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Fuel Belt: Training and Racing
At the suggestion of Coach P, I purchased a fuel belt yesterday, as I am terrible about carrying fluids and nutrition on outdoor runs (where to carry and what, etc), I have nutrition with me on the treadmill of course as that is easy... but outdoors was a different story...
Questions, I have read a lot about concentrated GE and other fluids, but when to comes to racing 1. Would you wear your Fuel Belt and 2. instead of fluids would it be beneficial to fill them with the Gels of your choice instead of fluids?
Just a thought, as I was watching the 2016 Kona race on Youtube while on the bike the other night and I noticed on the run that a few of the Pros had gel flasks (like what EFS makes) in their hands when running at a specific area of the race, and then they took fluids at the aid stations...interesting idea.
Questions, I have read a lot about concentrated GE and other fluids, but when to comes to racing 1. Would you wear your Fuel Belt and 2. instead of fluids would it be beneficial to fill them with the Gels of your choice instead of fluids?
Just a thought, as I was watching the 2016 Kona race on Youtube while on the bike the other night and I noticed on the run that a few of the Pros had gel flasks (like what EFS makes) in their hands when running at a specific area of the race, and then they took fluids at the aid stations...interesting idea.
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For training I really wanted to embrace the fuelbelt and bought a Helium for my long runs a few years ago. First time I tried it, I ran about a quarter mile and said "this isn't going to work". They bounce and just don't feel great (just MHO).
For my long runs, I'll stash a bottle of water in my mailbox or in the ditch, and carry a tube of BASE salt in my running shorts. Seems to work best for me. Hope you find the perfect setup to achieve your best!
Like @Brian Harding said, during a race I don't like to carry stuff in my hands or bottles around my waist. Plus, it's added weight. I carry gels and salt tabs in my Fuel Belt and use water/GE at the Aid Stations. For training runs, I'll carry water in a hand held water bottle and/or use a fuel belt with two 10 oz bottles around my waist. During IM builds I will carry GE Lime flavor and water as that's what the race will serve.
I do not concentrate anything...I like the keep it simple approach. I've thought about using gel flasks filled with gels, but then I would have to be careful to consume the right amount each time...that sounds simple but at mile 18 my thinking/calculating abilities are very limited to where I need my fingers to add 1+1.
After I started "living off the course" a little more, as EN prescribed, and worked for me, then the only thing I needed to deal with is if I could actually stomach what's on course. As I mentioned in another thread somewhere, I feel long course nutrition is not a matter of what you like for an iron-distance/duration of a day, it's what you can TOLERATE for that long. Nothing at the end of an iron-distance race tastes good to me, except a toothbrush and some mouthwash.
With that said, I switched to a single flask (4oz maybe?) with maple syrup in it, with water and coke for hydration. Now, for being a bigger dood, I can surprisingly survive off of minimal calories on a marathon, so YMMV.
I figure I will definitely use the fuel belt for the local runs and the longer runs where I do not have easy access to refill, etc. Living in a city it is easy to stop places and get more to drink, but I always rather not stop and keep pace, or at least try too..ha
Appreciate the feedback...
I carry a small gel flask in hand during races, filled with the equivalent of a regular bottles' worth of sports/electrolyte drink, i.e. 1 hours worth of electrolytes and about 150-200 calories worth of carbs - you could also dissolve 2-3 gels in water but I use powdered Garneau sport drink since it has 700 mg of Na per serving. Since I complete the 70.3 run in about 1:30-1:40 I take 1 flask. For last years' full at Tremblant I carried 2 flasks, 1 in each hand. I take a sip of the flask every 20-30 minutes and when it is empty I chuck it in the trash (they are cheap- 3-5$). This is just to supplement what is on the course for nutrition. For fluids I will take what they offer on the course, switching between water and gatorade or whatever depending on how I feel. As always- if you are thinking of this practice it in your longer runs first.
For long training runs, I used to lug 60oz of fluid in a fuel belt. But that got old, and I gravitated to doing laps on my local recreational path, on a part which is 1.75-2.6 miles long, with 1-2 water fountains along the way, and my car at the other. EG, today I did my last run before a race next week, 8 oz @ 15, 30, and 45 minutes worked well in the 80F temps. At my car, I leave a bottle of gatorade for calories. No water fountains on your local trail? Stash a bottle @ one end, park at the other. Added benefit - I don't need to worry about sharing my run with cars.