Amphipod Handheld bottle
Hydration during your workouts is important especially during the summer months. I bought these 2 Amphipods running water bottles a few years ago from a local running store and I love them. Click here for the 12 oz bottle and here for 20 oz bottle. These bottles are nice because they follow the curve of your hand and are very comfortable to run with. They come with a removable insulated cover that has a pouch that fits 2 gel packets or a small bar like a Larabar. I personally don’t like running belt hydration systems like this one. I feel as though they weigh you down and aren’t very comfortable to run with.
What I put in my bottles
I either put water or coconut water in my bottles depending on the length of my workout and how hot it is outside. I personally can’t handle most sports drinks. The sugars and chemicals in them upset my stomach. Coconut water is a great natural alternative to sports drinks. It is similar to the natural electrolyte makeup of your plasma. You have to be careful because a lot of coconut water is processed and heated thus destroying all the beneficial properties. I buy either Harmless Harvest or Amy and Brain Coconut water. Amy and Brain is much more affordable and can be found here on Amazon. Click here for a full write up I did a few weeks ago on coconut water.
Elete Electrolyte Solution is another great option to sports drinks. It has all the electrolyte replacement you need without the added sugar and chemicals.
Finally, salt tablets are another option. I use these a lot during hot weather training and I always bring them on race day.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
You need to experiment with different hydration while you are training. If you decide that you want to use sports drinks, find out what will be offered on the course during the race and train with that. You need to practice and see how your body handles it. If you are like me and want to avoid sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade and also don’t want to bring your own hydration on race day, I recommend training with water and salt tablets.
How much should I drink?
A general rule is to drink 4-6oz every 20 min. This is just a general guideline and why it is so important to practice your race day hydration (and nutrition) on your longer runs. Water stations are usually every mile apart on the race course so practicing sipping from your bottle every mile. It is also important to drink after your workout to make sure you stay hydrated.
Stay tuned for next week’s post all about fueling on training runs. Until then, happy training!!
paleoironmom 