Every runner, every athlete knows the importance of hydration. Without good hydration the race can be lost well before its truly underway. But I had always hated – hated with an irrational burning passion – carrying water bottles with me. Part of the reason was that terrible, low level, sloshing sound that seems to magnify the mysterious stomach sloshing noise I always imagined I could hear; part of it was the awkward weight distribution.
But when I upped my distances from marathon (on which I’d always relied on those unsung water-station angels) to ultra distances I knew I had to take the plunge and get myself a hydration system. I borrowed several from friends – and would recommend everyone to do the same (not from my friends, find your own) because “try before you buy” is essential. Naturally everyone is a different shape and size and no matter how many backpacks I tried, nothing seemed to fit. Then I tried the Camelbak Flashflo – and eureka, I’d found my latest and best running companion.
A waist-belt model, the Flashflow holds an adequate 1.3 litres, enough to get you between most long distance check-points and includes 2 great sized cargo compartments. For the Jurassic Coast Challenge, it was more than up to the job of holding all of the race essentials: 6 gels, 5 bars, assorted nuts, snacks, raisins, small pad and pencil, mobile, info, mini-maps and torch. More to the point it was damn comfortable. Easily adjustable on the move, everything can be jiggled and tightened as the reservoir empties and even after three days I barely knew I was wearing it. The only downside, and this is common with most hydro-systems, it can be fiddly to fill at water stations if you “tank” on the run.
I’m such a convert that I frequently wear it even on short 10mile training runs.