I’m pretty sure running a race while carrying your own bottle that includes the weight of the water will only make you carry an extra weight. Heavy, troublesome, but definitely helpful for you! Many would have felt like there isn’t a need to bring your own bottle when there are water stations provided at the race course, isn’t it?

Bringing your own bottle doesn’t only help you in replenishing yourself but it will also help you in running with “additional” weight, though it doesn’t weigh as much but it’s better than not having any weight on you.

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Will there be water on the course?

Don’t assume because not every race will provide water stations. Depending on the race that you participate in, races like trail marathons or even smaller races will require you to bring your own water bottles. If you plan on relying on the water that is provided at the water stations, be sure to check out where are they located at.

If you don’t check whether the running event has water stations or not, and you didn’t bring your water bottle, then you’ll suffer because a running event like trail marathons they don’t provide you with any water as the event requires you to bring your own bottle.

Queues? There’s no time for that!

Ever did a long distance run and you yearn so much for water but it frustrates you because you have to wait in line? Or you are so thirsty, you just want to grab a drink and continue running so that your timing won’t be affected? Well, solving this problem is really easy. The solution to it would be to bring your own bottle for the race but if you still prefer to depend on the water stations, then you will have no choice but to endure and queue up.

With your own personal bottle, you can stop from letting the queue rob your precious time, especially those who are chasing the timing to beat.

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Replenish as much as you want

Bringing your own bottle to a running event has its advantages as you will be able to replenish as much water as you want during the course of your run. You don’t have to wait for the next water checkpoint, feeling thirsty when you are running but instead, with your own bottle, you can have it at any point in time.

Have your own personal water

The advantage of bringing your own bottle is that you are able to bring your own kind of water be it sports drink or other drinks that you wish to bring. Without your own bottle, you’ll only be restricted to the water that the event provides or worse, you don’t get any water at all. With your own personal bottle, there is no risk of you getting an over-diluted or over-concentrated sports drink on the course and risking yourself in getting stomach upset.

Bringing your own bottle is so much convenient because you can have your own personal fuel strategy and consume what you need. Plus, you don’t have to get used to a new or unusual sports drink that may not agree with your gastrointestinal system.

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Clean and green environment

With water stations, it would mean that there will be a high amount of paper or plastic cups on the floor which is bad. There is a possibility where the paper or plastic cups that are lying on the ground could be blown away by the wind and end up at the sea. These paper and plastic cups take years to decompose and it could endanger the marine life animals.

Therefore, by bringing your own bottle, you'll at least be able to stop the use of paper and plastic cups. It needs to start somewhere, doesn't it? Let you be the starter and encourage runners to do so too. Soon after, we will be able to reduce the litter and also make our runnings a little more pleasant.

Quick rinse

Though water is mainly for drinking purposes when you bring your own bottle to a race, there are times when you need a quick rinse because of the hot weather. Imagine if you didn't bring your own bottle to the race and you suddenly don't feel too well because of the hot weather, then your health and run will be affected.

But with your own bottle, if there comes a time where you suddenly don't feel well during your run due to the hot weather, at least you have your bottle with you to save you from getting heat stroke.

What do you think? Is it important to bring your own bottle at any running events?