How do you hydrate/fuel on long runs?

The 4 bottle holder from fuel belt. It is perfect for me, it is comfortable, it has a small holder for a couple of GUs and 4 bottles is enough for most of my long runs. I train hydrating every 20 to 15 min depending on how hot the weather is. Lets’ say I drink at 20 min after I started my run and then every 15 min. 3 gulps each time (like half a bottle) it gives me enough liquid for 2:05 hrs of running, which is a hell of a long run…

No, I'm serious.  I've just never put much thought into hydrating on training runs over 1:30-1:45.  I've never trained for a marathon before so this year will be the first time Ill have to deal with getting some fluids and carbs on a 2-3 hour run.  I'm in Norfolk/VA Beach and it's not too hot yet.  I did an easy ~11 miles last night around 7pm and didn't need any fluids.  Later in the summer I'll switch to early morning runs around 6-7am before it gets hot and humid in the afternoon.

madeye - 2005-05-17 9:50 AM Camelback, backpack style. Unless you're joking, because we haven't had our weekly hydration thread yet. Where are you that you can go 1:30 without water???? Good grief. I'm moving.

Before a long run I usually drink 34 oz Gatorade endurance between 2 to 1.5 hrs before my run. It gets me hydrate ready for the run and I have plenty of time to use the WC. If I drink something less than 1 hr before, it is for sure I'll have to make a pit stop during my run

I haven't been a runner long. So it has taken me a while to get past 30 min without wanting to stop. Because I didn't run long and was slow I never drank during my runs. But now I'm running longer and a little bit faster. So my short runs are 5k my middle runs are 5-6 and my long runs are 9-10 which me being slow takes me about 1:45. I didn't think about hydrating until I started doing short bikes and long run bricks. One day I went on a 1hr ride followed by a 2-hour run and I carried a full bottle of Gatorade while running. It sucked big time. I finally just stashed the bottle underneath a bench on the trail. The whole time I was running I was cursing that I couldn't hydrate and I wished for a fuel belt. I cursed all the way home only to find a box on my front door. My ex had sent me a fuel belt he mstakenly bought. It was for a woman. And I love it. I don't even feel it. Fuel belts are the way to go. Even with the fuel belt I carry just ONE 12 oz bottle. That's been enough to last me for my long runs. When it gets hotter might carry two. But I don't drink a lot when I run. Makes me sick.

Good luck.

The small camelback (1.2 L I think), which has the water jug resting in the small of my back.  It mostly  collapses as I drink so no sloshing, and has 2 little pockets into which can fit gels and my inhaler. 

I only carry that for runs of 10 miles or more.  Below 10 I don't carry anything. 

How do you folks who use gel use them without carrying water?  When I first began carrying the H2O it was so I could use my gels rather than for hydration.

I've used a Fuel Belt.  I've used a Camelback Flashflo, and a similar belt from Ultimate Directions (I think).  I've used a couple different bike bottle holder thingies.  I've stashed bottles along my route.  I've stopped at stores along the way.  I've tried 'em all.  I like to have some fluids with me for any run longer than about 45 min.

My prefered belt is, by far, Fuel Belt.  I have an old 8-flask belt. Granted, with that thing fully loaded with 8 flasks (that's 56 oz of fluid), it bounces some.  But, if you're thinking of a 4 or 6 flask Fuel Belt, there is very little bounce.  It's pretty much the most comfortable system I've used to carry fluids with me.  The Camelback was pretty good, but the Fuel Belt is more comfortable.  Also, with a  Fuel Belt you can carry different types of fluids.  For my long runs, I'll usually fill half of them with water, the other half with Gatorade, to better simulate the intake I'd use in a race.  I use the water whenever I'm taking in some gel or salt tablets.

I'll typically consume 1 fuel belt flask (7 oz) every 15 min.  I'll up that to every 10 min. if it's hot.  So, that's 28 to 42 oz of fluid per hour depending on the weather, which is what I've found works pretty well for me.  So, if it's not too hot, my 8 flask belt will carry me for runs up to 2:15.  If I need to run longer than that, or if it's hotter, I'll plan to either stop by my house or car or a store (depending on where I'm running) to re-fill bottles.

-Steve

I ahve a camelbak waist pack.  Holds 45 oz. which gets me through about 13 miles on a decent day, and abut 8 miles on a hot day.  When I was training for marathons I did a lot of bike trail running, so I would park my car in the middle run out and back in one direction, then refill at the car, then out and pack in the opposite direction.  I've also stopped at stores to grab refills, never seemed to be a problem.

Chris