Ataja Stephane-Vazquez has been turning heads on the track. Now, her coach has offered a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes.

For most athletes, water is a training essential. For Ataja Stephane-Vazquez, her coach has taken a rather different approach. The rising American quarter-miler is preparing for the biggest meet of her young career, and her coach, James Daniels recently revealed an unusual detail about how she stays hydrated during tough sessions.

During a recent video shared by TRACK: All-Access on social media, Daniels gave a glimpse into one of Stephane-Vazquez’s demanding workouts: a 300-meter run, followed by four 40-meter sprints, another 300 meters, and short recovery periods throughout. But it was what she drank between the reps that caught attention. “You got three minutes. You want to get a little bit of your electrolytes,” Daniels told the athlete before clarifying what was in her bottle.

“Make sure everybody knows we drink electrolytes in the middle of our session,” he explained. “We don’t use water in our sessions too much. So use electrolytes.”

Daniels said the approach is intended to help keep her body balanced while she works through demanding sessions. After handing Stephane-Vazquez her bottle, he gave her time to recover before getting back to work.

The workout itself is no easy task. Stephane-Vazquez had to complete a 300-meter effort before attacking four 40-meter sprints with only 45 seconds between repetitions. After another three-minute break, she finished with another 300 meters.

And according to Daniels, there is plenty more behind her impressive performances than one difficult workout.

Daniels, the founder of Daniels High Performance and Head of Sprints and Hurdles for the NSAF Nike Elite Programs, has coached athletes at the highest levels of the sport. His resume includes more than 155 All-American honors, 22 USATF National Qualifiers, and 18 USATF Junior and Senior National Team members.

When asked what had helped Stephane-Vazquez remain healthy and competitive deep into the season, Daniels pointed to something much simpler than any secret formula. “We got built-in rest periods,” he explained. “She has restoration days that she has certain things she needs to do. She eats well, sleeps well.”

He also stressed that her recovery routine is straightforward. “She just works hard, sleeps and then proper weight training,” Daniels said.

The coach added that the demanding workout Stephane-Vazquez is using now wasn’t part of her fall training. Instead, it was introduced later in the season as part of a progression designed to help her produce quality efforts at high speed.

That progression appears to be paying off.

After finishing sixth at last year’s USATF U20 Championships, Stephane-Vazquez returned this year with something to prove. The Georgia commit captured the women’s 400-meter title in a personal-best 51.09 seconds, earning the chance to represent Team USA on the biggest stage of her junior career.

She enters the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, as one of the athletes to watch in the 400m. The competition runs from August 5-9 at Hayward Field and features around 1,800 young athletes from across the world.

Stephane-Vazquez will compete in the women’s 400m alongside Clara Adams and is also part of the U.S. women’s 4x400m relay pool. For the young sprinter, the opportunity is the perfect way to close out her high school career.

Now, with a national title behind her and a major international meet ahead, Stephane-Vazquez has one more chance to show just how far all those demanding sessions can take her.