Most athletes think hydration is simple. “Drink more water.” “Carry a bottle.” “Hydrate before you’re thirsty.” And yet—cramps still happen. Energy still crashes. Long runs still feel harder than they should. Recovery still feels slow. If you’ve ever finished a session feeling heavy, bloated, dizzy, or completely drained, chances are the problem wasn’t training. It was hydration. Real hydration is not about water alone. It’s about electrolytes, sodium, sweat loss, and timing