How Do Runners Carry Water? 4 Creative Ways To Rehydrate During A Run

How do runners carry water? Water is essential to a successful run, so let’s dive in and learn how runners carry enough water to get them through their run. 

Water is essential while running, but surely carrying a water bottle slows runners down? For shorter runs, runners get by fine without water, but for longer runs, they opt to carry water bottles or choose more convenient products like hydration belts, hydration vests, or hydration backpacks. 

How Do Runners Carry Water?

Do runners need to carry water? For shorter runs such as a 5K, you may be able to complete your run without rehydrating. However, this depends on how long it takes you to run and the weather conditions. 

Generally, if your run takes longer than 45 minutes, you probably need to drink water. For some runs, there will be water stations along the route. However, if you’re not running on a route, you will have to carry your own water with you.

There are a few different ways to carry water. You might also be wondering why do runners breathe heavy after a sprint race.

1. Hand-Held Running Bottles

You can carry a hand-held water bottle on your run, but this has some disadvantages. For one thing, getting a good grip on the bottle may be hard. Perhaps most importantly, carrying a water bottle can affect upper body movement and may slow you down.

Additionally, the sloshing and sound of the water can be a distraction for many runners. Also, the amount of water in a bottle may not be enough if you’re running for more than an hour. 

2. Waist Pack Hydration Belt

One of the handiest ways to stay hydrated during a run is to carry water in a waist pack hydration belt. When you wear a belt, it frees up your hands for swinging. Belts can also be adjusted to fit your body type. 

A waist belt will hold more water than a hand-held bottle, and you can even carry water, sports drinks, and energy gels. Belts also have pockets for IDs, keys, and cell phones.

Some of the downsides of wearing a belt are that it can interfere with hip movements, cause chafing and discomfort, or be distracting. Also, retrieving water bottles can slow you down. 

3. Hydration Backpack

You may go for a hydration backpack if you’re tackling a long run. Hydration backpacks have flexible polyurethane water bladders, and they can carry up to three liters of water. 

With a backpack, you distribute the weight of the water across your back’s surface, and you drink via a hose that has a bite valve. With a large water capacity, you don’t have to stop to refill your backpack unless you’re running super long runs. 

On the downside, these bladders can be challenging to clean, and they have just one vessel, so you can’t carry multiple drinks. There is also a greater potential for chafing. 

4. Hydration Packs And Vests

A hydration vest is similar to a backpack, but it’s worn on the front of the body. The water is stored in soft flasks, and the weight is distributed more evenly on the back and front. 

With a vest, you can carry multiple hydration options. You can carry both water and an electrolyte beverage. You can also store snacks, keys, and other essentials in your pockets. 

These hydration vests don’t carry as much water as a hydration backpack, and retrieving the water bottles is a bit cumbersome. 

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