Specialized sports drink to help marathoners stay better hydrated for optimal performance; More than 27,000 gallons of Gatorade Endurance Formula expected to be handed out on-course

CHICAGO -- To help runners stay properly hydrated at the 2005 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, for the first time, The Gatorade Company will provide Gatorade Endurance FormulaTM on-course to the 40,000 athletes participating in this year's race.

Gatorade Endurance Formula is a new specialized sports drink for endurance athletes with a unique five-electrolyte blend - including nearly twice the sodium (200 mg) and three times the potassium (90 mg) of Gatorade Thirst Quencher - as well as chloride, calcium and magnesium - to help meet the needs of athletes during their longer, more intense trainings and competitions, including running in one of the world's largest marathons- the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Like Gatorade Thirst Quencher, Gatorade Endurance Formula contains the same scientifically balanced 6% carbohydrate blend (14 grams/8 oz) that helps speed fluid back into the body and fuel working muscles.

"We know through extensive research that endurance athletes - including marathon runners - lose significant amounts of fluid and electrolytes over the course of a long race," said Bob Murray, Ph.D., director of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. "Providing Gatorade Endurance Formula on-course is a step forward to help more closely match what marathoners lose in sweat, improving overall hydration and helping sustain performance."

This year, an estimated 27,000 gallons - - or 578,048 servings - of Gatorade Endurance Formula will be served on-course at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

While marathoners are encouraged to drink enough fluids to replace their fluid loss over the course of the race, the following are additional hydration tips provided by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute on how to stay properly hydrated leading up to and throughout race day:

* Drink enough to replace fluid losses - A marathoner's hydration plan should minimize the loss of body weight to avoid dehydration during exercise but prevent weight gain from excess hydration during training or races. The best way to calculate your hourly sweat rate is to weigh yourself before and after a 1-hour run. Take the difference in weight (in ounces) and add how much fluid you consumed (in ounces) during that 1-hour time period. For example, if you lost ? a pound on the scale (8 ounces) after a 1-hour run and drank 24 ounces during that run, your hourly sweat rate would be 32 ounces per hour (8 +24). 32 ounces of fluid is therefore the suggested total amount you should be drinking per hour - or approximately 8 ounces every 15 minutes.

* Maintain a salty diet - Sodium is the most critical electrolyte lost in sweat and a key component of the hydration process. Many endurance athletes can lose more than a teaspoon of salt during a three-hour plus race. Add sodium to the diet in the days leading up to a race, and make sure to replace all the sodium lost through sweat during and after a race.

* Choose appropriate drinks during your trainings and on race day - Drinking a sports drink with a sufficient amount of sodium during long distance, intense training or competition can help marathon runners maintain their blood sodium levels and replace the critical electrolytes lost in sweat.

Athletes who are interested in learning more about their hydration needs and developing a proper hydration strategy for trainings and on race day can visit www.gatorade.com/endurance or www.gssiweb.org.

Background Information on Gatorade Endurance Formula Gatorade Endurance Formula is nationally available in 34 oz bottles at grocery, convenience and mass merchants nationwide in three flavors including Lemon-Lime, Fruit Punch and Orange. Gatorade Endurance Formula is also available in a 50.2 oz instant mix container (makes 88 eight-ounce servings) in Lemon-Lime at select athletic specialty stores around the country and is also available to purchase online at www.gatorade.com.

Gatoradea Thirst Quencher, the nation's leading sports drink, along with Gatorade Endurance Formula, are backed by 35 years of research. Both are scientifically formulated and athletically proven to quench thirst, replace fluids and electrolytes and provide carbohydrate energy to enhance athletic performance. Gatorade is the official sports drink of the NFL, NBA, WNBA, AVP, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, Major League Lacrosse and numerous professional, collegiate and amateur teams and events throughout the world. Gatorade is manufactured by PepsiCo. For more information on Gatorade Endurance Formula and The Gatorade Company, visit www.gatorade.com.