at work and guess what... no more issues! I've felt good, definitely hydrated, and I might even get one or two more cups more of water since I've inadvertently added flavor as well. I don't add the Mio electrolytes to every refill of my water, but I try to get one or two a day. I have a Propel or VitaminWater at lunch and so far it's been good. It has also helped lessen my coke cravings since I have something tasty to drink (speaking of, that addiction has lessened quite a bit and I'm done to two or three cokes a month!).
So it goes to show, there's always something to learn and something to adjust. My Mio drops are always in my pocket in case I need a little extra boost in the middle of the day and I have other enhanced waters ready to go after runs or at lunch. It'll be hard to continue in winter when I don't drink as much, but hopefully the taste and the addiction to feeling good will keep me drinking plenty of water.
