Hydration in Alpine Ski Racers
Is your athlete drinking enough while on snow training? Research says likely not!
In 2021, Belgian researchers followed 12 athletes in U14 and U16 during an 8-day training camp, including time spent after the on-snow training sessions. The elevations ranged from 1600 meters at the residence to 2100 meters at the training slope, similar to sleeping in Lake Louise and skiing at Sunshine.
They focused on monitoring hydration markers, such as fluid intake and loss. Training consisted of GS and SL days, where they left a bottle at the top of the training slope, and a few days of free skiing where they carried their bottle with them. Water was openly provided throughout the training camp.
They concluded that half of the participants had insufficient fluid intake to replenish their losses. One participant even lost over a kilogram (2.2lb) in a single training session. Why are our athletes struggling with fluid intake, and what can we do to support them?
There are a few environmental factors at play here. Skiers often train in the cold and at high altitude. This altitude usually brings lower humidity, and Alberta in general tends to be a dry province. Factors like this can increase fluid loss by breathing, dull the thirst response, evaporate sweat faster, and increase the need to urinate. Your body is trying to reduce fluid to keep you warmer.
Time issues are another factor in fluid intake. Rushing past the bottle to catch the chair with their teammates, forgetting to fill the bottle before rushing out the door, pushing for another run of training instead of taking a break. Trips to the bathroom cut into precious training time, and athletes have been shown to avoid drinking water to reduce bathroom visits.
Staying hydrated is essential for health and performance, as dehydration compounded with cold can lead to impaired cognition, aerobic capacities, and muscle cramps. Recovery hydration is also vital for muscle repair and combating fatigue on the camp or race block. The fluid deficit can carry over, affecting recovery and impacting the next session.
A factor we can control a bit more is the equipment. Water bottles can freeze on the slope. To prevent this, invest in insulated ones, fill them with warm water before taking them outside, or wrap them in jackets to keep the water drinkable. In the study, athletes were free skiing with their water bottle; many World Cup athletes also carry hip belts with water during inspection.
Studies have also shown that coach encouragement to drink water has great success. Also, make sure athletes know where the closest bathroom is to the training slope. Impress upon your athletes the importance of fluid intake and stay hydrated out on the slopes.
Cite: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8336538/