taking on water

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  • I bought a running water bottle out of JJB sports to replace the last water bottle I had as I have to carry water when training in case my dog needs a drink. It was £3 and its dinky enough to hold just enough water without being cumbersome like some bottles. It slips over your hand (and it washes okay in the dishwasher)

    After hitting two water stations in the GNR with no water a couple of years back I'd rather carry it with me. Its easier to learn to get a drink out of the sports bottle than cups. If you don't spill it down yourself you nearly drown in it!

    I take inhalers for asthma and no matter how much I take in board before a race I always need water before a water station. Side effect of one of the inhalers I think.
  • The water bottle seems to have become something of a fahion accessory to many runners. I have never found a drink necessary on a run of less than 10 miles unless the weather is very hot, and by missing out the drink stations in 10K's you usually gain a place or two!
  • SuperCazSuperCaz ✭✭✭
    I naturally need a lot of water during my normal daily activities otherwise I get headaches. So hydration for me is a big issue.

    I have never trained with water and I usually only use the cups to wet my mouth (and chest as my aim isn't too good when running) during 10K races. However, I want to complete a half this year which will take me 2 hr 30 min at least at my current speed, so I feel that I must try water.

    I don't want to carry a bottle in training as it upsets my gait but races aren't the best time to try something new. Any suggestions?

    I add a pinch of water to my post-run water if it is hot. This helps replace lost salt without having to resort to energy drinks (I don't need the energy for the distances that I am currently doing).
  • Supercaz have you tried a water bottle belt? They do feel a bit strange at first but you do get used to them.

    If you are training for a half this year, then most half marathons will have 3 to 4 water stations about 3 miles apart. You could do loops and return to a set point and take water then or leave water along a route if you couldn't stand repeating loops.
  • i've always found carrying water difficult and end up with lower arm cramps. on my longest training runs of 20+ i do a double loop around my home and leave a water bottle outside. i pick up the bottle, run up and down the road whilst sipping and the plonk it back again. the neighbours are used to it now. i think you can get too much into a routine of drinking whilst running even shorter runs. i think the body is more than capable of coping with a little less water. as long as you keep yourself well hydrated in normal day to day life a long run should be easy.
  • The only advice that I can offer is to check what is in the cup before you use it. At the Bristol half a few years ago I poured what I thought was a cup full of water over my head. It turned out to be Gatorade and stung like a bastard when it went in my eyes.
  • I work on the principle that if I'm running so hard that I can't grab a cup of water and take a good gulp without spilling it all or choking, I probably don't need the water.

    For longer races I usually stop drinking a couple of hours before the race, then have a bottle of isotonic drink within 10-15 minutes of the start. This means it doesn't have time to end up in my bladder before the start of the race, and will often be sufficient to see me through a half-marathon. For longer distances, I'll be going more slowly and won't mind slowing down to take a drink.

    At FLM this year I probably had about a litre of Lucozade Sport and rather less water, and that was plenty.
  • WolfyWolfy ✭✭
    I hate stopping in a race, I can never get started again, and those lost seconds all add-up. For halfs + I carry a bottle on a belt of about 500ml of juice (any more and the weight starts to be an issue). I supplement that with getting a couple of sips from a cup of water at every station using the spout approach, then pouring the rest over my head. My feeling is that if it reduces the amount I have to sweat even just a bit, then that's less fluid that will be lost, and so less is actually required. BTW, I learnt to my cost it's not such a good idea to pour cups of juice over your head...
  • When training for my first half-marathon earlier this year I had to learn to carry a bottle and drink on the run. It took a while to master.

    I agree with the comments about 10k races - drinking during the race will depend on how hot it is. I did one race at 30C and stopped to drink every mile and still lost 2l of fluid. I did another in winter and didn't drink anything during the race and was fine.

  • I tend to overheat in a 10k so I carry a 500ml O-shaped bottle (donut?) with a nozzle for taking on just a little water when I want it. I always chill the water before and I use the cups at water stations for splashing over me as it's quick. I always have a drink before a run and as I've gotten fitter I find I drink less in a race than I used to, but I still find it better to have the bottle with me. Also I think it helps my breathing.

    One article advised drink no more than 1 litre per hour.
  • I would keep trying if I were you. Having just completed my first Marathon and then passing a considerably large kidney stone -suggestedly due to my initial long runs Dec - March and not taking in enough water - the result being in agonising pain on at least 3 occasions from hours to days! Running for more than one hour - you need to drink.
  • For races of 10k or less I wouldn't bother - just make sure you're well hydrated on the start line (at least two litres of water the previous day, and not thirsty at the start). In fact I never run with water, even when training for FLM I would run for 3 hours without water (though I did stop to drink from taps a couple of times!). Rather than running with a bottle, you could consider stashing one or more on your route.

    One trick that served me well at London this year. I took the squirty nozzle thang off the top of a Lucozade drinks bottle and carried it with me. I screwed it onto the water bottle at the drink station and hey presto! I had a bottle I could easily drink from, carry, squirt over myself etc. When the bottle was empty, I simply unscrewed the cap and discarded the bottle. I only took about four bottles during the whole race, whereas if I'd just had the unstoppered bottle I would have taken many more (I can't really drink out of an unstoppered bottle, at least not on the run)
  • Must admit I've only just started using water on runs after a bit of a rough day when very warm weather took its toll on me. I've bought one of those camel waist belt things. The straw is a bit awkward but once you get used to it its ok. Gives a couple of pockets for gels too which is ahndy as the distance goes up.

    Would agree with other comments about 10k or less, just make sure you're properly hydrated at the start and you should be fine.
  • I'm in the walking through water stations camp when it come to anything greater than half marathon distance, especially in through the early stations. The time you loose is more than made up for by keeping as hydrated as pos during the latter stages.
    But anything less than half then I tend to take a few sips trying not to choke and chuck the rest over my head. You could try taking a dry sponge tucked about your person and pour the cup of water into this and suck from the sponge (if your not to worried about any hygene issues that may arise, but then would you want to take water from a stanger if this was a concern).
  • I don't take on water during shorter races. I think you have to go with what suits you best and take account of the weather. I did however learn a lesson earler this year when I failed to take a drink during a 21 mile race and ended up hitting the wall about a mile before the finish. I didn't make that mistake at the London marathon and got by drinking at about every 3rd mile. If I drink too much it affects my running form and I can get stitch.
  • Hi Helenliz,
    I had a bad experience at a 10k a few years ago where I hadn't taken enough fluids before and didn't bother at the waterstation at half way. In a nutshell ambulance,hospital ecg etc etc. It really put me off running for quite a while but i've now been back for some time running with a group. I always carry a bottle with a belt round my waist(cost me £5 from Decathlon for both), its there if I feel hot or firsty and I just take sips. Your'e better to have this as a back up, give it a go it takes a little getting used to drinking on the run and the belt may feel odd at first but you will get used to it. Good luck!!
  • I find that if i am properly hydrated at the beginning i don't bother taking a bottle for 10k and under generally. If it is hot, then i do carry a small bottle of something. Anything longer, i take a squishy lucozade pack as it doesn't slosh around too much and bother me. I think it is a matter of finding what is right and works for you.
  • I think the short answer is that there is no hard and fast rule. In a recent half marathon I didn't feel thirsty, so ignored the water stations. I was absolutely fine and posted a PB. A few weeks later in a 10 mile race, I stopped to take on 2 full cups of water at both water stations. Again, it was what worked for me on the day. I've tried carrying water, but I usually find I'm too aware of it and it distracts me from my running. For long training runs, I've usually tried to find some means of getting a drink at around 10 miles e.g. a friend's house, public toilets, a mountain stream - depends where the route takes you! Hope that helps.
  • Several points I think. 1)You need to know how fast you lose fluid, which will vary according to conditions. Weigh yourself (naked) before a run, then straight after and the loss of weight will be fluid loss. Do this on a couple of runs, in different conditions/distances and you will know your maximum and minimum requirements. 2) Make sure you drink enough to pee about 300ml plae, straw coloured urine 6-8 times during a normal day, and possibly once at night if you are really well hydrated 3)It can take up to 24 hours or more to rehydrate if you are not 4) Your diet (if you eat lots of fruit and veg etc. will contribute about 20% of your fluid intake. 5) You can usually find a tap with drinkable water in most cemetries and churchyards if stuck! Oh, and don't do what one guy apparently did, and go for his run naked, when stopped by the police, his answer was that he had read he should, to assess his fluid loss!
  • I always carry water with me, if only to have a refreshing sip when the mouth dries up. When racing I often stop at the water stations so that, not only can I have a drink, but also so that I can thank the people who are taking time out to help us runners. So, what does it matter if I could have got closer to yet another PB if I didn't stop --only a few moments are required and the appreciation is limitless!
  • As mentioned by most people above, everyone is different and has different needs. Apparently, the Kenyans run slightly dehydrated - and that appears to work for them!
  • So how much water is too much on a run?
  • Sean I would say you are drinking too much if you have to stop for a pee more than once.
  • but if you want to be accurate about it, weigh yourself before and after your run, if you have put on weight then you have drank too much.
  • thanks mate,what about drinking too much before?
  • SUPERCAZ - I suffered stiches because of gulping water and grabbing on for life onto a bulky water bottle... on 12+ mile runs, put a jelly baby or 2 in your pocket for the 10 mile marker. They provide a sugar burst, wet your mouth and if you've hydrated properly (especially the night before) you'll be fine. The tiny weeny RunAid bottles do hang nicely off your big thumb as you really only need to squirt water in, not actually drink it - you certainly don't need to drink during 10 mile run. Enjoy!
  • cheers mate, i heard about the jelly babies before lol
  • SuperCazSuperCaz ✭✭✭
    Having said that I don't need water for a 10K race, I was a hypocrite and did stop for water during yesterdays race.

    It was very hot and I was struggling but the three mouthfuls I managed to take in probably weren't enough to do me any good at all.

    However, they did provide me with a big pyscological boost. I had been really struggling up to then, but after the water I was able to keep going and managed to increase me speed again, back to my usual pace.

    Maybe there can be more to water than hydration in some cases?
  • It is the organisers of these ten-a-penny 10K's that are to blame. There should not be any water stations provided on them. Then, perhaps, would-be entrants could learn to train and run for long distances without the need for any drink whatever. Like someone else said, hydrate completely before a long run or race, forget completely about drinking and before you know it, you are at the finish. You don't need all this drinking, even in a marathon. Train to do without it and you will become a better runner. Its because you keep thinking about drinking that causes you to want it when it is not necessary. Also, I suspect, the drinks, gels, etc is in the hope that they will get you to the finish in lieu of doing the necessary training.
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