Hydration woes: Training tales

I have a drinking problem.

Sunday, as I drove home from a play date at my friend's house, a play date preceded by a long run, I realized that I had not one, not two, not three ... but FIVE water bottles in my car, three of which that belonged some kind of hydration system. (The other two are Nuun Energy bottles because this momma needs all the energy I can get.)

• Nathan Sports QuickShot Plus
• Nathan Sports VaporShot
• Amphipod Profile-Lite 16 Waist Pack

It might seem that at first glance that I just have a shopping problem or suffer from indecision but that's not the case. Just as I've struggled with the weather this winter, I've struggled with my hydration. I don't want to drink when it's cold. I don't. I've also had problems with hydration systems that once worked no longer doing so.

Example: The Amphipod waist pack. I had switched to that pack, which I received as part of my Nuun HTC swag, after experiencing crazy chafing from my Nathan Sports speed belt during the Veterans Marathon. I had a few successful runs with the pack only to be nearly cut in half a few weeks later. I just couldn't get it situated without bouncing - whether it's a big booty, big belly, big hips or user error - and suffered the consequences.

I hauled out the Nathan Sports VaporShot for the next long run. It's 20 ounces (or 22?), and I knew it would be enough for that day's 12 miles.  But as it's bigger, it's heavier, and I wussed, out, deciding that I didn't want the extra weight to carry. As luck would have it, we ran a 3-mile loop and returned to the cars to pick up another runner, so I grabbed a drink and had nothing for the remaining nine miles.

Not good. I know it is not good.

This weekend, I spent some hard earned cash on the QuickShot handheld while visiting the running store for its 10th anniversary. It's only 8 ounces but I figured 8 ounces was better than zero ounces. I filled it with water and set off for my long long run of this training cycle - 14 miles, which ended up being 14.6 (and, yes, the 0.6 matters).

I was showing it off to my run buddy Joe, who was obviously impressed by the turquoise and coral color scheme, and we got on the topic of fueling and hydration. Not only have we (read: me) struggled with a mode of delivery for hydration but a schedule. In the summer, it's easy to work on a plan for hydrating during training because you are thirsty. Sip every mile. Two sips with every Gu. When it gets super sucky, sip every half-mile.

Winter is a bit trickier - thirst levels, bottles freezing, trying to avoid wet hands. So I'm three weeks out of my half with no plan and probably underhydrated.

I blame Miles on the last one. After all, he's the one with the Nuun bottle and the chocolate milk. Silly kid.

Tell me: How do you hydrate? Tips for drinking through winter?

Don't forget ... today is the last day to enter my Pro Compression giveaway HERE.

Hydration heroics: A giveaway

I remember my first time quite vividly.

I was in the not-so-posh Motown Inn outside Dearborn, Mich. There were views of railroad tracks, stains on the carpet and a cathode tube television. I was tired, thirsty and knew the booze the front desk clerk had offered procure me wouldn't be the best choice with the Martian Invasion half marathon the next day.

And so I grabbed a tablet of strawberry lemonade nuun out of my purse and plopped it in a bottle of water. I watched it fizz. And fizz. After the requisite two minutes, I took my first drink.

I wish I could tell you that it was love at first taste but whether it was the stale hotel air or the variety, I found myself diluting it to choke it down.

I ran a great race the next day. Really great, actually. It's the closest I've come to an official sub-2 since having Miles. Even still, I found myself mailing off the remaining tablets to Bobbi, vowing that I would never buy it again.

But then I had trouble fueling during my training for the Columbus Marathon and added more classes to my schedule. The need to hydrate properly and eat appropriately became paramount and so I began to eye the nuun tubes in the running store. I longed to like them but was fearful that the experience would be just as bad as it was the first time. 

It wasn't until I received some samples in my Another Mother Runner purchase that I gave it a go. I started slowly, a half tab per bottle. I took small sips and waited for the bite. But it didn't come. The next day I tried a whole tab, cutting it only a bit. Still, the bite didn't come. Three days later, I was at Three Rivers Running Company buying a tube of lemon lime, which is one of my favorite flavors. It's been love ever since.

A little bit about nuun: Nuun Active Hydration is a line of electrolyte enhanced drink tablets designed to keep you optimally hydrated wherever your active lifestyle and athletic endeavors take you. You sweat, Nuun replenishes. Packed with electrolytes, light flavor, no sugars or carbs, and portable, Nuun Active Hydration is the perfect sports drink. The electrolytes found in Nuun will help alleviate cramps, help muscles function, communicate and burn energy efficiently.

Nuun also offers an All Day and U Natural lines, in addition to some pretty sweet accessories - I rocked a nuun tattoo for my Firecracker 4-miler.

And the point of all of this? Well, nuun is being so kin as to offer one reader a 4-pack of nuun in a flavor of his or her choice.

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. If you can't wait for your nuun, don't forget to use the code hydrateHTC as much as you want (through September).

a Rafflecopter giveaway