Water, water, everywhere

Dear Penguin My training schedules call for 14-20 mile runs. What’s the best hydration system to use? Hand held bottle, waist band with bottles, or a camelback type?

Great question. But, there’s no GREAT answer.

From observing thousands of marathoners and half marathoners the waist band with bottles seems to be the most popular. You can mix and match water and sports drink. So, if that works for you, it’s perfect.

The camelback systems can usually carry a lot more fluid, but may be more than you need. I also think they are overkill for most people.

Some people still find that the hand-held bottle works just fine.

Before you can decide what kind of system you need, you have to first determine how much fluid you need to replace. You need to weigh yourself before and after a long run to see how close you’re coming to maintaining your weight.

You’ll never be able to completely replace the fluids you’re losing, especially on a hot day, but you can make a better estimate of what you’ll need.

But remember, the BIGGER danger is in OVER hydrating. The latest recommendation is to drink when you’re thirsty. It sounds simple, but it means paying very close attention to what your body is demanding.

Once you’ve determined what YOUR hydration-replacement need is you can find the system that works best for you.

Waddle on,John

John “the Penguin” Bingham, Competitor Magazine columnist Author, The Courage to Start, No Need for Speed, Marathoning for Mortals and Running for Mortals.

Have a question for John? E-mail it to thepenguin@johnbingham.com.