At what distance do you plan on bringing water

arussell134

Hi all - just discovered this group! I've been running off and on for the better part of 15 years now, every where from 5ks to full marathons. After a hiatus, I've dropped 25 pounds and am training for a half marathon. However, it's been several years since I've tackled this distance!

Since I'm training solo here, I'm starting to wonder when I should absolutely plan on bringing water on my long runs. I'm currently back up to 8 miles, and have done that distance without water (though it was a bit of a stretch). Thinking of planning on it for my 10 this week.

Just curious what everyone else does - and how they bring water? Not sure I want to wear a water pack, thinking I might buy one of those hand-held water bottles. Thoughts?

SecretAgent27

I bring water almost all the time unless I'm doing something fairly short. I think I'd be OK without it for anything under an hour, but I like to have it anyway. I like to time my drinking with the locations of the water stops for my upcoming race. I figure, if I'm training for a race where I'm definitely going to be taking fluids, I might as well be taking in fluids during my training, and in roughly the same intervals, so I that my body is used to it.

FWIW, I use a Camelbak Quick Grip water bottle. Don't know if there are better options but it keeps my water pretty cool without making my hand cold.

I will say that it's easier to run without a bottle. I hadn't noticed it being harder when running with the bottle, but when I did some short runs in my taper before my last race, I ran without the bottle (since I wouldn't be carrying it in the race) and noticed it was a bit easier and more efficient without it.

DavidMartinez2

On the road I usually won't worry about water for anything less than 15 miles under normal conditions. If I'm going on trails I will usually grab my belt around the 10 mile mark; I'd rather have it and not need it.

litsy3

I bring water if I am running over 20 miles and it is really hot (this never happens, as I only do spring marathons so most of my long runs happen in the winter).

SteveTries

above 10 miles for me. Though if it's not much above I'll just a £1 coin and plan a route with a shop where I can buy a bottle. Under 15miles I'll tend to go with a belt with a couple of water bottles (brand is Fuel Belt). Above that I like a back pack water bladder.

CarsonRuns

Rarely do I ever take water. Only if it's very hot and humid and I'm doing 18 or more. I routinely do long runs of 18+ miles with no water or fuel. The body is designed to handle this. It's more about personal preference than anything else.

DonPendergraft

Running on a cool Fall day is a lot different than a hot August day, so there's that. But basically you drink if you are thirsty, so it depends on you. If you can run 18 miles without getting really thirsty, then go for it! If my run is going to be over 2 hours I take water unless it's super hot then I will bring water if it's less than half that.

arussell134

sjb74uk wrote: »

above 10 miles for me. Though if it's not much above I'll just a £1 coin and plan a route with a shop where I can buy a bottle. Under 15miles I'll tend to go with a belt with a couple of water bottles (brand is Fuel Belt). Above that I like a back pack water bladder.

I actually considered this option for my 10 milers+. There is a 7-11 and a couple grocery stores at the halfway point. Hmmmm.

arussell134

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and taking the time to respond! Much appreciated.

litsy3

Why not try it out - bring some water with you but don't drink it unless you feel thirsty. After a few times you'll get a sense of whether it's worth carrying or not!

Another thing I do is to bring the water bottle but only part-fill it. I'm never going to drink the whole thing, so I don't see why I'd bother carrying it either.

taeliesyn

I'm currently up to 15k without water/nutrition. I have hit 16k once without water. It was an out and back and I probably could have gone further, but didn't want to risk it. I have had some funky vision after the odd run or two, but generally 15k is currently my limit. I'm not likely to push past it for the next few months as we head into summer in Aus, if anything I'll start taking water on shorter runs as I run in the heat of the day 3-5pm.

I personally struggle with the bring but don't drink unless thirsty option. If I have hydration with me I will use it.

rabblerabble

When I'm running about 5-6 miles or less, I just travel without liquids. On longer runs, I tend to plan my route so I can keep on coming back to my starting point and grabbing a quick drink of water or sports drink (tend to stash it in the back of my vehicle) every few miles.

I do tend to train early in the morning before it gets too warm too.

jdadcock1

I run everywhere with a hydration pack. I used to go out even for short 3-5 milers without but always wanted to sip some water along the way. Once I began running in the Marathon - 50K plus range I started with the pack and now I carry it always and I am always hydrated. Just need to resist the urge to drink more than needed..

I found this article here and it speaks to the issue pretty well I think: http://www.runnersworld.com/drinks-hydration/sipping-points?page=single

brandiuntz

I pre-hydrate, so I rarely carry water for training. I may carry a small bottle on distances over 10 miles, but that has varied depending on where I run (if there are water fountains) and the weather. I run in a humid and hot location (Texas), so the summers are my only real problem with hydration.

During longer races (10k or half-marathons are the only "long" races I've done), I'll get some water or sports drink at some of the stops, depending on how I feel.

vmclach

Depending on the weather for me really... BUT usually over 2 hours, I like to have water.

KeithAngilly

Water over 2 hours, gel flask over 2.5 hours.

Carrieendar

just realize that, when you feel incredible thirst, it's going to be too late to stop the cascade of hormones that have been released into the body and the effects they will have on your systems. I always try to remember this and learn when my body is close to giving me those thirst signals and drink before they come on. I can get a lot more geek on the physiology of this, but it's kinda like the point where you feel your energy running low in a marathon, it's too late to "recarb" at that point.

so, for me, I can go 16 miles in cool weather without issue, but when its NC humid and hot, I know I start feeling the effects at about 60-75 minutes into the run.

fleetzz

I tend to have rather low blood pressure and in hot and humid Florida if I haven't had any fluids in a 8 mile run I am pretty lightheaded when running and even more so when I stop. So I have been drinking if running for more than an hour to avoid that. I don't always carry fluids- sometimes I run loops and drink at the starting point.
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MeanderingMammal

When I started running I would hoover up a 500ml bottle in 5Km of run/ walk.

Nowadays I'll only carry water if I'm going out for 12km or more, but I'd anticipate the need for that to reduce as my conditioning improves again.

When I raced a trail HM two weeks ago I went out with two 500 ml bottles, and only drank about half of that.

jsandie76

I have been wondering this myself lately. I currently run around a lake (about 10mins around/lap) so I can get back to my car, where my water is stored, if necessary. I have thought about a hydration belt so that I am not tied to the lake, but I am also allergic to bee/wasp stings, and need to have an epi pen available as well. I haven't bought anything yet as I can't find a hydration belt with a pocket big enough to carry my epi pen.... /sigh. The search goes on.

litsy3

How big are epi pens? One of those bottle belts that just carries one bottle in the small of your back (sort of at a diagonal angle) might work as they tend to have space for a bigger pocket than the ones with multiple bottles.