I hate those sugar drinks, what is the minimum i can drink of that
stuff for 26.2 miles in 72-80 degree weather, i.e. how much water can
i mix in?

thanx in advnce,

I believe that drinking during a Marathon is a recent phenomenon.

I suspect that the Greeks managed to get along with the odd ice cream.

no, its not just recent. Your body can lose several pounds of water
during a marathon so its best to keep your body going. You need to
take several things into consideration. How humid is it? if its too
humid and hot, your body can't cool itself (sweat). Dousing yourself
is better than drinking in that case, as long as you're already
hydrated. The key is to be hydrated beforehand and plan to drink 2-5
times during the race, depending on how competitive you are.

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0311.htm

as for the sugar, carbo-loading 2-3 days beforehand will help offset
the sugar needed. The carbs will produce lots of glycogen needed for
the race, but be careful, you have overhydrate by frinking too much
water.