I might go for 2 x 750 BTS and my smaller downtube bottle loaded up with 320, with a little bit of salt. That should be close to 3 hours worth. Then i’ll do a Jeff and go for some solids in the first hour. Maybe strap a mars bar or similar to my bars or something for a taste of something different to start the day.
Then i’ll explore some different high energy bars to be chopped up into the bento box thing, and i’ll pack, say 4 gels into my trisuit at T1 for some strategic caffeine hits. Might avoid Maurten gels, so i don;'t get fed up of them, and then utilise them on the run course.
I can top up the empty bottles with water as i go and grab the odd banana. That should be alright i reckon.
Cheers everyone. Think i’ve got a plan coming together.
Has anyone moved onto running with belts since we talked about it in 2019
Thinking of something like this:
500ml bottle, pocket, and race belt number.
Any other brand recommendations that work and don’t bounce? (I don’t know about that one, reportedly it’s good, I was just looking for other options)
I bought a PH one and didn’t get on with it at all.
For my IM my preferred method was a thin plastic water bottle (as in evian/highland spring) with my electrolyte drink in that I carried for the first hour before ditching and going with on course. I hate carrying stuff, and it’s proven to affect you gait I understand, but I found the bottles on the hips just bounced around too much. But this was the closest compromise I could find, where I’d scrunch it up as I got through the drink.
Think I’ll just stick to what I have then to save money, a collapsible 500ml bottle that I can just about train with, either carrying or having it in my pocket when it has <250ml in and keep refilling on the go. Vest would be much nicer I’m sure, but not for another £100+
I raced NZ with a normal 500ml bottle in my trisuit back pocket (a single reach through) which felt fine once I found the right bottle (short and wide). But I’m considering changing to shorts and vest in T2 which is why I’m thinking about options.
If I needed a number belt anyway I’d try that one I posted, it’s popular here since coming out few months ago, but wondered what others experience was.
I used to use a waist pack for mandatory kit when fell racing and sometimes in training for a drink, it was alright on slower paces but tended to bounce around a bit when descending etc., but that was with a plastic drink bottle rather than the modern soft ones.
The hydration vest is worthwhile but you don’t want to be shelling out and then transporting it back home when you move.
But if\when you get into ultra’s it will come in handy
I was actually surprised how many people had hydration vests etc. at Berlin, and not just back of packers either.
Ironman have ditched Gatorade in favour of a low-carb electrolyte drink for North American races. Could be a useful switch for some as Gatorade was always very meh, assuming you already carry all your own calories.
Linked, but the European change. This is a good one for me. Saves me messing about with PH effervescent tabs to add to on course water. Whilst I use PH1500, I’m sure starting with all my own bottles having that in, and then replenishing with PH1000 on course should be fine. Especially for a 70.3. Can probably even negate the need for an extra bottle of my own, saving weight.
