The Running Thread - 2016

[rteetz]

QOTD: Building off of yesterdays QOTD, if you don't carry your own hydration during a race, what have you found is the best approach to the grab and go drinking method from hydration stations along the course?

I just slow down a bit drink throw it out and pick up my pace again. I don't know if that's the best method but it works for me.

 

[camaker]

Count me in as making a game of throwing my cups in the trash can but a friendly warning.....I once tossed a quarter full cup of PowerAde at a trashcan and just missed a runner that was in my blind spot and moving faster than me. Not sure "oops" would suffice. I've also been on the other side of that exchange, LOL.

I LOVE this game! At one of my last halfs, I was passing someone who was apparently playing it poorly. She tossed a half full cup and hit me mid-thigh, soaking my leg from there down. Great way to start a race!

 

[DopeyBadger]

ATTQOTD: I carry my own bottle, but need to refill it from water tables. My approach is: upon sight of water tables; twist off bottle cap and hold cap in teeth, retrieve Nuun tab and drop into bottle; pass all Powerade tables by continuing through center of course, walking or running depending on what the crowd's doing; pass most water tables while beginning to work my way left or right, walking; grab one cup from 2nd to last table, pinch and pour into bottle while walking; grab second cup, pinch and pour into bottle; if hot, grab third cup from end of last table and hang onto it until past tables, then carefully, so as not to splash anyone else, pour over head and back of neck; twist bottle cap back on and resume race, thanking volunteers loudly. All cups get tossed into garbage cans or off to side of course, depending on situation (cans are often overflowing by the time I get to them). It sounds like a lot, but I've got it down to a science at this point, lol!

I'm with @PrincessV. Hit near last table, my 10oz water bottle is attached to hand, hold cap in fingers, pour multiple cups into bottle while still running, throw into trash can and continue to run. I don't walk through aid stations not because I'm trying to save time, but because one of my biggest weaknesses as a runner is regaining my groove after walking/stopping/slowing down. I'm working on it now in training and getting better, but not where I want to be yet.

When I finally get healthy and I can start really pushing myself again I need to figure out a training plan and my nutrition. I wish I had your dedication to getting into things with this much detail. I do my share of reading but I never get into this much detail.

Thanks! It comes from being a passionate scientist and always wondering "Why?".

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Thanks! It comes from being a passionate scientist and always wondering "Why?".

Are you sure there isn't some sort of obsessive/compulsive "something" going on there, too?

 

[DopeyBadger]

Are you sure there isn't some sort of obsessive/compulsive "something" going on there, too?

Absolutely! Not clinically diagnosed, but my wife would agree that it's definitely obsessive compulsive.

 

[LindseyJo22]

QOTD: Lets discuss running shorts. What do you like or dislike in a pair of running shorts? What are you looking for when you buy shorts?

At the moment I mostly wear capris - I can't really find shorts that are long enough to prevent annoying chafing in the heat/humidity of Georgia. I did actually sew a pair of bike length shorts that work pretty well - nice athletic fabric, they don't ride up, and they are long enough. So I may continue doing that, but I'll probably transition to full time capris again when it cools down some (yay!). I like having a pocket somewhere to put in my keys/gate card. Otherwise I put my house key in my shoelaces, but my car key is too bulky for that. Otherwise I'm not too picky except about the length!

QOTD: Question for those who fuel during runs, what do you use? What rules govern your decision for fueling? Do you also include water and/or sport drinks?

I'm just getting started with this. I am getting into the 7+ mile runs, and I am finding that I need a little bit of something to get through them well. Last week I tried the PowerBar brand of gummies and really liked them. I also added some Powerade Zero cut with my water, and it seemed to really help me throughout an 8 mile run. I'm going to experiment a little more with this - but I run slow enough that I think I will be likely to use something any time I get over 7 miles or so.

QOTD: Building off of yesterdays QOTD, if you don't carry your own hydration during a race, what have you found is the best approach to the grab and go drinking method from hydration stations along the course?

This is also new to me - I've only run a few local races, and I try to make sure I'm on the right side of the course and slow down a little bit before we get there since I like to walk to grab water and not spill it everywhere. I try to make sure there isn't anyone too close behind me so I don't slow people down, and I just try to take my time drinking and walking or standing near the trash can so I can throw my cup away. I don't like throwing it down, it just seems wrong This could get harder in larger races, but wasn't really a problem in the local ones I've done. Right now I just hold my water bottle when I'm running a longer run, but I'm looking into getting a belt of some sort to make it a little bit easier.

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: I depend on the water stops during races and DH carries my water on his bike during my training runs. I have a Gatorade bottle I washed out that has the twist open top so it is easier to drink. At races I also (attempt) the pinch and drink method. Usually end up spilling a bit down my shirt. I walk thru water stops. I aim for the trash cans as I hate when people toss their cups in the middle of the road too. I alternate water/powerade at stops. I try to not have a sports drink if I have just had any fuel as it upsets my stomach. During the Navy 10 Nautical Mile race it was so ridiculously hot and humid that I dumped water over my head for the first time. I need to work on that technique also as I ended up with most of it down the front of my shirt.

At Princess I managed to hit the bottom of the cup of water as a volunteer was handing it to me and I dumped it all over them. I felt terrible as it was an early stop and still cold out.

I was in a meeting all day yesterday and didn't get to answer the QOTD. Since March/April I have been using honey packets for fuel. They work really well for me but I don't like how most honey packets are just high fructose corn syrup. So I bought little baggies (3x4") that are usually used for jewelry making and plan to buy some local honey to put in them to carry. I will be trying this on my next long run to see how it goes.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

For fuel I start bring it with me on runs over 8 miles. I like the Honey Stinger waffles but lately I have been just taking a cliff bar and having a couple bites here and there. I do take water with me when I fuel.

For races I try to grab water at the back of the table and look behind me before slowing down to a brisk walk. I have never thought about pinching the cup I should try that because I always choke and end up with water all over me. And I always throw my cup in the trash.

 

[Waiting2goback]

This is just an FYI. According to the Mickey Miles Podcast runDisney no longer allows referrals effective 8/1. I thought people might like to know because they haven't been notifying people of this change. Runners are only finding out when they attempt to request one.

 

[baxter24]

For fuel, I use the Gu but only for runs that are 9+ miles long. I tried to stay away from the Gu but realized I got the energy boost a lot faster from it compared to any of the chews. Trial and error has concluded I need to stay in the "berry" flavor area.

In terms of water, I carry a small water bottle with me because I like having the reassurance that I can have a drink of water whenever I need it. I try to get water from the tables further along. Pinching the cup works okay for me but I have realized things just work a lot better for me if I speed walk while I drink my water instead of trying to run, drink the water, and dodge all the other people around.

 

[Miranda]

In terms of water, I carry a small water bottle with me because I like having the reassurance that I can have a drink of water whenever I need it.

Me too. Most races I don't drink much of my handheld bottle, but in my disastrous May HM, not only did I drink 2 cups (water and sport drink) at every water stop (there were 8 water stops), I also refilled my 20oz bottle twice and it was almost emptied for the third time by the time I finished. For my July HM, I also refilled it once, so I do sometimes need it with me. It's kind of a security blanket most of the time, though.

 

[roxymama]

I will say that when the race has a bazillion trash cans (I'm thinking Rock n Roll and some other large scale events) and the trash cans are placed both near and far enough away from the aid tables, there really is less mess everywhere. When a race has only one garbage can or one or two bags and they are literally right on top of the end of the last table...sometimes you have no choice but to throw your cup on the ground.
The worst was at a local tiny 5k that had one large plastic garbage can with a swing top lid and it was closed and the volunteer (he was just a kid so i can't be too harsh) was nice enough to open the lid for each person but then kept closing the lid after people would come by. I could see it happening the few blocks back. I was thinking of yelling "keep the lid open!" but I decided to be introverted.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

... runDisney no longer allows referrals effective 8/1.

Deferrals?

 

[LSUlakes]

Couple of questions:
Strava users... I noticed on a run I have done recently that the time posted to the site includes a few minutes of when I stopped a run for a moment. On Garmin it shows the time running and total time from when I first stated to stop. So basically my pace per mile is much slower than what was actually done according to strava because it figures the average pace from the moment I started to run to I saved it v/s running time only. Any way to fix this?

Has anyone seen these types of shoes?

I think they are nifty looking, but don't think I would run in them. They would be nice for walking around post run or around the house...

 

[Waiting2goback]

Deferrals?

Yes, sorry. My phone must have autocorrected.

 

[cburnett11]

Finally, again like @CheapRunnerMike I like to make a game out of it and toss my cups kinda high in the air and get them to land in the trash receptacles. My guess is I’m shooting somewhere in the low 20% range…actually I’m probably in the teens (actually single digits).

So I guess that makes at least 2 of us that find this entertaining...

 

[cburnett11]

Did I misread some of yesterday's answers, or are there a lot of people that go out on training runs (particularly now in the summer) without taking water of any kind (plain, nuun, etc)? In the cooler months I admit that I don't take anything to drink unless I'm running closer to 2 hours, but in the summer if I'm going to be out for an hour or more then I'm planning to drink some water throughout the run.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Did I misread some of yesterday's answers, or are there a lot of people that go out on training runs (particularly now in the summer) without taking water of any kind (plain, nuun, etc)? In the cooler months I admit that I don't take anything to drink unless I'm running closer to 2 hours, but in the summer if I'm going to be out for an hour or more then I'm planning to drink some water throughout the run.

I ran 7 miles this morning with no liquids. Temp was 80 degrees and the real feel was almost 100 with humidity at 94%. You just have to slow down a little bit.

 

[Keels]

QOTD: Question for those who fuel during runs, what do you use? What rules govern your decision for fueling? Do you also include water and/or sport drinks?

I HATE to eat before I run and especially right after I wake up but for anything longer than five miles or so, I force myself to choke down a peanut butter cracker or something so at least I have something in my stomach. For halfs, I force myself to eat an Uncrustable sandwich.

After than I start taking fuel every 45 minutes. For fuel, I rotate between whatever I'm feeling that day. Some days, it's Sports Beans. Some days, it's ShotBlocs. Some days, it's Gu Chews. NEVER gels though. No way. Blech. For 10K distance or longer, I usually mix in a couple of margarita ShotBlocs with whatever else I'm consuming - mostly because, well, margarita yum!, and also because they have extra salt.

For hydration, I skip water because I've realized that uncold water makes me want to gag. So, it's yellow PowerAde or Nuun for me on runs. During races, it's usually two cups if it's hot. Otherwise, just one.

POST RUN - I'm really liking BodyArmor for post-run hydration. It's coconut water-based, has electrolytes and is DELICIOUS.

QOTD: Building off of yesterdays QOTD, if you don't carry your own hydration during a race, what have you found is the best approach to the grab and go drinking method from hydration stations along the course?

I usually wait until the last two tables and then grab a sports drink, shotgun the stuff and get on my way.

Side note, I hate yellow colored sports drinks, but after 16 miles of running, I no longer mind the taste.

I feel the same way about bananas.

 

[keahgirl8]

QOTD: Building off of yesterdays QOTD, if you don't carry your own hydration during a race, what have you found is the best approach to the grab and go drinking method from hydration stations along the course?

Not sure I really have an "approach," other than to get out of the way and try not to spill it everywhere. I do walk through the water station, and I always get water even if I don't think I need it.

I love The Oatmeal! On another funny note, have you seen the shirt that says runners are bad at basketball? It's also very accurate.

Another run/walker here who walks while drinking. I do try to move past the water stations as quickly as possible and then get out of the way to slow down and drink. I've also been known to stand near the trash cans to drink as well. I know people sweep up the trash, but I really hate to just toss the cup on the ground.

I can't do that either. I do toss my mylar blanket before the start if there's no trashcan, and it feels weird to me every time.

This is just an FYI. According to the Mickey Miles Podcast runDisney no longer allows referrals effective 8/1. I thought people might like to know because they haven't been notifying people of this change. Runners are only finding out when they attempt to request one.

I heard about that. I also heard that somewhere there might be an "alternative," but I don't know if that is true or what it would be.

Did I misread some of yesterday's answers, or are there a lot of people that go out on training runs (particularly now in the summer) without taking water of any kind (plain, nuun, etc)? In the cooler months I admit that I don't take anything to drink unless I'm running closer to 2 hours, but in the summer if I'm going to be out for an hour or more then I'm planning to drink some water throughout the run.

Definitely not me! I sweat too much.