Hydration

Think of your blood cells as fish and your veins as a river. The fish can't get to where they need to go if the river is running dry. Stay hydrated. Water is very important in exercise. It allows your body to carry nutrients to your muscles and carry away waste.

In the summer heat, it keeps you cool. If you stop sweating, you had better stop exercising and start drinking.

In the winter cold, it allows warmth to be moved to your extremities. With out warmth, your fingers and toes will go numb or worse, Frost bite.

Some people say that they do not carry a hydration belt because of the extra weight. Come on. If you are extercising you should have lost a pound or two by now. This is good weight. It helps you exercise longer. Still, if you do not want to carry one, choose a route with plenty of drinking fountains. As a percaution, I carry a $5 bill in my running shoes. After a few minutes in the sun, it is dry and the store clerk will have no idea that it has been at the bottom of your sweaty sneakers for the past 3 months.