Water belts/Hydration packs

onekeaneo

I’m training for my first Dublin marathon this year and I was wondering what you experienced marathon runners use for hydration (if anything). As far as I can tell the only hydration provided during the race is water. Surly for a distance of 26.2miles water is not enough. Do you carry a sports drink and if so how? At the moment I just carry a sports drink in my hand, which bounces and becomes a pain after a while. I’ve seen the hydration packs (Camelbak’s etc) but I’m not sure running that distance with 1.5/2 litres of fluid on my back is the way forward. I’m siding with a fuel belt to be honest cause I will need somewhere to store my gels etc. Side issue………Is it just me or does anyone else think that gels look and taste like snot??? I was reading on another tread someone recommended glucose tablets. Has anyone else tried them? If so are they any use?
Shame they don’t give out sports drinks then I wouldn’t have to bother.

Domer

Disclaimer... I am a veteran of 1 marathon so my advice is limited!!

I used gel packs for training and during the marathon. I got a four bottle belt... think it was Powerpar from Irish Fit and filled each bottle with a gel pack and water. I also carred 2 additional gel packs in my belt. When I finished with a bottle I threw it away lightening my load as I went. I took a water bottle at every station and drank it, and had a gel drink every 6 miles.

The water they give out had a screw off bottle top, very had to drink from. I got the make of the water bottles before the race and got a pull top to fit which I carried with me and used on the water bottles. Sounds like a lot of hassle, but it made drinking so much easier.

Good Luck!!
Domer

hunnymonster

Actually water is plenty if you are perfectly prepared (and reasonably heavy). An average individual (I think it was 70 kgs in the last calcualtions I saw) can store about 4200 kCal of energy in their muscles. Say you're an average 3:30- 4:00 marathoner and you use 750 kCal an hour you'll use less than 3000 ro run a marathon so no need for additional fuel during the marathon.

Having said that, the boost a sugar fix will give you will be noticable and will make things easier. so I would be all for taking something during a marathon. I just wanted to make the point that it's not necessary.

I used to run with a water bottle of sports drink but these days I just take whatever is on offer in the race. For the last 3 years in Dublin (I'm not doing it this year as I've an ironman that week) there have been two energy drinks stations and one gel station. It's more than enough.


If you don't want to rely on the aid stations or the oranges and sweets children hold out then I would suggest using gels. These are concentrated sugar solutions. Some people get a bit queesy with them so try them in training. Another classic is jelly babies but I find them too chewy. Some people run with a camel pack. It's essentailly a bladder that you strap to your back or waist and fill with water or energy drink. A straw connects the pack to your mouth. They are very comfortable but my feeling is why bother with the extra weight. Other things that might work for you are jaffa cakes, fig rolls, even mars bars.



top top, run behind the aid station. You will be able to pick up a full bottle of gatorade rather than a cup from the front of the station. It's much easier to run with a bottle than a cup.

Peckham

Up until now in training long runs (15 miles plus) I have used a fuel belt which I fill two bottles with water and two bottles with Lucozade Sport (each bottle is around 150ml) and tuck some gel packs into the belt, and then generally carry a bottle of Lucozade sport with me that I'd have drunk and discarded by mile 6 or 7, and then start getting stuck into the fuel belt.

However, I don't like carrying the bottle and I'd prefer not to have the fuel belt, so I'm going to start using a Camelbak that I got free after a recent race. It's also been recommended to me to take some cash on a run (tucked in the little pocket inside the shorts) and then pop into a shop and buy lucozade sport/water as required along the run. Simple solution to the problem!

What worked really well for me in races is to have friends strategically along the route with water/gel/lucozade. Getting isotonic drinks at the aid stations is a nightmare, as they are always served in plastic cups which is virtually impossible to drink out of when running (although if you pinch the mouth of the cup it makes it a bit easier).

onekeaneo

Thanks all for the info. To be honest I didn’t know that there was energy drink stations or gel stations. I was under the impression that it was just water. At least thats what the website said. I’ll probably buy a fuel belt for training cause hold anything in my hands gets annoying but I think that answers my question. My preference is to have nothing with me (maybe some gels tucked away and a few bob in my shorts) and just concentrate on running…