As Drama Would Say, You'd Better Hydrate

Johnny Drama: Vince, You know my policy. Except for work, I only go to the Valley November through March. And even then, only to Sushi Row.
Vince: C'mon Johnny, go for me.
Drama: I'd better hydrate

I am getting into some longer runs now, and when the distance and time starts to go above 45mins to an hour, you'll want to focus more and more on hydration. Water is great, and it's good practice to drink it during the day. I find I feel 100x better working out and in general when I'm well hydrated. As it begins to get warmer, hydration becomes even more important and something you shouldn't overlook.

For longer and more intense workouts, water isn't enough though.

There are a ton of sports drinks out there today, and there is no one magic formula that will guarantee success. Everyone is different and it's critical to test out any new drink (any new anything for that matter) well before race day. I've tried a number of them and haven't quite found the "one" for me. A good thing to do is to see what is being offered at your race and try it out on a training run first. If it doesn't agree with your stomach, make sure not to grab it on race day. Some drinks like Accelerade have protein in them that can cause problems if you're sensitive to it. Your body is going to need nourishment, and it may seem counter-intuitive, but you'll want to take in some calories as you're running to maintain peak performance. 

I've used a lot of Gatorade in my day, and there is nothing wrong with it, but I can't help but think maybe there is something better for me out there? What drinks do you use during a run? Any recommendations?

Drive slow