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How To Stay Hydrated

July 7, 2013 29 Comments

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Hope you had a great holiday weekend.  If you’re in an area like Missouri, you are experiencing super hot days which is great for activities like swimming and laying in the hammock but it can be dangerous for runners and bikers if not planned for.

One of the most important things we can do is stay hydrated.  Dehydration is a scary thing that no one should experience. 

Depending on the length of your training session, you are definitely going to want to take along some water or Nuun or whatever it is that you drink.

A lot of people ask me about the do’s and don’ts of hydrating.  So I’m giving you some answers to the age old questions as well as an unbiased review of some of the best tools to take your water with you.

I have purchased all these.  My reviews are my own opinions.

Link to printable version

Q1. How much should I drink on a run?
That depends on the distance.  First thing is to hydrate before you even get started running.  If you’re planning a long run, you should start hydrating the day before so that you are sure that you’re starting your run fully hydrated. 

Q2. What’s the best thing to drink?
Again this depends.  Some people have sensitive stomachs so water might be your best option but options like Nuun are great too because they are low in sugar and give you the electrolytes that need to be replenished.

Q3. How do you carry your water?
Again it dependsโ€ฆ(Can you tell I’m a consultant in my day job). It depends on your personal preferences and how long your run is.  Check out my review of the various ways you can carry/wear your water.

Q4. If I use GU, do I need to drink water too?
YES, Gu is not a replacement for water.  Gels, beans, etc., can help you replace electrolytes but only water or Nuun can hydrate.

Without making this post a book in itself, that covers the majority of the questions but just to give you an idea of how personal preferences play into this, the question(s) that I want to leave you with are below.  If you’re a runner or cyclist, please weigh in.  the comments are just as valuable as the post.

1. When do you carry water?  What run distances?
2. How often do you drink?   How much do you drink?
3. What’s your beverage of choice?
4. How do you mix gels, beans, and hydration?

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Comments

  1. Lisa@RunWiki says

    July 7, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    Great info and really nice selection of hydration packs and bottles. I did a sweat test about a year ago and I need anywhere between 3-6 oz. per hour, depending on the temp and effort. I carry water or nuun with me on any run longer than 5 miles in the summer and anything over 10 in the winter.

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 8, 2013 at 11:51 pm

      That’s about where I am. I think we do about the same run wise.

      Reply
  2. AmyC @ running escapades says

    July 7, 2013 at 7:55 pm

    I like to run hands-free and LOVE the Simple Hydration water bottle. I’ve never had any problem with chaffing, and after tightening my waistband a little, it stays put perfectly. And it never gets in the way on a run.

    Great review!

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 8, 2013 at 11:52 pm

      I’m glad the Simple bottle worked for you. I really wanted to like it, it just didn’t work for me.

      Reply
  3. Carli Alice says

    July 7, 2013 at 8:27 pm

    Great review! I’m a little disappointed about the quickdraw as I was thinking of gettimg one. My runs are in the 6-8 mile range and I’d like to work up to the 10-13 mile range. I know myself well enough to know that I won’t like a belt.

    I can’t believe that we have a day when it’s hot and not raining. Kind of rare this year.

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 8, 2013 at 11:55 pm

      I know. A rain free day is rare these days. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  4. Kat @ Sneakers and Fingerpaints says

    July 7, 2013 at 8:54 pm

    I love my camelback and if I don’t use it I carry a waterbottle or make good use of planned water fountain stops ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 9, 2013 at 12:03 am

      Planned waterstops are great! Real lifesavers!

      Reply
  5. Christine says

    July 7, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    I realized that I need to be hydrating more than I have been. Had a miserable run last week because it was in the middle of the day and we didn’t bring water with us (since we were only planning on about 4-6 miles) but ended up having to stop and buy water. So now, I carry water with me on hot and humid days and when I know that there aren’t any water fountains. I have a amphipod hand-held water bottle that’s super comfortable.

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:42 am

      It’s crazy how much it affects our runs.

      Reply
  6. Sheena says

    July 8, 2013 at 12:20 am

    I’ve been trying to figure this out as well. I’ve worn a FuelBelt for 1/2 marathons 1-7, and then for #8 tried a 16 ounce handheld, because I was getting tired of the bulky belt that just made you look and feel super awkward. I’ll try the handheld again for my 1/2 on Saturday, but I haven’t made up my mind yet.
    For short runs around town, I don’t usually bring anything (eek), because I don’t have anything smaller than 16 ounces. Maybe I should invest in a smaller handheld?

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:43 am

      i like the smaller handheld. You should look into it.

      Reply
  7. Angela @ Happy Fit Mama says

    July 8, 2013 at 1:18 am

    Nice comparison of options! I like the quick shot the best for shorter runs of 5-10 miles or if I know of options to refill for longer runs. Belts never seem to sit in the right spot for me and end up being irritating more than anything.

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:44 am

      The quickshot is definitely my favorite.

      Reply
  8. Michelle says

    July 8, 2013 at 2:28 am

    I really struggled with hydration for SO LONG, mainly because I hated running with something in my hand/on me. Finally something clicked (I thank pregnancy) and I actually don’t mind running with my CamelBak water bottle (this one: http://shop.camelbak.com/podium-chill-21oz/d/1036_cl_414). I haven’t used it for more than a half marathon – but it fits perfectly in my hand and I love that it’s insulated. I’ve tried the Quickshot and the Quickdraw and the bottles have leaked ๐Ÿ™ I’ve also tried running with a Camelbak and I can’t get comfortable in it. I wish I could though!!

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:46 am

      I’ll have to try that one.

      Reply
  9. Tasha @Healthy Diva says

    July 8, 2013 at 3:02 am

    Great info! I have two different fuel belts and they both drive me nuts. I tried the hydration back pack when I was training for my first marathon. It rubbed my shoulders raw so I don’t use it for running anymore.

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:46 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  10. Karen says

    July 8, 2013 at 5:30 am

    What I’ve found works even better for runners than a Camelbak is the Nathan Intensity Race Vest. Since it’s a vest, there aren’t pressure points like a traditional backpack strap. It also works better on a female frame (you know, boobs).

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:47 am

      i’ll have to try the vest.

      Reply
  11. Brittany Chapin says

    July 8, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    I like your summary. I have used the Nathan Quickdraw for my medium/long runs – up to 12 miles. I filled with ice too and as it slowly melted it kept my hand cool and cool water available. I have a Nathan Sports hydration race vest and love it for hiking. I just can’t run with something like that on my back though…

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:47 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  12. Laura Anderson says

    July 8, 2013 at 3:38 pm

    1. I carry water running when it’s super hot, or when I will be running for more than 80 minutes, I know I should probably carry more often but I’m working on it.

    2. I can’t drink a ton when I run, If I hear or feel sloshing…mentally I just check out. With cycling though I can drink as much as I want and be fine, I just need to remind myself to hydrate more!

    After some bad experiences I have learned what I can mix and what I can’t. I kind of go with the balancing act. If I am using something concentrated like gels, I use water for hydration. But if I am using beans or shot blocks that aren’t as concentrated, I will mix with Gatorade (or other electrolyte fluid) or water. But NONO to gels and electrolyte drinks… some bad runs and races have taught me that just doesn’t work!

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:48 am

      Great information. I always like hearing how other runners do it.

      Reply
  13. Annica says

    July 8, 2013 at 7:04 pm

    This is something I seriously need to work on! I’ve gotten a lot betting since summer started!

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:48 am

      It’s a must during our hot Missouri months!

      Reply
  14. Jennifer Speer says

    July 11, 2013 at 3:02 am

    Thank you I am sharing this on my FB page, I have been trying out some new things for electrolytes. I plan on trying Nuun this weekend when I do my first attempt at 9 miles.

    Reply
    • Katie McFarland says

      July 12, 2013 at 3:48 am

      Thanks for sharing! Nuun is great. I think you’ll really like it.

      Reply
  15. Tara Newman says

    July 13, 2013 at 11:57 am

    I totally need to work on this. Ran for 90 minutes last night in the rain and pit stopped around an hour to grab some water. I think I was able to go longer without water because it was raining. When the sun is blazing, I definitely need to take water with me and I use the Nathan QuickShot. Its the path of least resistance…hate carrying anything with me be it in my hand or on a fuel belt. Work in progress. Nuun tastes great on a really hot run.

    Reply

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