I’ve run 10k a handful of times and 12k once. Only in training though: the furthest I’ve run in an ‘event’ is 6k. Never carried water. Managed OK: I’ve read it’s not necessary up to 10k unless the conditions are very hot.
But I’ve entered a 10k race and I know that to race 10k I’ll have to do slow training runs that are further than that. At what point do I need to start faffing about with a water bottle?
I think it very much depends on the weather. I would say usually up to an hour is OK, but less if it’s very hot.
Water isn’t the main issue. It’s fuel you need to think of really. I need to fuel from 14k. Therefore would also have water from about then.
Everyone is different. Conditions are different. I tend to take a tiny 250ml soft flask over 5 miles but that's really just in case I start coughing or swallow a bug or something. 8 miles = 300/400ml 10=500 ml 12 or more 1l more than 15 1.5l up to 2l.
Same with food. Nothing up to 8. 8 or more 1 snack bar. 10 to 12 miles 2 bars. 15 miles plus 4 bars. I usually end up with one left but I'd rather not run short 🤣
I’ve been asking myself the same question... I’ve carried water on all my 10k runs and on the first one I started sipping it after half an hour... but I then realised that if I needed water in the second half I should have been drinking it in the first half! So, as I didn’t need it as such I then carried it all the way round 10k on the other runs and drank it after. I used one of my daughters many water bottles as my two are bulky, and it was one with a handle/hole in the middle... it felt awful at first, but then I worked out that holding it the opposite way to logic meant I didn’t need to grip it and so my hand was relaxed like a normal run, and I soon forgot it was there.
We are all different, the woman who won the London marathon this year didn’t drink during the run, but I’m thinking she’s unique amongst the 40k people running that day.
My tracking app adds half a litre for every 30 minutes of cardio, and so I’m thinking I’ll need that bottle on a 15k as o was thirsty after 10.
I have begun to carry a little bottle of water in my FlipBelt on runs over 10k. I don’t generally need it unless it’s hot, but I just know I’d be thirsty if I didn’t! I did try carrying a bottle whilst on holiday in Tenerife in March, but that annoyed me and they were only 5k runs.
I also secrete a few jelly babies in the belt too, as a quick sugar boost every so often helps. 😀
Oooh I have a new flipbelt. Where did you get water bottle to fit it from? Yes EJBs are essential over 5k!😂
I got it on Amazon. I think there a couple of different sizes and I got the little one. 😀
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
This link is to my earlier post on the flip belt bottle Katiepops. I bought mine from runners need/ Cotswold outdoor but they are online too. Like Cheeky, I haven’t needed it up to 11k but I like to have it with me for when I finish. At the Bristol 10k, water was available at 5k but I just had a few sips because it was there.
I have the baby flipbelt water bottle. Its just enough for me to drink on my cool down walk if I need it but not heavy or annoying if it's not required.
Got mine from Amazon as well. Would defo recommend 👍😊
I did a brutal 10k on Sunday and needed the water stop at half way. It was about 16°, sunny and the run was in the hills and woods near me. Started at 9:30 so I’d only had tea and toast before the run. I can’t drink or eat much too near a run.
Usually 3 miles is about the maxis want to go in the summer I think.
I find anything up to and including 10k I'll probably be OK without hydration or fuel. I ran about 11k earlier this year and it was really warm, I didn't take water, and really struggled as a result. I now wear a running belt and carry a water bottle, and try to take sips of water at regular intervals. Even if I have to stop for a few seconds to hydrate, it's time well invested as I won't flag so much later in the run. Similarly with fueling too, at around 60 to 90 minutes though, depending on your pace, your body will run out of the fuel reserves it has built up in the form of glycogen, so I usually pack an energy gel into my running belt which I have at about 50 minutes into the run, which delivers a noticeable boost just when I need it.
This is still quite new for me, trying to manage fueling, so I'd be fascinated to see how this works out for you.
All the best 
When I'm running in town, I don't worry about water or fuel unless I'm running greater than 10k but when I'm running my steep crazy trails, I take water on every run, including my short 3k runs and fuel on anything more than an hour. In the summer, I'm quicker to take water on shorter runs if it is hot, winter only on really long runs.
I like to carry a water bottle .. any distance..... like to.sip. one with a little built in .handle got from Amazon look up running bottles
I have to say, now I've found a running belt that feels good, I take water on most of my runs. I just don't notice that it's there because the belt is so comfortable. Mostly I don't need it on the run but I'm sure glad of it during the cool down walk.
My brother in law who is an ultramarathoner, says he has managed to go without bottle or water up to 16 km. Conditions in Spain is hard in summer, he even runs only once a week, too hot... But he does drink a lot throughout the day (about 3L) before he runs in the eve about 15km without water. Now not that you have to taken my account as a newbie, but I do here in Spain 30 minutes running and I need to bring water, but In the UK not at all. So I guess it is depending very much how much you hydrate during the day and the weather.
I can last exactly 5.8 km without water. I carried a bottle and didn't drink until I was desperate :). I feel like I always slack off running by needing to drink water.. This time, I pushed out drinking as far as possible
Faster or stronger/easier??
First 10k race 
How far do you really run in a race? 
So the countdown begins … but I need help with a plan please
