For seasoned runners....

I"m just trying to build up my distance and went for 4.25 miles this past Friday. After 2 miles in the 85+ degree weather I would feel very dizzy after every run interval so I ended up walking just over the last mile. At least I got the distance in Next time I will bring water.

I don't carry water for anything under 12 miles, and I may go up to 16 without water if the weather is cool. I came to these numbers after doing some calculations on my sweat rate. It's advised by medical research that you not lose more than 5% of your body weight in fluids, so I did some experimentation to find out how many miles that is for me and under what conditions. I find that if I stay hydrated all the time (I drink over a gallon of water every day), that I can do runs of these lengths and lose between 3% and 5% of my body weight in fluids, within the acceptable range. Rarely am I thirsty when I run. I don't have dry mouth that I feel like I need to drink.

I will have to do the sweat rate thing. The weather is so fickle and my water retention rate changes drastically depending on my salt intake it seems. But, if I can find an easy way to do figure it out quickly from day to day, I might give it a try. Thanx for the info.

What I do is weigh myself right before a run and then again as soon as I get home. Use a shorter distance so you don't endanger yourself, so like a 5 or 6 miler. Do this on humid and not humid days and also at different temperatures. Eventually you'll get a pretty good idea of when you "need" water and when you don't. Also, there is a mindset that you need to replace what you sweat out and that's not entirely true. If you sweat 5 lbs of water, you don't need to and won't be able to drink 5 lbs of water on that run. All you can do is replenish, not replace. So, make sure that when you do need water, that you just have enough to keep yourself under that 5% number.

I never carry water with me but I also virtually never run outside if it's over 85, I'll wait till the sun sets or run on a treadmill. If I decide I do want water, I will run a 3 or 4 mile loop and stash my bottle under a shrub.

I should be less judgemental but I usually internally roll my eyes at people doing 5Ks and such while loaded down with water. I did Race for the Cure 5k on Saturday and it was warm, maybe 80, and I saw people wearing those waist bands that hold 5 or 6 little water bottles. The race had 2 stops on the course.

Sorry, this should have been a QUOTE of Scotts comment:

Thats what I don't want to happen. To have to stop running because I didn't bring water. You also said you hate carrying it. I don't have a problem carrying water, in fact I love wearing my 2 liter camelbak. I just want to make sure Im not being a wuss.

Well, having to stop has only happened to me about twice. Up to the 90s I know I can make 10 miles without killing myself because I have done it many times. 110 was pushing my luck and my limits. I have tried camelbacks and the one on my back rubbed my arm raw and the one around my waist makes my back hurt. I have a fuel belt I use for long runs and I have stashed water in the bushes a few times.

OMG, How do you double back 4 times!!!!! Thats running the same route 8 times! UGH! I don't double back, I'll blaze my own trail if I have too! lol!

Me too. I hate running "laps". One out and back is tolerable (sometimes) but I really try to do loops whenever possible.

I am easily dehyrdrated so I always carry water with me for any runs over 6 miles (or 4 miles when it's over 60 degrees). I have even carried water with me when I did a 10 mile run in 25 degree weather!

But that's me... I've suffered extreme heat exhaustion on four occasions (twice from hiking in the heat and twice from running) and really don't want to go through that again. I use a little 12oz bottle on my iFitness belt for runs from 6 to 9 miles and use my Camelback for anything over that.

I don't feel like I'm wimping out... I just happen to know that I need to drink more water (or more often) than most other runners.

All you early morning SoCalians. Psh! Think hot,humid, stagnant air and mosquitos. Maybe I need to reconsider where I run. The trees tend to deflect all the "Breeze" around here.

I think general conditions have a lot to do with it. Like my training has always been in high desert areas with extremely low humidity. In Reno where I grew up, the average is around 10-15%,In the area of southern Colorado I'm in now, it's around the same. All the sweat evaporates pretty quickly, so even though I feel like I sweat a lot, it does a good job of regulating my temperature, so I don't sweat excessively.

When I ran in lower elevations with increased humidity, like Kansas City area (that area is just brutal in the summertime, even at night), I had a lot more issues with feeling fatigue due to lost water and electrolytes. It makes a BIG difference running and feeling like your sweat is actually going somewhere besides just coursing off your boobs in rivers. And of course it just makes a big difference being acclimated in general. Running in the heat takes adjustment.

I wouldn't call myself a seasoned runner but yesterday I learned the hard way just how necessary water is when out for a run in high temperatures. Today I brought my armband water bottle with me and I was so thankful that I had it. Yesterday i had to cut my run short and it was such a disappointment! Live and learn

I always felt like I wasn't a "real runner" because I carry water and almost no one else does! I only would do 5k in various temps, but if I didn't take water I was miserable. I did notice a lot of water bottles on people running the Colfax Marathon yesterday though!

I ALWAYS carry water with me, AND the water is flavored with green tea and a Energy Shot(actually 4) made by MIO......

I don't consider myself a seasoned runner, but I never take any water/drinks with me when I run. The longest run I have done so far is 5.7 miles and I can only do that on a completely empty bladder in the morning...if I had water with me I'd have to keep stopping to go pee (and since I run around our subdivision that would mean constantly coming back inside my house while my DH and sons are sleeping)...so maybe some of the other runners that you see are like me and their bladders just won't allow them to drink without having to stop.

I never carry water with me but I also virtually never run outside if it's over 85, I'll wait till the sun sets or run on a treadmill. If I decide I do want water, I will run a 3 or 4 mile loop and stash my bottle under a shrub.

I should be less judgemental but I usually internally roll my eyes at people doing 5Ks and such while loaded down with water. I did Race for the Cure 5k on Saturday and it was warm, maybe 80, and I saw people wearing those waist bands that hold 5 or 6 little water bottles. The race had 2 stops on the course.

I don't care what other people do/don't carry on a run. They know their bodies and psyche better than I do. I think the fact they're there and racing is a "high five" on their part. Believe me, it's not that I don't have my judgemental issues, but in sports and exercising, I could not care less. The whole "suck it up" attitude has no place in good sportsmanship, in my opinion.

If it's 80 degrees or hotter I bring water on 4+ mile runs.... sometimes even for 3 miles runs if I feel dehydrated in any way. I have a handheld water bottle that has the strap, but I DESPISE carrying stuff. So I go with a fuel belt and carry 3 or 4 small water bottles on my waist. I usually prefer just water. If I do bring gatorade I always cut it with water in a 50:50 mixture. Straight gatorade makes me nauseous.

Lately, my runs are in 100+ temps, and since I usually don't go out for less than 5-6 miles, I always have water with me. After a 12 mile, hilly run in 103 temps last week, I drank approx 60 ounces of fluids, and still managed to lose 5 pounds in the 1:45 it took to run. I just don't understand why anyone would want to play around with their lives by running far in hot weather without having fluids on-hand.

Good point. It doesn't usually get 100+ where I am, and there's usually a cool breeze at the beach, even on a hot day (90+), so it's not that big of a deal for me. If it was 100+, and I was running 10 or 12 miles, I'd probably need to bring some water with me.

Same here, I would have to adjust. In the summer, I get out before it's gets too hot. My LSD is usually done before 9 AM in the summer time, so at worst, I might see 90 toward the end.

All you early morning SoCalians. Psh! Think hot,humid, stagnant air and mosquitos. Maybe I need to reconsider where I run. The trees tend to deflect all the "Breeze" around here.

I'm not from SoCal, I'm just down the road from you in Northern Baltimore County.