Do you hold a water bottle when you run?

BflSaberfan
BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
in Fitness and Exercise
I feel like I could go longer if I could just take a couple sips of cold water during my run but where do I put it? I already hold my phone in one hand (so I can listen to the couch to 5k app).
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Replies

  • camrunner
    camrunner Posts: 363
    They make belts that hold little water bottles, if you want to bring water with you and don't want to carry it in your other hand.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    Several possibilities:

    Nathan Hand-Held. It's a water bottle with a strap that goes over your hand so you don't drop it. Strap has a pocket that might fit your phone.

    Water belt. Come in many varieties, from ones that carry one regular-sized bottle at your back, to many little bottles arranged around you to distribute the weight evenly. Many have pouches to carry keys, gels, or whatever.

    Bike jersey with pockets in the back. If the pockets are deep enough (they usually are, except for one of mine), one of the smaller flattish bottles that goes with the water belts I mentioned above will fit snugly at the small of my back. The pockets are also great for gels (or other snacks), keys, or whatever you need to carry.

    Hydration pack. Again, lots of variety. These hold a bladder of water on your back, and are really meant for when you're going to be out for hours. But they can also be useful for 1-2 hour runs when it's miserably hot out. Most also have pockets.

    Some people also park their car where they can run loops that pass it every so often, so they can stash water in their car. Or do the same with their house. Or carry money and design their route to run past a convenience store. Or run in parks where there are water fountains. Lots of possibilities!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    How long are you running for?

    There's belts you can get that have holders for all sorts of bits and bobs you might need. Or else jackets/ vests with pockets.
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
    How long are you running for?

    There's belts you can get that have holders for all sorts of bits and bobs you might need. Or else jackets/ vests with pockets.

    Right now only a half hour. Hoping to increase that. I did find a handheld one that the previous poster mentioned, the Nathan hand held. Maybe that could work for me.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I don't take water for anything less than an hour and a half. Actually, I never take water, but on my longer runs, I loop back to my car about once an hour for a sip. For a 30 minute run, you should be fine without water. However, like others have said, a belt is your best bet. I'd also recommend an arm band for that phone. I can't imagine carrying my phone instead of wearing it :-)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Sounds mental more than physical, but...

    If you need water, look at the running belts. Also, perhaps and arm band for your phone to free up your hand?

    Lastly, if you're mouth is just a bit dry, try some gum.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    Physiologically, taking water on a 30 minute run will make no difference. Personally, I don't take water on anything under 2 hours and even then, I'll only take water on runs longer than 2 hours if the temperatures are in the mid 70's or higher. You can safely lose 5% to 8% of your body weight in water. Studies show that the fastest runners in distance races are also the most dehydrated, so by anecdote you can see that dehydration does not hinder performance.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
    When I run anything less than an hour and a half, I don't bring water with me. Just weighs me down! But I drink planety of water before I run and immediately after.
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 751 Member
    On longer runs 8+ miles I put water or Gatorade in my mailbox & will have some every 3-4 miles if I need it. If my run is shorter than that I just drink when I'm done.
  • diolpah
    diolpah Posts: 134 Member
    I hate carrying water bottles, so what I generally do is strap a 1L bottle to the underside of an RC airplane and hire a neighborhood child to fly it next to me during my run. There's a cantilevered drinking chute that periodically lowers into my mouth because if I drop below 78.366628492% intracellular water by volume, I immediately die of dehydration without any warning whatsoever.

    That said, PLEASE learn from my mistakes. When you're rummaging through Lockheed-Martins's IFR engineering schematics for design inspiration, stay away from the stuff stamped "classified". Apparently that kind of thing is "illegal" or some other ridiculous horse****.
  • palmerar
    palmerar Posts: 489 Member
    I would suggest drinking more water before your run before lugging along a water bottle.
  • jen10st
    jen10st Posts: 325 Member
    Thanks for posting this topic, I ALWAYS carry water whatever the length of my run. I know it doesn't make a difference to my hydration on short runs under 30 minutes but I have year round sinus allergies so mainly breathe through my mouth when I exercise and get really thirsty really quickly. I'm definitely going to look and one of those nathan hand helds as the belts seem a bit fiddly and I don't want to have to stop to get the bottle in and out of the pouch. :smile:
  • Sweet_Pandora
    Sweet_Pandora Posts: 459 Member
    I always run with water no matter how short or long my run is.

    I have a water belt that holds my bottle, phone and id.

    I think it's a personal preferance, do what you are comfortable with.

    karen
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
    It is more mental than physical but my mouth gets really dry (I breath through my mouth when I'm running).
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    It is more mental than physical but my mouth gets really dry (I breath through my mouth when I'm running).

    gum.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    I feel like I could go longer if I could just take a couple sips of cold water during my run but where do I put it? I already hold my phone in one hand (so I can listen to the couch to 5k app).

    i don't carry my phone but i do carry a water bottle (deer pack water nothing special about the bottle). since i have small hands i squish the middle part of the bottle so it's easier to hold. because i don't listen to music, i put my cell in my sports bra. the only thing i carry in my hand is my water bottle.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    Iv'e tried running with a water bottle and simply hated it...this was when i was training with c25k last year.

    Now, i don't take water on any run shorter than 15 miles...I wear a hydration belt for the ' long runs'...even then , I hate wearing it so I take a small amount of cash and if I REALLY need water, then stop at a store en route and buy some.
  • KeithAngilly
    KeithAngilly Posts: 575 Member
    They make belts that hold little water bottles, if you want to bring water with you and don't want to carry it in your other hand.

    ^^this. And I will also mention that holding a water bottle (or anything else, for that matter) probably isn't the best thing for your running form, either. It tried a handheld and really didn't like it, because I felt off balance even though I was switching hands every mile. Everyone is different, though and I am sure that it works for some. I have a belt that I take for longer runs.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I started out thinking I needed water, then I was told you shouldn't really need it. Once I got away from it, i never missed it. I don't drink water for anything less than an hour, usually longer. If it is a really warm day, I'll stash a water bottle along my route where I'll pass it twice (on the way out and on the way back). I only take my fuel belt for longer runs.
    I err on the side of caution with dehydration. I sweat a lot and I have dehydrated myself, its not fun, so even though I could get away without water for an hour and a half - 2 hour run, I still take it.

    ETA - I have the Nike fuel belt, with the 4 little bottles, I like it. I've had the type with the one larger bottle and it was a pain.
  • Jchambers1130
    Jchambers1130 Posts: 173 Member
    It is more mental than physical but my mouth gets really dry (I breath through my mouth when I'm running).

    Try a camel back. I was in the same position as you and you don't feel a difference in weight and it's balanced. Also some have a small pouch on the bottom for keys or anything else. No need to stop running to drink it either.
  • cbkb1234
    cbkb1234 Posts: 94 Member
    bottle one hand and ipod other hand is how I do it! lol
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    It is more mental than physical but my mouth gets really dry (I breath through my mouth when I'm running).

    Try a camel back. I was in the same position as you and you don't feel a difference in weight and it's balanced. Also some have a small pouch on the bottom for keys or anything else. No need to stop running to drink it either.

    Don't go for a cheap one. I bought one at Costco and it sits in my closet because it gives the water a plastic taste. yuck.
  • jtslim42
    jtslim42 Posts: 240
    I have to run with a water bottle since it is VERY hot and humid here in Houston and I am prone to heat exhaustion. But it is all personal preference.
  • izzyl09
    izzyl09 Posts: 9 Member
    If the belt is a bit bulky I got a great running pocket... it is elasticated and slides on over you wrist with a pocket for phone/car keys (i actually pinned my keys to my trousers at a race when I realised I had no pockets... whoopsie!) :D

    as someone else mentioned gum is good for a dry mouth....I find that if I bring water I think about it more and drink more than I need and it 'swishes' around in my belly, really weighs me down!
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    I would find it annoying to carry an water bottle so I never have. I have run up to 7 miles without water. I would say anything longer I'd probably run by my home to get a sip if needed (if it was hot).
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
    You could do what I did. I got myself a small child. I put her in a jogging stroller and the jogging stroller allows me to carry a water bottle, my phone, various other electronics, snacks, extra clothes, whatever really.

    Sometimes my small child has other plans though. On these occasions when I'm forced to run solo I carry a hydration pack, for runs over 3 miles, mostly because I do so much running with the jogger that I'm accustomed to taking water while I'm out. It's my crutch.

    So I would recomend the hydration pack for most people who want to carry stuff when they run. The small child isn't a solution that works for everyone.
  • redredy9
    redredy9 Posts: 706 Member
    For short runs try gum or running in a park that has water fountains.

    For long runs my running coaches forbid us from using hendheld water bottles as it throws of our gait and could lead to injuries. If you are not in training for marathon or half marathon though - this might not be an issue for you.

    I now use a fuel belt for long runs unless I know there will be water fountains available along my course. I have gotten used to the belf but much prefer running without it. I tend to over pack though - for vacations, for work, for runs and like to have money, keys, chapstick or vaseline, kleenex, gels, and water with me on my runs. It gets heavy :-( I need to work on packing light!
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    I typically run for less than an hour so I don't feel like I need it, but I still put a bottle of water in my mailbox just in case my mouth/throat gets really dry.
  • southpaw211
    southpaw211 Posts: 385 Member
    I only just started the C25K and could never make it the 30 minutes without a drink of water here and there. I envy those of you who can! But then I'm constantly needing to drink water, so maybe that's just my biological makeup.

    I use one of those little 10oz water bottles that's ergonomically shaped for your hand with the padded strap. I don't really have to hold it since it's strapped onto my hand. 10oz is just what I need to make it through.
  • cad39too
    cad39too Posts: 874 Member
    I only drink after my runs; but the suggestions from people above ragarding belts/bags etc sound good.

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