Marathon Running: Hydration Pack or Not?

The whole idea of the hydration pack is to allow easy, hands-free hydration while engaged in sport and that have been popular with people engaged in endurance sports from the very beginning. However, when it comes to marathon running, there is a good question about whether or not a hydration pack would be appropriate. Some people like the idea of being able to skip past the hydration stations along the route; while others really dislike the idea of carrying any sort of excess weight, especially something strapped to their back.

The big argument in favour of wearing a light hydration pack when running marathons is that it means you can keep yourself hydrated without having pull into one of the hydration stations along the route and can drink without slowing your pace at all. In a close race, the few seconds lost trying to get hold of and then drink water along the way might be enough make a big difference in the results. Similarly, for people that do not run marathons regularly and whose goal is simply to finish the race regardless of their position, having a hydration pack might be a helpful thing to stay hydrated in between official hydration stops.

The primary argument against carrying a hydration pack on a marathon is simply that the extra weight is bound to slow the runner down and become very uncomfortable as the runner heats up. Regardless of the level of ventilation provided in the hydration pack’s harness, there is simply no getting around the fact that wearing a hydration pack is bound to become very uncomfortable as the marathon wears on. Further, since most hydration packs are serious gear and fairly costly, it is not like this is something that can be simply discarded along the route.

For a well trained runner that is truly aiming at winning the marathon (or at least finishing well), the seconds saved through a hydration pack may make the idea worth pursuing. If this is the case, then the real trick is to ensure that all the training done before the race also includes the hydration pack. This will allow the runner to get thoroughly accustomed to wearing it and timing their drinking appropriately in the process. After all, if the extra weight is taken into account during training, then as the weight decreases as the water is consumed, then the lighter the burden becomes. Further, the hydration pack may simply be saved until the last portion of the race, giving a strong runner an additional advantage during the “crunch time” at the very end of the marathon when everyone is already very tired but also desperate to get any small advantage over their rivals.

Like many other things, the question of whether or not a hydration pack is appropriate for a marathon is a subjective one and there is no “correct” answer per se. Both arguments make some sense and are quite reasonable, so I suppose it depends on what type of marathon runner you are and your own personal preferences.