I was thinking about all the water, electrolyte supplements and quick energy food that I need on a run. It seems crazy. I don't see a problem with using these things, but I have a hunch that our bodies are designed to be tougher than that.
Let's say thousands of years ago some dude was being chased by a predator. Or they were the predator and were chasing down dinner. Either way, your life is depending on your ability to run. What if he forgot to fill up his CamelBack? What if he forgot his GU packets or Shot Blocks? I'm going to bet that he didn't have this stuff. Sure he probably had a way to carry some water, but maybe the situation caught him unprepared. All I'm saying is that reason tells me that when push comes to shove and you're relying on your legs to get you home or even save your life, they'll probably go farther and faster without water or supplements than you ever thought possible.
So I decided to test it. I went out on a hot day. I started a little on the dehydrated side and with an empty stomach. I brought nothing but the clothes on my back and I set out into the mountains to see how far I could go. It was about 80 degrees with occasional cloud cover, so I wasn't REALLY pushing the envelope here. Just a friendly experiment.
Immediately I was running with a different mindset. I was seeking out shade and trying to control my body temperature so I wouldn't lose all my water as sweat. I ran more slowly for that reason and also so that my metabolism would be able to keep pace with my need for energy.
After about 4 miles I started feeling pretty dried out and had cottonmouth, but it never really progressed beyond mild. At around 6 miles I started to get a side ache, which is weird for me. I don't get side aches. I figured this was due to dehydration and got a little worried, but alas it remained mild and then went away after about 10 minutes. I ended the run at around 11.5 miles (1 hour 43 minutes) without issue.
Conclusion: ya, our bodies can be pretty tough. I'm sure if it were REALLY life or death I could have gone much farther. Ya, baby. We were born to run. :)
