Dehydration of mushers

Andi Weydahl tells that the survey of the participants from 2007 shows that they were all very close to dehydration. Some participants fluid balance is low, even in early on in the competition, something that she finds very disturbing. she informs that, at 1% Dehydration you decrease your effort by 10 %. Both physical and mental achievements are harder to carry out, and simple decisions becomes harder to cope with. All functions are very much depending on water to work properly.

Furthermore she tells that it is not enough to rely on thirst, in order regain a healthy fluid balance. While drinking, the felling of thirst disappears long before you have been drinking enough to sustain the right fluid balance. she encourages the participants to consider fluids in their plannings.

Since it is crucial to be allround ready, from your head to your toes, we asked some of this years mushers about their plans for their fluids.

Harald Tunheim tells that he is very much aware of fluids throughout the race. He brings 2.5dl juice bottles with him, which he enjoys on his sledge. "They have to be easy accessible, otherwise we won’t get it done", he says.  "The temperature also plays its part in this issue. When temperatures are at the lowest, we turn to the vacuum jugs for hot drinks. Still they tend to freeze aswell. Furthermore our faces are almost fully covered in order to stand the cold and the process of uncovering and finding the fluids has to be as easy as possible for it to happen at all. Tunhheim still believes that putting the drinking in system is very important to make a better effort."

Roger Dahl confirmes most of what Tunheims tells. "the cold is our biggest obsticle and enemy".  He tells that i stopped using thermo/cauum jugs long ago  bacause it was to much trouble. "if its cold enough you get stuck, and then you have to pore on the hot drink for it to let go".  

Before this year’s race Dahl bought the "Camel Back" drinking system to see if that would make matters easier. He believes that it could make a difference, but he’ll have to wait and see." I just wish the dogs had a system like that" he finishes as real musher should.