eating/drinking during running

You need to stop thinking in terms of distance and start thinking in terms of time.  Most endurance athletes use training programs based on time.  Your body only knows time, i.e. how long it has been working.  Not how far.  So, how much time do you take to run 6.5 miles?  I take gels and sports drink for runs over about 1 hour.  But, that also depends on the temperature.  If it's hot I'll grab my fuel belt for short run also.  Tomorrow I'm running for 1 hour 45 minutes and I'll take 5 gels and a Fuel Belt full of GU2O.

TJ

Like everyone, it depends on the weather and other circumstances.  I did an 11 mile run on Thursday with only a gel, no water.  By mile 8 or 9, I was wishing I'd taken the time to clean and fill my Camelbak.  And that I'd brought another gel or some food.  But, then again, by that time I'd been out for almost 2 hours already.

On today's 7 mile run, I started feeling thirsty around mile 5.5 (about an hour in).  The temps were comparable on both days, but I was running a bit harder today than on Thursday. 

Over the summer, I'd take fluids on anything longer than about an hour.  And gels for runs longer than about 90 minutes. 

Doing longer races means you need to train smart and learn to nail your nutrition which you do during your training.

I bring water or some type of liquid with me almost every run. I have forgotten on a brick when I only run 20' and wish I had not forgotten.

I sweat a lot and need to drink 48 oz/per hour in the summer so I have trained myself to do that. Now if I don't drink I suffer. I'm not running currently due to surgery but am doing the elliptical and in 30' I finish a full water bottle and now that I'm going longer will start bringing two. It works well for me.

I have a couple of different ways I carry water and I use what works best for the length of run and how much hydration I need.

I do gels every 30' and electrolytes if I go much over 60'. Not that I probably need them so much on a 60 minute run but I need to keep training my body and get my nutrition down so it is easy come race time. 

Holy Overkill, Batman! Everyone's different, but I don't take 5 gels when I race a marathon. I might take one in a half marathon race.

First of all, congrats on your longest distance.

up to an hour, I don't bother to take water or any kind of food (this assumes it's not super hot of course).

I don't need any nutrition up to 2 hours.  If I plan to go longer than 2 hours then I'll likely take something in at maybe 90 minutes (i.e. gel) and usually at 2 hours I want something solid in my stomach so I eat an energy bar of some kind.  After that, it's probably something every 30 min - hour after that.

Gatorade, but not really that much. Most people have glycogen stores to last up to two hours, for the most part I can complete a half in that time. I've never come close to bonking in a half...

But then I find that most people "over-nutritionize." Not a bad thing if your stomach (and your wallet) can handle it, just not necessary. If I took five gels in every 1:45+ workout, I'd be a broke SOB. Most of my training efforts of that length are going to be on Gatorade alone.

On drinking...you need to drink before your body tells you to drink in order to stay ahead on your hydrating.  Waiting until 45 minutes (or even 30') to drink is not a good idea.  I drink every 10 minutes whether biking or running. 

I think your other questions have been answered.

TJ