What a good problem to have! 2 weeks back into running, and I’ll be doing 6 tomorrow AM… which is the most you can do in San Antonio without taking along water. I ran for a few years w/ a Fuel Belt, but those 4 little bottles get annoying. So, it’s either one of those jobs you see the ultramarathon/trail runners use (strap to hand), or something that straps the bottle to your lumbar spine. Thoughts, preferences?
for 6, I would get a drink before I leave and have one when I get home. you can’t make it 6 in the morning without water?
I do all my longer runs with a bottle strapped to my hand. I ran all of IMAZ marathon with it (switched out bottles at special needs). The belt thing is annoying to me.
how many beers have you had? 
6 is the most I would go WITHOUT in San Antonio. NEXT WEEK I plan to go 7-8, and will need to carry. I’ll be getting back up to 15 as soon as my ankle lets me.
FWIW, I would go 13-16 with nothing back in northern IL, but this place I’m in now is stupid hot.
I used to use a belt but I only go handheld now. I’m so used to it they don’t bother me unless I’m on a super long run, then I just switch around hands.
I run with water for anything over 30 minutes, Accelerade for anything over an hour. If I need something to drink I want to have it with me.
Texas heat, I’d never leave the house without liquid.
I used to use the Fuel Belt for long runs, but, I agree, the four little bottles can get annoying.
I switched to this, by Nathan, for those mid-distance runs. It seemed like a good idea, but, about 3 miles into the run, I started to notice how sticky my hand was getting. By mile 6, when I went to take a drink, I found 1/2 my Gatorade gone. Perhaps I got a dud, but, it leaked like crazy. Also, when I first started, the added weight in one hand threw off my stride a little. I adjusted fairly quickly, but, it was annoying.
I tried Accelerade a few years back. Not my thing…
Yeah, the heat here sucks. I miss the north, my wife likes this blistering wasteland.
I prefer a waist pack. If the bottle is cold your hand gets cold. The bottle
sweats, you’re moving it between hands. Just all and all annoying.
I have a waist pack and a camelback. Camelback for long, hot runs
when there is no place to stop for water.
-Jot
Another vote for the handheld. I use the nathan one mentioned above, but have swithced out the bottle. The older one I had leaked, so I just put the hand strap on a different bottle (it’s actually lighter and less bulky than the one that comes w/ the strap), but the new one I have works fine. We’ve gotten good feedback on it from customers of the shop.
I use it for any longer trail run, and have used it for up to a 1/2 im- carried infinit w/ it at the kinetic half in april, then filled it with ice for the last 1/2 of the run, which felt great.
It’s really preference as to the handheld or the waist pack. Women seem to not mind the waist ones as much as men. most of the waist ones have more pocket space, too, for keys/gu. the nathan thing has a nice little pocket that will hold 3 guys or 2 guys and a car key (we’ve gotten 4 gus in it buy putting one on the other side of it in ‘trash’ pocket, but that was just b/c a customer insisted on figuring out the max # they could carry!
stay cool!
Are you running in the desert or are their places along the way you can get water - park, school, church etc? I’ll do anything not to carry a bottle.
I’m in the city, but hate to stop. Carrying is OK, just not those 4 little bottles!
That’s the same one I use, I just use a better bottle (I actually use 24 oz bottles in mine).
I’m part camel, I can go a long time with no water. If you get used to it and get the hydration brainwashing out of your head, you’d be surprised how long you can go.
Some times I just carry a throw away bottle so I don’t have to carry the thing back.
Agreed, I set up an aid station in my front yard on the trunk of the car. Grab the cup on one side and drop it on the other, the neighborhood is exactly a one mile loop.
i got a fuel belt for christmas from my brother. i really want it to work, but i don’t think it’s in the cards. i’ve started 3 separate runs, wearing it with high hopes, but got a block away and turned around each time to rehash my hydration plan at home. the 4 little bouncing bottles are not comfortable to me.
i also don’t ever wear a shirt when i run, which turned pretty ugly a few days ago with my camelback. no matter how tight i pulled all of the straps, the thing still bounced a little bit every stride. i’ve got a nice 4 inch raspberry down the middle of my back, punctuated in the center by a nickle sized spot where the skin is completely gone.
i am hence forth going to be running with my water carried in hand. in fact, the little bottles from my fuel belt work *perfectly *for that.
I’ve tried all. I always come back to the hand held. No bouncing, or chafing if you run shirtless (happens with the waist carrier). I use the ultimate direction hand flask. Very easy to suck the liquid with no effort, and as you empty it during the training run or race, you squeeze the air out of it so it conforms better to your hand.
Here’s the perfect thing, just for you.
http://www.armynavyshop.com/prods/rc588.html
I usually just carry a bike bottle. No fuss, no muss.
Too new school. I’m thinking of waxed leather…
i definitely vote for a handheld, but I like the Ultimate Direction one better than the Nathan:
http://www.ultimatedirection.com/product.php?id=12&page=handhelds
i started training with it while training for the JFK 50 last fall and now take it with me on any runs longer than an hour - and shorter ones when it’s really hot. Once you get used to it, you’ll mostly forget it’s in your hand. Also, it’s easier to refill on the fly than the fuel belt bottles and the special valve works great.
Camelback or similar.