The Official OGBoards Running (and Cycling) Thread: (Insert Season Here)

[RacerDeac]

Good luck Racer. If it's really supposed to be that warm by the finish, you might want to consider taking a couple of bottles of your own water. I could have used a water stop every mile from 20-26 during New River last year since there was absolutely no shade and the sun was right over our heads. It was a struggle to wait for 2 miles between stops.

Thanks for the heads up. I definitely don't want to carry full bottles for 20 miles, but I may be able to get my wife or someone else to meet me around the 21/22 mile mark if needed. That said, it seems the water stations towards the end are spaced fairly closely. 19.2, 20.8, 23.6, 24.3, 25.5.

 

[RollTheQuad06]

Thanks for the heads up. I definitely don't want to carry full bottles for 20 miles, but I may be able to get my wife or someone else to meet me around the 21/22 mile mark if needed. That said, it seems the water stations towards the end are spaced fairly closely. 19.2, 20.8, 23.6, 24.3, 25.5.

Also you could carry an empty bottle and fill it up at stop 20.8 for that gap until 23.6. I generally would not want to count on finding a friend/family member along the course of a race of moderate to large size.

 

[RacerDeac]

Also you could carry an empty bottle and fill it up at stop 20.8 for that gap until 23.6. I generally would not want to count on finding a friend/family member along the course of a race of moderate to large size.

Good point, but I just don't want to carry anything for that long if I don't need to. Plus, my water belt wears a small place on my back after about 16. Worst case scenario, I have to cover 2.8 miles between 20.8 and 23.6 without water. After that, I'll be tripping over water stands until the finish if I absolutely feel the need. Most of the advice I've gotten from other runners has been to stop drinking with 3-5 miles left. Even if you feel thirsty, you're just weighing yourself down because it takes 30+ minutes for your body to absorb the water according to what I've read. I stopped drinking at the 10 mile mark of my last 1/2.

Speaking of water stations. Do you folks recommend a walk through or jog through approach? I always feel like stopping costs a lot of time, but I've read the advice of a few fast runners lately that walking through allows you to get more water down easily and get just a few seconds of rest, which leads to a better overall finishing time despite the time lost through each water station. I've jogged through during 1/2's, but I'm thinking of taking the walk through approach up until through the mile 20.8 station and then making stops only when absolutely necessary after that point.

What's your preferred way to carry nutrition? Since I won't have my water belt, I'm either left with shorts pockets or buying a SPIBelt. There are two Gel stations on the course, but I'll need more than that to get me through the race.

 

[RollTheQuad06]

I've never heard that about water taking 30 minutes to absorb. I'm curious to learn more about that.

I walk through water stations but I'm not worried about a couple seconds, and the bit of rest is refreshing. I'm actually able to drink successfully when I walk, as opposed to trying to drink from a cup while running which mostly means splashing drink all over myself (fine in the case of water when it's warm out, but ineffective to combating thirst).

My preferred way to carry won't help you for this weekend - RaceReady shorts.

 

[TWDeac]

Good point, but I just don't want to carry anything for that long if I don't need to. Plus, my water belt wears a small place on my back after about 16. Worst case scenario, I have to cover 2.8 miles between 20.8 and 23.6 without water. After that, I'll be tripping over water stands until the finish if I absolutely feel the need. Most of the advice I've gotten from other runners has been to stop drinking with 3-5 miles left. Even if you feel thirsty, you're just weighing yourself down because it takes 30+ minutes for your body to absorb the water according to what I've read. I stopped drinking at the 10 mile mark of my last 1/2.

Speaking of water stations. Do you folks recommend a walk through or jog through approach? I always feel like stopping costs a lot of time, but I've read the advice of a few fast runners lately that walking through allows you to get more water down easily and get just a few seconds of rest, which leads to a better overall finishing time despite the time lost through each water station. I've jogged through during 1/2's, but I'm thinking of taking the walk through approach up until through the mile 20.8 station and then making stops only when absolutely necessary after that point.

What's your preferred way to carry nutrition? Since I won't have my water belt, I'm either left with shorts pockets or buying a SPIBelt. There are two Gel stations on the course, but I'll need more than that to get me through the race.

You really think that drinking 3-4 times at the end of the race is slowing you down if you're running at 4hour pace? I really highly doubt it matters. When you are thirsty, you should drink, IMO.

 

[iodeac]

Good point, but I just don't want to carry anything for that long if I don't need to. Plus, my water belt wears a small place on my back after about 16. Worst case scenario, I have to cover 2.8 miles between 20.8 and 23.6 without water. After that, I'll be tripping over water stands until the finish if I absolutely feel the need. Most of the advice I've gotten from other runners has been to stop drinking with 3-5 miles left. Even if you feel thirsty, you're just weighing yourself down because it takes 30+ minutes for your body to absorb the water according to what I've read. I stopped drinking at the 10 mile mark of my last 1/2.

Speaking of water stations. Do you folks recommend a walk through or jog through approach? I always feel like stopping costs a lot of time, but I've read the advice of a few fast runners lately that walking through allows you to get more water down easily and get just a few seconds of rest, which leads to a better overall finishing time despite the time lost through each water station. I've jogged through during 1/2's, but I'm thinking of taking the walk through approach up until through the mile 20.8 station and then making stops only when absolutely necessary after that point.

What's your preferred way to carry nutrition? Since I won't have my water belt, I'm either left with shorts pockets or buying a SPIBelt. There are two Gel stations on the course, but I'll need more than that to get me through the race.

I PR'ed by 5 minutes and I walked through all the water stops. Hopefully you have a marathon that serves water/gatorade in paper cups instead of plastic cups. Trying to pinch a plastic cup of Gatorade resulted in epic failure for me the first time around, which is probably why I walked through the rest of the stops now that I think about it.

As far as carrying nutrition, I abandoned the SpiBelt after 2009 OBX after my mom asked why I was wearing a "waist purse" in some of my photos. :rulz:

I would go with shorts pockets. I have a bauce pair of Pearl Izumi shorts with 4 small pockets, just large enough to hold a gel apiece. Wouldn't trade them for anything and I wore them for my Myrtle Beach PR and then again 3 weeks later for my Columbia PR last Saturday.

Also, I'm not sure what your gel schedule is like, but my last 2 marathons I did mile 7, 13, and 20 and that was all I needed. Don't overdo it on the gels or you stomach will be borked like a friend of mine who ran Columbia and almost had a Shituation on her hands.

 

[RacerDeac]

You really think that drinking 3-4 times at the end of the race is slowing you down if you're running at 4hour pace? I really highly doubt it matters. When you are thirsty, you should drink, IMO.

Depends on how close to the 4 hour mark I am. If I'm 5 minutes ahead of schedule, I might at least walk through and grab a sip to wet my throat. If I'm pacing right at 4 hours, screw the water. Would suck to miss that mark because you stopped to take on water your body won't be able to use until after the race is over. That advice came from a guy who paced me in my last 1/2, who runs sub 3:00 marathons, but mostly competes in 50+ milers. He gave me a lot of coaching advice since only 3 of us were running with him. One of the last things he recommended before he told me to go for it for the last 3 miles, even at my slow ass pace, was to forget the water in the last 30 minutes of the race because your body can't benefit from it anyway. My own research after the race seemed to confirm that.

I'm slow, but highly competitive with myself. I want to cross the line knowing I didn't leave anything out there.

Besides, if you're "thirsty" beyond just your throat being a little dry, you've pretty much waited too long to drink anyway, right? That's been my experience in training. If I ever get to the point that I feel like I need to drink water, it's already too late.

 

[TWDeac]

I guess it is just personal preference. I've never had problems running through water stops, so the extra water isn't going to slow me down and it's going to keep me from feeling like shit after the race and feel good to boot.

I can understand it if you stop in water stations, though.

As for the gel packs, if you can carry one or two and supplement them with the 2 gel packet stations during the race, I think you'll be fine. I've done this quite successfully with just normal running shorts in my races.

Again though, that is personal preference as I can't stand any extraneous stuff hanging on my body(belts, pouches etc..)

 

[RacerDeac]

I PR'ed by 5 minutes and I walked through all the water stops. Hopefully you have a marathon that serves water/gatorade in paper cups instead of plastic cups. Trying to pinch a plastic cup of Gatorade resulted in epic failure for me the first time around, which is probably why I walked through the rest of the stops now that I think about it.

Good stuff. Hell, was reading about a 2:30 marathoner today who walks through water stops.

Also, I'm not sure what your gel schedule is like, but my last 2 marathons I did mile 7, 13, and 20 and that was all I needed. Don't overdo it on the gels or you stomach will be borked like a friend of mine who ran Columbia and almost had a Shituation on her hands.

In training, I've taken my first at 7, and then another each 5 miles afterwards. That was my plan, though I may bump the 18 miler till 20 like you did depending on how my stomach feels. Just like water, taking on carbs after a certain point isn't going to help much. I've switched to chewables, which seem to go down easier for me. Plus they are easier to eat a small bit at a time IMO.

 

[iodeac]

I guess it is just personal preference. I've never had problems running through water stops, so the extra water isn't going to slow me down and it's going to keep me from feeling like shit after the race and feel good to boot.

I can understand it if you stop in water stations, though.

As for the gel packs, if you can carry one or two and supplement them with the 2 gel packet stations during the race, I think you'll be fine. I've done this quite successfully with just normal running shorts in normal races.

Again though, that is personal preference as I can't stand any extraneous stuff hanging on my body(belts, pouches etc..)

I would be careful about relying on aid stations for your gels, unless you know which ones they will be handing out. You dont want to get stuck with some awful flavor that wrecks your stomach.

 

[TWDeac]

I would be careful about relying on aid stations for your gels, unless you know which ones they will be handing out. You dont want to get stuck with some awful flavor that wrecks your stomach.

I can definitely see this happening. The two marathons I've done that have had gel packets had oodles and oodles of the things so it wasn't a problem.

Luckily, I'm not really picky about flavors so I don't worry too much.

 

[RacerDeac]

As for the gel packs, if you can carry one or two and supplement them with the 2 gel packet stations during the race, I think you'll be fine. I've done this quite successfully with just normal running shorts in my races.

I've switched to chewables lately because they seem easier on my stomach and I can take them down in 50 cal chunks as opposed to 100 all at once. Plus, the gels they are providing are GU (my least favorite) in two flavors I've never had. I'd rather not leave that to chance, as I've had some gels that really messed with my stomach and some that have been just fine. It could have just been the day, but not something I want to worry about.

That said, I'd definitely prefer to not have to carry anything. I don't mind carrying water in training, but for the race, I like feeling slimmed down...mostly psychological, but it feels faster.

 

[TWDeac]

I've switched to chewables lately because they seem easier on my stomach and I can take them down in 50 cal chunks as opposed to 100 all at once. Plus, the gels they are providing are GU (my least favorite) in two flavors I've never had. I'd rather not leave that to chance, as I've had some gels that really messed with my stomach and some that have been just fine. It could have just been the day, but not something I want to worry about.

That said, I'd definitely prefer to not have to carry anything. I don't mind carrying water in training, but for the race, I like feeling slimmed down...mostly psychological, but it feels faster.

Again though, that is personal preference as I can't stand any extraneous stuff hanging on my body(belts, pouches etc..)

Yeah, I think my approach is entirely psychological. I hate the feeling of things weighing me down, even on training runs.

I've never tried the chewables before. I might have to check them out.

I pretty much only ever use GU now in Blackberry and Mixed Berry.

 

[iodeac]

Yeah, I think my approach is entirely psychological. I hate the feeling of things weighing me down, even on training runs.

I've never tried the chewables before. I might have to check them out.

I pretty much only ever use GU now in Blackberry and Mixed Berry.

GU Mint Chocolate is my jam. Also, the Apple Cinnamon flavored Hammer gel tastes like an apple pie from McDonald's. So good.

 

[JerseyDeac]

GU Mint Chocolate is my jam. Also, the Apple Cinnamon flavored Hammer gel tastes like an apple pie from McDonald's. So good.

The Apple Cinnamon is ridiculously good; definitely tastes like apple pie. I have a really hard time taking gels while running so I end up using the super runny powerbar gels, but during training runs when I can stop and take a gel I love the GU Mint Chocolate and the Hammer Apple Cinnamon. Just picked up the GU peanut butter and chocolate outrage as well. I hear PB is delicious. Also love the Hammer Montana Huckleberry gel.

I have promised myself I would be good and take gels this time around. I tend to skip them almost entirely, as in I had 1/2 gel during my last marathon and 1 gel during the one prior. I would probably run faster with some fuel. I am bringing 4 this weekend and am determined to consume half of each at a minimum.

 

[RollTheQuad06]

mmm I really enjoy my gels - strawberry Clif Shots. So good. They reformulated them recently to be a little thinner which is even better.

 

[deac04]

Running the LoTide 5k in Carolina Beach, NC this weekend. Looking forward to it. Always a good time.

Nice! I heard it was starting on the beach this year rather than ending on it. I may swing by there since some friends are doing it, but I'm not running. I wish it wasn't the same weekend as the WB half. Good luck, let us know how it goes!

 

[WakeUp08]

I'm definitely more of a fan of the chews than a whole mess of gel all at once.

 

[LadyDeac03]

I'm definitely more of a fan of the chews than a whole mess of gel all at once.

So I definitely don't run far enough usually to use gels and what not, so I'm not sure what I actually like and don't like. But I went to the Rock n Roll expo in DC today to pick up my bib for the half marathon on Saturday and they had samples out of the Gu chews. The strawberry was really good! Like I could eat them as gummy candies good.

 

[WakeUp08]

The GU watermelon chews are my jam.