Why Hydration Matters More Than You Think

When you're training for a marathon in and around Bungay, the long Sunday run is the one that shapes your week. It's the session where fitness is built, where you learn to pace yourself, and where you discover what your body can handle. Hydration is one of the few things that can quietly make or break that run. Get it wrong and a 16-miler along the Waveney Valley can feel like a slog; get it right and you'll finish feeling strong, steady and ready for the next one.

Most runners worry about pace, shoes and fuelling, but fluid is often an afterthought. Think of it this way: your blood carries oxygen to your working muscles. When you sweat heavily and don't replace those losses, your blood volume drops, your heart has to work harder, and the same pace suddenly costs more effort. On longer runs, that difference is significant.

The good news is that hydration is a skill you can practise, just like hill repeats or tempo running. Here's how to get it right.

Drink Little and Often, Not in One Glug

The single most useful habit for longer training runs is to sip regularly rather than wait until you're thirsty and then drink a lot at once. A stomach full of fluid sloshing around is uncomfortable, and it doesn't absorb any faster than small, steady amounts.

Aim for roughly 125 to 250ml every 15 to 20 minutes on your longer runs. That's a few good mouthfuls, not a full bottle. If you're carrying a 500ml bottle, you should be finishing it over the course of around an hour of steady running in mild conditions. On warmer days, you'll need more.

• Set a mental cue: sip at every mile marker, every bridge, or every time you pass a familiar landmark.
• If you use a watch, set a repeating alert every 15 minutes until the habit becomes automatic.
• Don't rely on thirst alone. By the time you feel genuinely thirsty, you're already behind.

During club runs and group sessions, it's easy to get chatting and forget to drink. A gentle nudge from a running mate — or being the one who remembers — keeps everyone on track.

Carry a Bottle on Warmer Days

Here in Suffolk we're lucky to have some beautiful, gentle routes, but they're not always lined with taps and shops. Head out towards Outney Common, along the old railway path, or across towards Earsham and Ditchingham and you might not pass a single reliable water source for miles.

On any run longer than about 45 minutes, especially from late spring through early autumn, it's worth carrying your own supply. A handheld bottle works well for shorter efforts, while a waist belt or hydration vest is more comfortable once you're out for 90 minutes or more.

• Freeze half a bottle the night before a hot run — it'll thaw as you go and stay cool.
• Know your route. If you're looping around Beccles or heading out towards the Broads, plan where you can refill.
• Wear it before you need it. Practise running with a bottle so it feels natural, not awkward, on race day.

Some runners leave a bottle stashed at a convenient spot before they set off — a bench, a gatepost, a friend's driveway. It's a simple trick that works brilliantly on repetitive loop routes.

Practise With Electrolytes Before Race Day

Plain water is fine for shorter runs and cooler mornings, but once you're out for more than about 60 to 90 minutes, or sweating heavily, you lose salts as well as fluid. That's where an electrolyte drink earns its place.

Here's the important bit: never try a new electrolyte drink for the first time on race day. Your gut is a creature of habit. Introduce it on a long training run, at the sort of pace and duration you'll face in the marathon, and see how you feel. Some runners get on with them immediately; others find certain brands sit heavily or taste too sweet after a couple of hours.

• Start with a weak mix and adjust to taste — stronger isn't automatically better.
• Alternate between water and electrolyte drink rather than drinking only one.
• Note how you feel afterwards: energy levels, stomach comfort, and whether you're thirsty for hours afterwards.

If you're training with a group, this is a great thing to compare notes on. Everyone's needs differ, and hearing what works for other local runners can save you a lot of trial and error.

Plan Your Route Around Water

Bungay sits in lovely running country, but it's rural. Treat water as part of your route planning, just like distance and terrain.

Before a long run, ask yourself a few practical questions. How far between refill points? Are there shops, pubs or public taps open at the time you'll pass? Is there somewhere safe to leave a bottle? On very warm days, could you choose a shadier, more wooded route rather than exposed field edges?

Loop routes that bring you back past your starting point are a simple solution. You can leave a cool box in the car, top up every few miles, and never carry more than you need.

Listen to Your Body and Adjust to the Seasons

Hydration isn't a fixed formula. A mild April morning in the Waveney Valley asks something very different from a humid July afternoon. Wind, humidity, pace, and how much you drank the day before all shift your needs.

Learn the early warning signs: a dry mouth, a dull headache, dark urine, or a sudden feeling of heaviness in your legs. If any of those appear, slow down and drink. And remember that hydration starts the day before — arriving at a long run already well hydrated is far easier than catching up on the move.

Finally, look after each other. If you're running with others, check in, share water, and speak up if someone looks like they're struggling. That's what community running is all about, and it's what makes training around Bungay such a pleasure.