The Running Thread --2025

[mmm_texas]

QOTD: This may have been recently discussed but here we go again if so. Summer time is just around the corner! As we all know, staying hydrated is important during these warmer months. I want to know, what kind of set up do you have for a hydration set up?

ATTQOTD: I carry, in my hand, a bottle of Powerade (with a koozie). I run loops (usually 3 miles) and have enough extra bottles on ice in my car to get through whatever distance I'm running that day. When I finish I usually also have a protein drink (I like Owyn), which besides the protein I think helps with replenishing fluids/reducing muscle soreness. (For races, I use on-course hydration.)

 

[Fe Kitty]

ARRQOTD: I too have and use a magnetic pouch, filling half PowerAde and half water. I also have a Nathan handheld soft water bottle that I use on long runs, I freeze half it the night before and then before run I fill it with water. Gels I stick with Maurten on runs 60 minutes and longer. I do bring some sort of mints, jelly bean or hard candy.

 

[avondale]

ATTQOTD: I generally only carry water (even if it's really hot/humid) if I'm going to be out over 60 min. If I'm not carrying liquids, I have a nice little waist belt to hold my phone and keys.

For liquids, I use a hydration vest (Salomon for me). The reservoir holds 1.5 L and I can fit two soft 0.5-L flasks in the front vest pockets, so I can hold various amounts. If it's an actual running hydration vest (not a hiking backpack for example), they are pretty minimalist and light. It's nice that they center the water on your back (hardly notice it) and you can drink from the straw without holding something in your hands.

The vest has sufficient stretchy pockets for my phone, some nutrition, a folded-up hat, etc., as needed, all within easy reach.

have never tried a hydration vest as I overheat easily,

Pro tip: depending on the outside temperature, freeze your water in the reservoir ahead of time or fill with lots of ice + your liquid. Then you're carrying a cooling system right on your back via your vest.

If you freeze the liquid ahead of time (completely solid), it can take quite awhile for it to thaw - longer than you might think - so it's a bit of an experiment for which outside temperatures you need to thaw it in time to drink it.

I will admit that filling the reservoir with ice cubes can be a little noisy until the ice cubes melt. This may be different for different styles of reservoirs.


A word about Salomon vests: the women's sizes tend to run small. Either get the unisex version or size up one in the women's size compared to what they suggest. (The arm holes run small - apparently they think all women have stick-figure arms.)

 

[SheHulk]

Hang on -- everybody talking about the flipbelt bottle made me do a search and I saw these soft HydraPak Softflasks. Anybody use these? They seem exactly like what I want: I want to be able to run with concentrated Tailwind and then dilute it more with water from aid stations while I'm in a race. I want something small enough that I can stash in my jogbra or belt. Please let me know if anyone has tried them. They look like they come as small as 150ml.

 

[pluto377]

ATTQOTD: I have a 12 oz Nathan handheld that I use for runs up to 6 miles. It works fine and I have no complaints, but I don't love carrying it. I also have a Camelbak vest that I got a year or two ago for longer runs. It has two soft water flasks in the front and room for a third in the back. Two things I don't like is that the back rides kind of high on my neck because I have to tighten it so much. However, I do most of my long runs in the cold of November/December so wearing a jacket helps with it not irritating my neck.
Also when the flasks gets close to empty they tend to flop out of the straps at the top and that's annoying.

ATTQOTD: I have a magnetic pouch that holds a 7oz water bottle, and I like it a lot better than my Nathan handheld. I liked the pouch so well that I got 2 more kinds from the same brand to hold other random things I might need during longer runs or races. I wear them at the small of my back and I pretty much don't even notice them.

Thanks for this link! I'm going to get one of these as a Mother's day gift to myself. I think I would like this a lot better than my handheld.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

ATTQOTD: I have a Naked belt with two 8oz soft flasks that I use for any runs between one and two hours. I've tried other belts that were really annoying and bounced all over the place, but this one stays in place comfortably as long as you get the right size.

For runs over two hours without a convenient place to refill my flasks, I have a Salomon pack. It's more comfortable and has better storage than my old Nathan pack, even if I do have to tuck the straws for the front bottles into the pockets so they don't smack me in the face every step.

Less than an hour or so, I don't carry anything. I'll stop for a quick sip at a water fountain if I get thirsty.

I mostly carry Skratch to drink; if I'm packing the big rear bladder on my vest, I'll put plain water in that for when I need a break from all the sugar.

 

[Zutroy]

Hang on -- everybody talking about the flipbelt bottle made me do a search and I saw these soft HydraPak Softflasks. Anybody use these? They seem exactly like what I want: I want to be able to run with concentrated Tailwind and then dilute it more with water from aid stations while I'm in a race. I want something small enough that I can stash in my jogbra or belt. Please let me know if anyone has tried them. They look like they come as small as 150ml.

I own the HydraPak Softflask, and the Naked branded Softflask designed to fit in the belt—both in 500 ml. I love both, but even though they are made by the same company, they are different. The HydraPack has a flip open lid which makes refilling it easier, but I still find adding Tailwind powder can be a little tricky without a funnel. The problem with the lid is that it’s not as compact as the Naked HydraPak, which doesn’t have a hard plastic ring for the lid. Both are great because they disappear into nothing when empty.

 

[jpholic]

Hang on -- everybody talking about the flipbelt bottle made me do a search and I saw these soft HydraPak Softflasks. Anybody use these? They seem exactly like what I want: I want to be able to run with concentrated Tailwind and then dilute it more with water from aid stations while I'm in a race. I want something small enough that I can stash in my jogbra or belt. Please let me know if anyone has tried them. They look like they come as small as 150ml.

not a handheld but I have a soft flask 12oz I use for longer runs. the concentrate is a great idea, I hadn't thought of that! imma check it out and see how it works.

 

[accm]

ATTQOTD: I have a vest I very rarely use, but will likely pull it out once I start training for Dopey, and recently bought a flipbelt and 2 11oz bottles. I really like the flipbelt with one bottle in it - two ended up being too bulky. With the one bottle, nothing moves around at all.

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: I use an amphipod 12oz handheld bottle that’s easily a decade old. It’s lightweight, ergonomically comfortable, and easy to refill at drinking fountains in the various parks I run through. As a bonus, the little attached pouch is perfect for holding lip balm.

 

[KCO5988]

ATTQOTD: I use a Nathan handheld. I own two, so on long runs over 2 hours I leave the second one on top of the trunk of my car and switch out at the halfway point.

Long Island Marathon race recap: One word- ooof.

A goal: 3:23 - nope
B goal: sub 3:30 - nope
C goal: sub 3:35 - nope

The race was windier than I anticipated and there were some sneaky hills, but I think my real problem was dehydration going into the race. My heart rate was basically immediately high end of zone 4 and just never settled. By mile 24, after passing someone laying on the ground being tended to by EMS, I started to feel lightheaded so walked for around 7 or 8 minutes. Which is not surprising, since I had just run for 24 miles at high zone 4. I felt a bit better after that and was able to run again. My time in the end was 3:42:29 which was enough for second in my age group, which was a shock. I was only 30 seconds behind 1st in my age group which makes me wish I didn't walk for as long hahaha. No BQ this time unfortunately.

 

[mtnmjd]

ATTQOTD: For me it depends on how far I plan on running
under 4-5 miles, I dont typically bring nay hydration unless it is a scorching hot august run
5-8ish; I have a Orangemud handheld flask that I like. It also has a couple of pockets for gels, tp and phone
8-16ish; switch to my Orangemud Hydraquiver, it holds a single large water bottle on the back between your shoulder blades plus as pockets on the front
16 and beyond; Ultimate Direction vest with hydration bladder

 

[huskies90]

ATTQOTD: Put me in the category of hating to carry anything on any run. I also do not like doing multiple of the same loops - I prefer feeling like I am going somewhere. Out and backs work fine for me but I do not like repeating any part of my run in the same direction.

Luckily, I live in an area with multiple ball fields and parks that have water fountains and I map my runs to hit those locations at appropriate times. I am also a somewhat self proclaimed camel and can go relatively long distances without needing water - even in the heat/humidity of summer, so this typically only impacts marathon training for me.

Which brings me to an issue every year training for Dopey - - The water fountains are usually turned off right around the end of November or first week of December. When I was training for my first January marathon, I bought a Nathan water belt. I think I wore it once. It is still in my closet. I hated it!! That year, I ended up driving out and dropping off small 8 oz plastic water bottles on my route before my run (still near a park or ballfield where there was a recycle bin).

Since then and for the last several years, I have employed what I have heard referred to as the "star method." Using my house as a starting point, I do several out and backs - each going a different direction. This way I can use my house as water stop without having to loop. So for example, for a 16 mile run I do 2 miles out and back west; then 2 miles north; 2 miles east; and 2 miles south. When you look at your gps map, it looks like a star (sort of)...

 

[FlyingDonut]

ATTQOTD:
I haven't carried water while running since I got back into it years ago; then it was just a regular plastic water bottle and I didn't like it.
I may be encouraged to try again with some of the products y'all have been mentioning.

For shorter runs, I'm usually forced by the way my neighborhood is to run back by my house every 4 miles, so I just keep stuff at home.

The area around me for longer runs splits up such that I tend to come back by my house at the half way point. I also will hide a water bottle in one particular bush. For the days I do go one direction away from my house, I have a google maps list of water fountains I like. Adding on to @huskies90 feelings on having a destination, running to a water fountain can feel like that for me.

A weird side effect of this is that I feel pampered during races that offer water stops every 1.5-2 miles. I didn't expect my main feeling during races to be "wow, now this is luxury" but here I am.