ok, so where do you put it?
 

Alright..
This question is probably going to sound absurd, but I recently had to give up my gym membership. I've been exercising at home, but i've been going stir crazy!! It's still a little too cold for me to do anything outside, but i'm hoping it warms up enough in a week or so... I downloaded Ullrey's couch to 5k podcasts and, being a former runner, I can definitely complete the program in the 9 weeks.. it's been awhile since i've run outside but not that long.. I can't wait to get started.. my boyfriend bought me a shiny new pair of running shoes ... but I do have one concern and I was curious how you ladies handle this when you're out running..

Where do you put your water bottle??


I know camelbaks exist, and water bottle fanny pack holders, but i'm curious what YOU personally do. I know they're inexpensive but my current financial situation doesn't really call for spending any extra money.. do any of you have any tips or tricks since it seems like I'm going to have to, at least for a little while, carry something. I can't even fathom the idea of going out withOUT water.. when I ran at the gym on the treadmill, I had my water in front of me, in high school when I was running in circles (i played soccer and ran track) we were just never very far from an available water source, and when I ran in my old town I ran around a golf course that had drinking fountains available at every hole. I guess for a little while I'm going to have to carry.. so..
should I switch hands every so often - I can imagine holding a water bottle is going to be a little like carrying a weight in one hand, and I don't want to do anything weird to my arm muscles? any tips on maybe making something homemade (I guess I could knit a water bottle holster, lol!)?
or am i just obsessing about this way too much since it's just too darn cold and I have too much pent up extra energy that I need to do something with?

Oh, I'm going to be no help at all! I used to just carry my water bottle and switch it from hand to hand... now I don't carry one. I'll need to as the weather warms up, and my mileage clocks over 10K, but until then - I go bottle-free. I do know you can get those belt packs that your bottle slots into, though.

I'm sure someone else will be along with some advice! ;)

I don't tend to carry one at this time of year. I ran 15.5 miles at the weekend and didn't take water or energy tablets with me (admittedly I didn't go out intending to run 15.5 miles, but I still managed it without a problem). When I do carry water (if it's hotter or I'm running further), I tend to use a bottle - one of the ones which is shaped like a loop or triangle so you can put your hand through the middle to hold it tends to be more comfortable. I switch it from hand to hand from time to time.

I have a camebak, but I found that it moves around too much, rubs, and the sloshing sound puts me off. I prefer just having a bottle. Sometimes if I need a lot of water I'll carry about half of what I need, stop at a shop midway round to refill and then carry on.

I drink 16-32 ounces before I head out and then rehydrate when I get back with another 16-32 ounces of water. I have a hard enough time hefting my own body weight around - let alone carrying an extra pound or two in water! I've been fine running up to 13 miles, even through the summer heat, this way.

Kara

I'm really bad about carrying water... I never drink while I run, except on a race when they hand it out. And even then, I usually reluctant to take it because I find it makes me slightly nauseous to have water sloshing around in my stomach, though I really make an effort during the summer. Whether I drink while running or not, I usually down an entire bottle or two the second I get home from a long run (10 miles) though.

Karmuz, I posted the same question a few months ago. I was running with my dog's leash in one hand and a water bottle in the other--it was slightly awkward. The ladies suggested that I either buy one of those waist packs or stop carrying water. I actually couldn't imagine running without water (because, like you, I've always exercised on a treadmill and consumed lots of it while working out) but I gave it a shot and it's been fine. I drink a big glass before I go and I haven't died of de-hydration yet. I'm guessing the summer will be a more difficult proposition, but try running without it and see how you go.

I'm probably no help either except to add that I also go without water. In the past some people have posted some guidelines for different distances and whether or not you need to hydrate during the run but I imagine some of it is personal.

If you're just starting and aiming towards 5K, I think you can do without, especially if you drink before and after. I actually just drink after and it works for me. I've gotten up to 6 or 7 km and still been fine.

I hope this helps...and I'd say for now, you'd be fine without. Oh, and I did buy a waist pouch for my slightly longer runs and hated the bouncing so I stopped carrying it.

Good luck!

:D

While I do definitely need water when I am working out in the gym, I find that I rarely need water when I run outside. Because it is so much cooler, I don't sweat anywhere near as much and just don't need the water. Granted, I'm not running 15 miles like YP1, but I do run six miles, which takes me about an hour. Like Scenestealer, I don't like to have water sloshing around in my stomach when I run.

Also, if I did need water, there are a couple of drinking fountains along my route, not too mention a few convenience stores/gas stations where I could buy water in a pinch. If the route you will be running is through a park, or passes a school, maybe there are drinking fountains along the way that you could use. Or if you'll be passing a store that sells water, maybe you could just stash a couple of dollars in a pocket somewhere so that you could buy a bottle of water if you needed one.

I've never bought water while running, but I always carry a few dollars and a credit card. Just in case of emergency.

I usually have money with me if I'm on my own, sometimes a phone too particularly if I'm off road. It might not be water or food I need - if I hurt myself I might need to get a bus home or something like that, so I always make sure I have some cash.

Yah, I'm another one who doesn't carry water.

Especially at C25K distances, it really isn't necessary.

I am a water fiend, but I dont carry for under ~ 10 miles in the summer, 15 in the winter. Even as a new runner, while I might have felt the urge to have water, I didnt feel any real NEED for water below 6-8 miles...it was more habit.

Now indoors on the treadmill is a whole nother deal...I drink like a fish on the tread.

I have a waistpak camelbak for long distances, the over the shoulder ones are not good for running.

I had tried one of the energy belts that have the little bottles attached but it annoyed the heck out of me. I ended up getting a bottle that comes with a cloth handle so you slide your hand through it and it's easier to hold then just a plain bottle. It also has a zipper for your keys or cards or whatever.

I've read a couple places that you should drink water during any run over 30 minutes and either a sport drink/electrolyte tablets over 60 minutes.

Weird... I never thought about it before, but I totally drink a ton on the treadmill/elliptical/bike/other stationary cardio thing in the gym.

thanks so much for all the great advice! I haven't exercised outside of a gym for a very long time - I had horrible outdoor allergies that are now under control (thank goodness, since i can't afford the gym anymore!) I was definitely still thinking in gym mode.

I am definitely going to try to go without it ... you all are right - i'm not going very far and probably won't need it. I'm just used to the climate controlled gym and sweating a ton... but it is, oh, 20 degrees outside right now! (i'm waiting until it's about 30 though - it's too freaking cold right now)
the route i'll be taking takes me by... nothing with available water sources...i live off a longish country road..golf courses and farms are really going to be all i see... once I double my distance and get to about 6 miles though, there will be a park as a halfway point and i'm fairly certain there is a fountain there.