Will+having+a+sports+drink+before+engaging+in+a+sport+or+activity+help+or+hurt+one's+performance?


 * Title**: Will having a sports drink before engaging in a sport or activity help or hurt one's performance?
 * Abstract**: As a Cross Country Runner and Track Athlete always seeking to improve my performance, I wanted to see if the marketing for Gatorade is really true. The purpose of this experiment is to see how my speed can be affected after I drink a 12 oz. Gatorade and engage in running, walking, and swimming.
 * Purpose**: The purpose of this experiment is to take a look into what it would take to reach world-class speed like the athletes you see on T.V. I will be tweaking this experiment by consuming 12 oz. of a Gatorade before I run, walk, and swim. This aspect of the experiment will be testing to see if there is a significant improvement in my speed during physical performance, relative to the 12 oz. Gatorade I have before I participate in three different activities. Research shows that sports drinks are athlete's primary choice of re-hydration while they workout **(Sports, 2012).** I am confident that professional athletes have been in the business long enough to know, that they are //not// supposed to take a drink or eat anything //right// before they perform a rigorous workout routine. I will be trying to disprove this theory by having 12 oz. of Gatorade before I run, walk, and swim. Nutritionist Heidi Skolnik even recommends frequently taking small sips of, whether it may be Gatorade or water, while you are involved in a sport or activity **(Levin-Epstein, 2012).** All the more reason to do so for this experiment. Sports drinks are something that should not be used as a substitute to water; they are good for you, but only in moderation **(Leigh K, 2012).** If you feel the need to constantly have Gatorade or a Powerade all the time, it starts to build up in your body and becomes fat **(Is, 2012).** Sports drinks are designed to only replace the electrolytes that you lose when you sweat**.** It is also suggested that if you take part in a hard workout for an extended period of time, such as one hour or more, you should drink Gatorade **(Alden Last, 2011)** because you'll tend to lose more sweat. If you were doing a light exercise, it's recommended that you drink water **(Drinking Gatorade vs., 2012).** However, for the purposes of this experiment, I am going to consume a 12 oz. Gatorade.
 * Hypothesis**: If I consume 12 oz of a Gatorade before I run, walk, or swim, then my speed will be enhanced.
 * Materials**: stopwatch, paper and pencil, helper (my dad), track (running), pool (swimming), 3 12 oz. Gatorades
 * Procedure**: I will participate in three events: running, walking, and swimming. I will conduct my tests in a matter of weeks; each test being two weeks apart. My control test will be the 200 and 1600 meter runs/walks, with the 50 and 200 meter swim on a separate day. I will come back after two weeks and do the same thing again, only this time I will drink a 12 oz. Gatorade before the short-distance running (200's), the long-distance running (1600's), and before my first 50 meter swimming trial. For this experiment, I am going to use the Five Points Gym and Pool for my tests. I will stand on one end of the track and signal to my dad that I'm ready. He will give me the sign to run or for swimming he will shout "Go!" and will start the time. I will record my findings in the data tables shown below once I have performed the control test and what I'm calling "The Gatorade Test". Once I have completed both of my tests, I will compare my findings to the results of some World-Class Athletes and will observe what happens to the speed as the distance increases, and more importantly, see how my times fluctuate with the consumption of a 12 oz. Gatorade before I run, and swim.
 * Data**:


 * ||  ||   || Personal Control Data Sheet ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Event || Trial 1 Time (sec) || Trial 2 Time (sec) || Trial 3 Time (sec) || Trial 1 Speed (m/s) || Trial 2 Speed (m/s) || Trial 3 Speed (m/s) || Average Speed (m/s) ||
 * Running 200 m || 28.55 || 32.97 || 33.95 || 7.01 || 6.07 || 5.89 || 6.32 ||
 * Running 1600 m || 424.70 || 419.90 || 371.30 || 3.77 || 3.81 || 4.31 || 3.96 ||
 * Walking 200 m || 97.30 || 99.70 || 94.90 || 2.06 || 2.01 || 2.11 || 2.06 ||
 * Walking 1600 m || 783.47 || 769.20 || 761.47 || 2.04 || 2.08 || 2.10 || 2.07 ||
 * Swimming 50 m || 51.55 || 52.25 || 55.67 || 0.97 || 0.96 || 0.90 || 0.94 ||
 * Swimming 200 m || 349.35 || 354.06 || 338.77 || 0.57 || 0.56 || 0.59 || 0.58 ||


 * ||  ||   ||   || Personal Speed Data Table (with Gatorade) ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Event || Trial 1 Time (sec) || Trial 2 Time (sec) || Trial 3 Time (sec) || Trial 1 Speed (m/s) || Trial 2 Speed (m/s) || Trial 3 Speed (m/s) || Average Speed (m/s) ||
 * Running 200 m || 32.2 || 35.76 || 33.18 || 6.21 || 5.59 || 6.03 || 5.94 ||
 * Running 1600 m || 425.7 || 431.01 || 391.37 || 3.78 || 3.71 || 4.09 || 3.85 ||
 * Walking 200 m || 92.35 || 85.08 || 87.31 || 2.17 || 2.53 || 2.3 || 2.27 ||
 * Walking 1600 m || 671.81 || 691.99 || 628.15 || 2.38 || 2.31 || 2.55 || 2.41 ||
 * Swimming 50 m || 56.72 || 53.78 || 52.67 || 0.88 || 0.93 || 0.95 || 0.92 ||
 * Swimming 200 m || 310.89 || 322.78 || 320.46 || 0.64 || 0.62 || 0.62 || 0.63 ||


 * ||  || World Records Speed Data Table ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Event || Distance || World Record (Men's) || Speed (m/s) || Speed (mph) || My Time || My Speed (m/s) || My Speed (mph) ||
 * 100 m track || 100 m || 9.63 || 10.4 || 23.26 || X || X || X ||
 * 200 m track || 200 m || 19.92 || 10.04 || 22.45 || 28.15 || 7.04 || 15.75 ||
 * 400 m track || 400 m || 45.11 || 8.7 || 19.46 || X || X || X ||
 * 800 m track || 800 m || 01:44.6 || 5.53 || 12.37 || X || X || X ||
 * 1600 m track || 1600 m || 03:52.6 || 4.53 || 10.13 || 06:11.3 || 4.31 || 9.64 ||
 * 3200 m track || 3200 m || 08:07.4 || 3.96 || 8.85 || X || X || X ||
 * Half Marathon || 13.1 m || 58:47:00 || 0.22 || 0.49 || X || X || X ||
 * Marathon || 26.2 m || 02:04.2 || 0.12 || 0.26 || X || X || X ||
 * 100-mile Ultra-Marathon || 100 m || 06:23.2 || 0.16 || 0.35 || X || X || X ||
 * 50 m swim || 50 m || 20.3 || 2.46 || 5.37 || 52.67 || 0.95 || 2.13 ||
 * 200 m swim || 200 m || X || X || X || 05:10.9 || 0.64 || 1.43 ||


 * SIDE BY SIDE ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Condition || Event || Trial 1 Time (sec) || Trial 2 Time (sec) || Trial 3 Time (sec) ||
 * Baseline || Running 200 m || 28.55 || 32.97 || 33.95 ||
 * Gatorade || Running 200 m || 32.2 || 35.76 || 33.18 ||
 * Baseline || Walking 200 m || 97.30 || 99.70 || 94.90 ||
 * Gatorade || Walking 200 m || 92.35 || 85.08 || 87.31 ||
 * Baseline || Swimming 50 m || 51.55 || 52.25 || 55.67 ||
 * Gatorade || Swimming 50 m || 56.72 || 53.78 || 52.67 ||


 * SIDE BY SIDE ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Condition || Event || Trial 1 Time (sec) || Trial 2 Time (sec) || Trial 3 Time (sec) ||
 * Baseline || Running 1600 m || 424.70 || 419.90 || 371.30 ||
 * Gatorade || Running 1600 m || 425.7 || 431.01 || 391.37 ||
 * Baseline || Walking 1600 m || 783.47 || 769.20 || 761.47 ||
 * Gatorade || Walking 1600 m || 671.81 || 691.99 || 628.15 ||
 * Baseline || Swimming 200 m || 349.35 || 354.06 || 338.77 ||
 * Gatorade || Swimming 200 m || 310.89 || 322.78 || 320.46 ||






 * Analysis**: As you can see in my side by side tables, my 200 meter running times were not improved as dramatically as my 1600 meter walking times and my 200 swimming times. My first 50 meter swim with the Gatorade was not as good as my others because I had to stop and get rid of a mouthful of pool water. As you can also tell by the tables, my 1600 meter runs were about the same with and without the 12 oz. of Gatorade. Overall, my swimming and my walking were improved, while my running either was consistent or was several seconds slower than my previous attempts. In my control test and "The Gatorade Test", I experienced pain in many areas of my body. During the first mile of my control test, I had a stitch in my side. During the second mile walk, I started to have a pain in my left knee. By the last mile, when I did the best I could, my right shoulder, bicep, and side hurt. My left hamstring, left knee, and both of my arches were also hurting. When it came to the miles during "The Gatorade Test", I experienced a lot less pain. During my first mile, I had a stitch in my left side. During my second mile, the only thing that hurt was my stomach. By the third run, the only parts of me that hurt was my stomach, my right knee, and my left hip. The conclusion that I can draw from these results is that the 12 oz Gatorade that I had as a part of my second test was somehow able to help get rid of a lot of the pain that I was experiencing. Swithching gears, the best way to see my times in meters per second can be displayed by the World Record Table. My fastest 200 time was 28.55 seconds, which means that I was able to travel 7.04 meters a second. If you look at the World Record, he had a quicker time, which means he was able to cover more ground (meters). The same goes for all of my runs, walks, and swims and their record-holding equivalents.
 * Limitations**: If I consume 12 oz of a Gatorade before I run, walk, or swim, then my speed will be enhanced. This statement was only true for my 1600 walks and 200 swim tests. A new hypothesis that I can make is: If I consume 12 oz. of a Gatorade before I run, walk, or swim, my walking and swimming times will be enhanced. Considering that I did the bulk of my experiment (running, walking, and swimming) at a public area, there is the possibility to run into someone when you run, walk, or swim. I know that I had to avoid more than one person when I did this experiment. This is a prime example of Environmental Limitation. Since I had my dad time me with a stopwatch for all of my runs, walks, and swims, there is the possibility to mess up the start and finish time. This is a prime example of Human Error. One could also argue that my dad not timing me properly can be considered Mechanical Error.
 * Conclusion**: Overall, my times for the 200 meter swim and the 1600 meter walk were the only ones effected by my consumption of a 12 oz Gatorade. If you are looking to improve your times for running, walking, or swimming, here is some advice from an amateur athlete: drink 12 oz of Gatorade before you engage in swimming 200 meters and/or walking one mile. If you're anything like me, I think you'll see a difference!!!!

Levin-Epstein, A. (2012). Sports drinks vs. water. Retrieved from http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-drink/sports-drinks-vs-water
 * Bibliography:**

Leigh, K. (2012). //Why does gatorade cure headaches//. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5202620_gatorade-cure-headaches_.html?ref=Track2

Drinking gatorade vs. drinking water before sports games. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/exercises/drinking-gatorade-vs-drinking-water-during-sports-games.html

Alden Last, A. (2011, March 8th ). Gatorade vs. water. Retrieved from []

"Is Too Much Gateorade Bad for You?" //Is Too Much Gateorade Bad for You?// N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2012.

"Sports Drinks vs. Water." //Men's Fitness//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2012.