I have been faced with the issue of never having enough liquids on a run. From about March - October, I need to carry at least one handheld for any run, and I need at least two handhelds for anything over about 5 miles. It gets so hot in TX, and I hate the treadmill so bad, and I sweat like a 300 pound man! It's truly disgusting but obviously that means I need a lot of fluid.
I, also, have the problem that on most of my runs (well when the temps are under 80 degrees) my pooch joins me. So now I only have one hand free for a handheld and I most certainly can not make it through a long run of 12+ miles on 20 oz. of fluid. I tried a running belt, but it made me miserable. It would bounce up and down and I would have to pull it so tight that my stomach would hurt.
I decided I wanted to try a back pack style hydration system and read that the Nathan vest was a great option since you wear it like a vest and they have a women's version that is smaller. Here is the one I purchased:
As far as what I put in the vest, it's almost always Nuun. Nuun is an electrolyte replacement like Gatorade, but without the sugar. I get terrible gut rot from Gatorade which has been known to make me throw up. I use Nuun for anything over six miles and all the time in the summer...once again because it is that damn hot down here near Dallas! Lemon lime or banana are my favorite flavors, and I just realized the packaging has changed since I last bought some. All flavors are slightly carbonated (although they flatten as the liquid is sloshed around in your container), however, they have never bothered my stomach. The flavors are light (think of watered down sports drink) but you are still receiving all of the electrolytes you need.
The last thing I need on a run that consists of 10 miles or more is food! I can not do the Gu, so I use a variety of different chews. I love them all and change it up each run so that I have some variety. Often, I even bring a couple of different kinds to switch up during a run. Yes, the reward of some sort of food is a great mind game while running!
In a race, I often stick with Cliff Shot Bloks, only because they are convenient to hold while I run. The slender tube shape is easy to shove into my pocket or to simply hold in my hand. One last note on the food. Some products contain caffeine which can be nice at the end of a long run.
Happy Running!
No comments:
Post a Comment