Running Water Bottles
A Complete Must!

Running water bottles will be your lifeblood from day one of training all the way through to the finish line. They can be strapped to your hands, back or hips. I chose the hips route because your hips are sturdy and can take the extra weight.

Some runners suggest placing your running water bottles throughout your training route every 3-5 miles on your longer runs. A popular rule of thumb is to practice "as if." Practice as if it were race day. Are you really going to place your bottles throughout the course on race day? No. It's too hectic with thousands of runners on race day.

If you do decide to go this route. The Sigg water bottles are a great option. They're reusable water bottles, safe water bottles and refillable water bottles.

Another tip, don't use the plastic bottles you buy at the store. They're only good for a couple of uses and they're not very eco-friendly.

Here are a few running water bottle options within each category (hips, hands, back) that I've researched and recommend you check out. If one style doesn't work with you, try a different one until you get it right. Choose your hydration pack wisely! :)

It's All in the Hips!
This is by far the most versatile way to carry your water. It's hands-free and attaches to the strongest part of your body. I like the four 10oz models as they seem to provide enough water in between water stations. Also, you can fill one of them up with your favorite sports drink or energy concoction. Mine is usually half water and half Gatorade. Get one with a pouch so you can store little snacks like energy bars or Shot Bloks. It's also good to car you ID and debit card in them. I've stopped a few times during my runs at the local mini-mart for a quick pick-me-up!
- Fuel Belt Helium 4 Bottle Belt

Lend me a Hand!
I will hand it to these bad boys for their easy access. If you do go with this style, make sure it has a padded adjustable strap as well as a pouch for keys, license, etc.
- Asics Water Pocket

Back-Pack It Up!
Make sure you find something that is lightweight. The reason... water is heavy! Toward the end of the race when your water is gone, you'll want the least amount of weight on your shoulders while sprinting (or crawling) to the finish line. I'm not a huge fan of these for marathons as they tend to be a bit more than you need and carrying the extra weight is a bit much. However, they're great for trailing running!
- Ultimate Bottle Carrier

The best thing about all the above is that they're all reusable water bottles. If you do decide to buy the regular water bottles remember recycled water bottles are better than landfill ones!

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