Five Ways To Keep Hydrated While Jogging

When you're jogging in hot weather or going long distances, hydration is important.

You can always carry a bottle of water in your hand as you jog, but that choice can contribute to poor form.Also, it might not give you enough water for a long jog on a hot day when you're sweating heavily.Here are five better ways to keep hydrated while jogging.

1. Live hydrated.

Don't wait until you're jogging and thirsty to hydrate.Stay properly hydrated all of the time.The hydration you do while jogging should just be a topping off of the tank so you don't get dehydrated.Make it a habit to drink several glasses of water a day.Commonly spouted wisdom says eight glasses a day; common sense says it all depends on how much other fluid you're consuming and how much you're sweating.Monitor your urine color and try to keep it in the light yellow range.If you stay hydrated, you won't be tempted to make the rookie mistake of drinking too much before starting a jog and ending up in misery.

2. Do a figure-eight or repeat a loop instead of doing an out-and-back jog.

Use your front yard or your car as a place to stash your liquids.Leave your bottles in a mailbox or newspaper delivery box, tucked under a shrub by the street, or waiting for you on the front porch.Leave them on a bumper or the windshield of your parked vehicle before you take off on a jog away from home.Plan the time and distance of your jog so you'll be passing by your home or vehicle when you need to hydrate.No need to carry water and you won't have to stop long to replenish.

3. Choose routes that have an oasis waiting for you.

If you jog in an urban or suburban area, chances are you can choose a route that goes by water.Many parks have water fountains.Parks, high schools, or colleges that have outdoor tracks and tennis courts open to the public often have water fountains or spigots.Keep in mind that these outdoor water sources may be turned off in winter.If you're able to swing by a convenience store or gas station or vending machine, take some cash along and buy your fluids along the way.

4. Create your own watering hole.

Plant bottles with water or a sports drink at strategic locations along your route ahead of time.Hop in the car and drive the route you plan to jog, leaving the bottles where you know you'll need them.This option works best in areas where you can be fairly certain the bottles will still be there when you arrive on foot.Try to choose a place where a bottle won't roll away, won't get hit by a vehicle, and won't be presumed trash.If your area justifies the paranoia, use only new bottles or cans with tamper-evident packaging.

5. Use a hydration pack, bottle carrier, or fluid belt.

Hydration packs work well when you go long distances and need more water.They're also a big plus for jogging on trails when there are no water fountains and planting a water supply is inconvenient.The packs come in multiple styles.Some hang over the shoulders and rest on the back like a conventional backpack.They have a bladder that holds the liquid and a tube that serves as a straw so you don't need to fuss with opening a bottle while on the move.Others are fanny packs that hang at the waist.These have pockets for holding water bottles and extra pockets for holding things like a cell phone, a jacket, band aids, and extra calories.

Bottle carriers don't hold much more than a bottle and possibly your keys or a gel pack or two.Fluid belts have an elastic band to go around the waist and loops that hold several small bottles.They allow you to distribute the weight of the fluids in both back and front.