As made famous by Iron Maiden and before them the original by Samuel Coleridge, I too am struggling with an aqua based problem.

Mine is slightly more simple than an epic poem about killing albatrosses, angry sailors and Death playing dice; I can’t seem to drink enough water.

If this sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is. Water is the element that makes life but it can be more than a little bit dull.

When there is such a plethora of drinking options, plain old water seems like the boring choice to be had if nothing else is available.

Being British, my first liquid love is always tea.

It serves as comforter, energiser and socialiser. “Wanna cuppa?” is a synonym for friendship and love amongst those too proud or unable to verbalise their emotions.

Then you have the coffee to keep you going or to at least make it look like you are busy.

It has a cool, hipster vibe and a language of its own to make you part of the club.

“Skinny, double-shot, extra-hot, dry, soy macchiato with sugar-free hazelnut” is actually harder to say that the first two verses of the Brazilian national anthem.

If I have too many of either though, I wake up in the morning with a hangover which is just as bad as if I’d been drinking wine all night but without the fun.

Dry mouth, headache, hungry and unable to get out of bed; if I am going to feel that bad, then I want to at least see pictures of a cray cray night on facebook rather a half drunk cup of PG tips and a crumbled biscuit on my bedside table.

The list of alternatives to water like fruit juice, smoothies, fizzy drinks, sports drinks and squash are all much more exciting and tasty.

Nobody would ever pick a see-through, tasteless liquid above these funky sugary delites.

But to make your body work, especially if you are running every day, you need to treat it right.

If food is the body’s fuel, water is the oil that keeps everything running smoothly.

So I’ve put down my late night cup of char and poured myself a pint of plain, dull but ultimately perfect water.

Day 26

Total words: 8,620
Total miles: 141.4 (227.6k)

#writeandrun31