[williswall]

I've had good luck with Tailwind these past few years, which also has some minimal calories along with electrolytes. Although I haven't run an ultra for a while, I have spent some very hot days out with minimal solid calories but with mixed bottles of Tailwind, which you can also buy with caffeine. I used to pop the pills for ultras and they worked well... and I have experienced hyponatremia, but it was during a training session so I stopped and arrested further development. I had a belly full of fluid sloshing around but with low electrolytes it was not being absorbed. Not something I want to experience again. My daughter adopted Tailwind for swimming in college and it made a big difference for her. I also introduced it to a budding ultra runner here on nwhikers who has just finished his first 100 with another one coming up, so it's working for him on the longer endurance events.

[Bernardo]

So far, 50+ years, I'm good with plain water and good food. But I'm not doing ultras or super long trips. I wonder if as I age that will change. Slowing down compensates for less fitness. I'll keep all this in mind. Good thread.

[l'Emmerdeur]

Over the past 30 years I've gone from both extremes (just Gatorade/gookinade/etc to water only) and have finally worked out a happy medium which seems to work for me. I only have water in my reservoir these days (much easier to keep it clean!) and carry and extra water bottle and a few Nuun tabs for use as-needed (heavy sweater). I also keep a few thermo-tabs handy for emergencies/leg cramps-- although those are usually a night time when I'm sleeping phenomenon, which is my own damn fault because of my poor stretching habits. I generally don't have as much appetite on the trail, so I get by during the day with jerky, nuts/trail mix, hard candy and maybe a little cheese. I'll also have a powdered multi-vit and emergen-C with my morning hydro. I've gotten a tummy-ache a few times from too much water, consumed too quickly, but the water intoxication you guys are taking about sounds almost as brutal as going the other way into dehydration/heat exhaustion/heat-stroke. Scary stuff on your own, since the disorientation makes it hard to figure out the problem until it's too late.

[Cyclopath]

I don't get cramping or anything, but when I sweat a lot, it's followed by an unquenchable thirst. Brawndo makes the thirst go away. Whole milk works just as well. Every April, I drive out to Leavenworth with my bike and do a ~50 mile ride through the mountains to enjoy the scenery. A latte when I get back to my car goes a long way toward making me feel well hydrated again.