Do not walk if you can help it. Only the Florida 70.3 had me walking the stations to make sure I was getting enough to drink, but if you can run through them then do so.
I do. I believe I did fifteen little baby steps and it worked wonderfully. My aid station walking trick is to set the Garmin on lap pace instead of actual pace and still stay on proposed numbers.
I normally hate walking aid stations. I can't bring myself to do it in an open running race of any sort.
Yesterday was the first time I ever walked aid stations at a HIM when I wasn't suffering unduly. I had only consumed 300-350 calories on the bike and I wanted to make sure I didn't get next-to-nothing on the run. So I walked 5-10 steps getting drinks...REALLY short...like 5-total steps, not 5-10 steps with my right foot...not a single step more than I had to...but I got the fluids very efficiently.
For what it's worth, I PRed the run portion of the HIM (about 1:36) and placed in the top 10 in my AG.
I'm not saying there's a necessity to walk aid stations or that I necessarily went faster because of it...but I know that I got my nutrition and fluids and it didn't cost me significantly. I ran essentially even mile splits for the full run.
I think it depends on your nutrition plan for the run. If you are relying on course support for calories, I would walk those aid stations to make sure you get what you need. If you aren't relying on the course for calories, then you can try running through and grabbing ice and water -- at Vineman, the run is quite exposed, so ice is key. For what it's worth, I don't walk aid stations in open running races either, but do walk about 20-30 steps of aid stations in HIM's in miles 4-11 when I am collecting water and ice. But you and William are both way better runners than I am, so you might not need to walk.
I think the big lesson here is that if you choose to run as part of your strategy, you can still do very well overall (even PB). Especially if nutrition is an important part of your overall (or that individual) aid station strategy.
I think it really is dependant on how fast you are going to cover the distance and what you are going to take in at THAT aid station. Usually in a half IM run there is really only one or two aid stations I care much about when I am going to take a gel. That usually requires me to stop running for a few steps and make sure I get some water in my so that I can digenst it ok or at least feel like I can. Also, not sure why people need to take in everything at every aid station or even why there are often aid stations every mile. You certainly do not need 8oz of water every mile. I hardly ever bring anything with me if I am running 10 miles. If you were to run 5 miles tonight, how much water would you bring?
I also figure that any gel/water I take in the last half hour or so is not going to do anything for me til after the finish anyhow so why bother. Maybe whatever I can splash in me while running just to get the dry taste out of my mouth but nothing else.
Short answer, walk the ones you need to to get the stuff you NEED, ignore the rest of the aid stations.
Comments
Yesterday was the first time I ever walked aid stations at a HIM when I wasn't suffering unduly. I had only consumed 300-350 calories on the bike and I wanted to make sure I didn't get next-to-nothing on the run. So I walked 5-10 steps getting drinks...REALLY short...like 5-total steps, not 5-10 steps with my right foot...not a single step more than I had to...but I got the fluids very efficiently.
For what it's worth, I PRed the run portion of the HIM (about 1:36) and placed in the top 10 in my AG.
I'm not saying there's a necessity to walk aid stations or that I necessarily went faster because of it...but I know that I got my nutrition and fluids and it didn't cost me significantly. I ran essentially even mile splits for the full run.
For what it's worth, I don't walk aid stations in open running races either, but do walk about 20-30 steps of aid stations in HIM's in miles 4-11 when I am collecting water and ice. But you and William are both way better runners than I am, so you might not need to walk.
I think it really is dependant on how fast you are going to cover the distance and what you are going to take in at THAT aid station. Usually in a half IM run there is really only one or two aid stations I care much about when I am going to take a gel. That usually requires me to stop running for a few steps and make sure I get some water in my so that I can digenst it ok or at least feel like I can. Also, not sure why people need to take in everything at every aid station or even why there are often aid stations every mile. You certainly do not need 8oz of water every mile. I hardly ever bring anything with me if I am running 10 miles. If you were to run 5 miles tonight, how much water would you bring?
I also figure that any gel/water I take in the last half hour or so is not going to do anything for me til after the finish anyhow so why bother. Maybe whatever I can splash in me while running just to get the dry taste out of my mouth but nothing else.
Short answer, walk the ones you need to to get the stuff you NEED, ignore the rest of the aid stations.