In my October 5, 2011 post, GOT WATER? I wrote about how
surprised I was to see many runners running on a hot day without any water. So I decided to take a poll to study the
habits of runners regarding hydration on their run. Here are the results.
1) Do you
carry water when you run?
44% said always
44% said sometimes
11% said never
2) What is
the minimum number of miles you will run in order for you to bring water?
40% said they will carry water
when running less than 4 miles
15% said they will carry water
when running a minimum of 5 miles
30% said they will carry water
when running a minimum of 8 miles
15% said they will carry water
when running a minimum of 11 miles
3) Which of these running events, where water
stops are provided will you carry water with you anyway?
30% will carry water with them
at a 5k
46% will carry water with them
at a 10k run
69% will carry water with them
at a half marathon
76% will carry water with them
at a marathon event
These
findings are not conclusive due to the small number of participants in my
study. But it gives me a general idea
about the habits of the running community.
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My study
shows that there is a small percentage of people who do not run with
water. So that means, that on that one
hot day when I went out for a run, I was looking at the small percentage of
runners who did not carry water on their run.
But those who do carry water will carry it even on shorter runs. After more thought, I realize that the answer to this question could all depend on the type of runner you are.
A further
study would be to ask the participants what their experience level is (beginner, casual, competitive), the
number of days a week the runner runs, and their average mileage per day. This would probably provide me with a more interesting analysis.
As for the
third question, the longer the race, the more likely athletes will bring their
own water. This is what I expected. It probably has to do with the competitive
nature of these races versus the casual run. If you are running hard, you definitely need to hydrate. And if you are going for time, you'd rather keep your pace than take the time to stop at a water stop.
So what is
the importance of this poll? Nothing
really. It's just to satisfy my
curiosity. But what I did learn is that
everyone runs his or her own race. So
don't worry about what people are doing.
You run in a way that is perfect for you. You know what makes you comfortable so do
what is best for you and not what everyone is doing or tells you to do.
I am
Running-girl and I wear 3/4 length capris, no matter what the weather
conditions is. I always wear a cap, even
on a cloudy day. And I always carry a
water bottle, even on a short 3-mile run. So be it. Be your own
YOU!
~Happy Running
It surprises me that more people don't carry water. When I first started running, I signed up for a 5K (10K for some) mud run in April. I didn't bring water because they said water was provided. It turned out to be 100 degrees that day and they ran out of water! People were dropping all over the place! Since then, I always carry water:)
ReplyDeleteHi! So glad you found me again!! No big deal life happens. Interesting post.. I tend to carry water with me on warm sunny days and on long runs but not shorter runs on cool days. And i also take water to longer races. And I never wear shorts - capris or pants!
ReplyDeleteI love 3/4 capris, too! No chaffing/riding up shorts to worry about! I'm curious if people with fuel belts wear them on their "natural waist line" or lower like hips. I find that my belt rides up off my hips (where I would wear a clothing type belt) - perhaps it's too small? but then it won't stay on my waist because it's too big for there. So instead it flops up and down and chafes and drives me nuts! I want to try one of the back packs!
ReplyDeleteI'm curios too. I have worn my fuel belt both on my waist and hips at different times to figure out which feels better. I prefer it on my hips so it is not in the way of my swinging arms. But then it rides up just as you say. On the waist, it fits snug but the bottle rubs against my forearm sometimes. I have to rotate it a certain way. You have to get a very small size for it to fit the waist. I totally understand your concerns! Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteI agree with your outlook on things. I think I did your survey. BTW, I run on average 4x/week for about 22 miles. This is down from 40 or so when I was younger and before a left knee injury. I do races and some speed work so I guess you would categorize me as competitive. Did you see some of my old running log info when you stopped over at my blog recently? Just curious.
ReplyDeleteKen