Hydration and cooling, esp. during a long TT

[Amazing Amazon]

When exercising (and at other times too) most of your water loss will be in your breath. As you burn up your energy reserves you produce water vapour and CO2 and breathe it out.

You don't lose that much additional water through your skin, though it does help cool you, which is helpful. 22degC sounds far too hot for serious rowing, 15degC, or even less, is much more comfortable, whatever the distance. It also helps if it's not too dry: venues such as the Manchester and London Velodromes used for EIRC and BRIC respectively are far from ideal on both scores (better if your race is early as it's cooler then). Same issues with most sports Arenas (as in Boston Agganis and Paris). Cardiff (WIRC) is a much nicer place to row, as it's cooler and the humidity is higher.

I also find that in longer exercise sessions my bladder fills. I notice this particularly when swimming (typically I swim for an hour), much less so when I'm cycling and somewhere in between when rowing. However when rowing I don't stop for anything short of a FM. I did a FM today and also felt the need for a 'comfort break' in the second of the two breaks I had decided to take. In my case I stopped, took on water and pieces of a banana (one swig and piece of banana then continue rowing and then stop for the second swig and another piece, about 3 pieces to eat a whole banana. I reckon I lost about 1:30 due to the first and 2 minutes for the second (with the comfort break). I have taken shorter breaks in the past and just taken on a small small swig of water but this time I preferred to be kinder to myself and make sure I could finish and speed up in the last third.

[lancecampeau]

Water breaks are not needed on anything less then 25-30k

that said, when I go FM or longer, its to 100 to 125 ml of water taken in every 20 to 30 mins (one handed or during break times).