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use drink stations or carry your own?

NDTNDT Posts: 2
Last year on the London tri I had a real problem drinking on the run - I can't seem to drink out of a paper cup while running.
So this year I'm starting to think that carrying the extra weight of a water bottle will lose me less time than stopping or slowing to drink.
Does anyone have a view on this?

Cheers

Nick

Comments

  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Personally, I have one of those Runaid bottles that you can hold while running and I always take this with me.

    I take medication for an irritable bladder (not the best condition to have if you do triathlon ) which gives me a dry mouth, so I struggle to run more than a few minutes without a drink. So really I don't have much choice, unless the drink stations are very frequent.

    But if I ever do try getting a drink from a drink station I struggle to drink it without either slowing down or spilling most of it.

    I do wonder what the running bottle costs me in time (about 650g when full, plus presumably some small effect on streamlining) but for me carrying it is definately the lesser of two evils.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    I also seem to run and cycle better when I can have the occassional sip. On runs up to 10K I carry a 200ml bottle with a flip top prefilled with High 5 and sip every kilometre, anything further than that I would refill at a drink station or have a belt where I could stow it. Don't fancy running with anything bigger due the weight.
  • NDTNDT Posts: 2
    A tiny amount of googling suggests that 1lb is worth 1-2.5 seconds per mile.
    This is bodyweight, not extra weight carried in the hand, which may waste more energy through swinging it around.

    So carrying 450g of drink should only cost me around 15s on the 10k. Hmmm.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    That is why I only carry a 200ml bottle as for me that is enough to get through 10Km. I am aware of the weight penalty having run with webbing and rucksacs but reason that the 0.25 secs I may lose per Km is more than offset by the psychological boost of my 1lm interval sips.
  • BmanBman Posts: 442
    Unless you are a top AG contender and are just trying to get through it or an improver like most of us, then do what makes you feel most comfortable. I also like to run the 10km with a water bottle, prefering an empty lucozade sport bottle with water cos they are quite skinny to hold. Those cups are impossible, and i reckon the psychological plus is you feel you can sip whenever you need it and that overrides the weight issue. I normally dont finish it and its also good for a splash over the head in the heat towards the end too.
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    I reckon (say) three drink station stops on a 10K is easily going to exceed 15s if you factor in slowing down, grabbing, trying to drink while not spilling.

    I use the full pint (568ml) version of the runaid bottle, I might investigate a smaller version.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    I use a 200ml bottle with a posh water flip top screwed on but I think this may be a good option - 250ml £3.99 & free postage.
    http://www.lansonrunning.com/accessorie ... 350ml.aspx

    Personally I think that is ample for up to 10K. 10K+ I would psssibly be looking to stow the bottle in a pocket or belt and doing a refill every 10K, I certainly wouldn't want to have to carry anything greater than 330ml any great distance.
  • ashthetashashthetash Posts: 164
    If you are happy with the frequency of drinks stations then it might just be a question of practice. I believe there is a technique that involves taking a partly filled cup and squeezing the top into a spout. It should then be possible to drink without spilling.

    I have to say I haven't tried this. I keep meaning to but I haven't been able to do any tri's this year. I have been running quite a lot though and use a belt. Never used it in a tri as I wouldn't want to waste the time in T2.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    I only use a 200ml bottle courtesy of Kingfisher airlines - here for comparison:

    [attachment=0:33l5piai]Bottles.jpg[/attachment:33l5piai]

    Holding it in my hand is no prob up to 10K, thereafter it gets a bit tedious so sitck it in my suit rear pocket.
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