The Running Thread--2024

[WillRunForPizza]

ATTQOTD: I also have the Naked belt that @FFigawi mentioned. It holds a lot more than my Flipbelt, and since the openings are at the top I'm less worried about stuff falling out. I recommend it with couple of caveats:

1. If you're between sizes, I would go with the smaller one. (Make sure to check the size chart.) If it's too loose, it will bounce around and be really annoying, and there's no way to adjust the sizing. However, if it's the right size (snug), it barely bounces at all even with a water bottle. Speaking of which...
2. I ran with a 500 mL soft flask and it was pretty uncomfortable starting around mile 16-17. I ended up with a bruise on my waist from where the top of the flask dug in. I think next time I might try two 250 mL bottles with hopefully smaller tops and less potential for bruising.

Also, when I wanted to buy it, they were out of my size on the Naked website, so I ended up ordering it from Running Warehouse with no issues.

 

[steph0808]

I have a belt that holds my 5-6 packs of sport beans in its pouch. It has two 8-oz water bottles that can be attached - I usually wear them one on each side for a marathon because I find it more comfortable there instead of having them on my lower back. For a half, I usually just use one bottle and on-course water if needed.

For my phone, I wear a Senita Athletics sport bra that has a cell phone pocket.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

ATTQOTD: I struggle with this too. You just reminded me that I was waiting in a corral behind somebody who, (nobody take this the wrong way) just had the look of an ultrarunner. One thing contributing to that look was that this man had an elastic belt, like a spi belt on, with a regular gallon-size Ziploc bag jammed under it. That Ziploc contained two full-sized peanut butter sandwiches, one on one side of the belt and the other on the other side, with the sandwiches hanging on either side of the belt. Imagine like one of those RooSport pouches but with one peanut butter sandwich on either side of the "crease". I know I'm not explaining it well, and it would probably not go with any outfit you're wearing. Honestly it was the most stereotypical ultrarunner thing I have ever seen at a road race.

All I can think of is “every Tuesday I take Pudge the Fish a peanut butter sandwich.”

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: as a bonus I’m also petite, short-waisted, and hate anything that bounces around my waist! I do carry my own hydration in a handheld, but that’s not my main source of nutrition.

I use gels for fuel and stuff them all into a leg pocket on shorts or tights. I’ve stuffed up to 9 in there, plus a little baggie of Tailwind, no problem. MUCH easier than a waist pouch. Phone goes on the other leg in a pocket. ID and car key go into a zipped waist pocket.

 

[Dopey 2020]

ATTQOTD I travel pretty light for the marathon or any race I’m going for time. Eat a PBJ in the corral then it’s just an SPI belt with 8 gels and some salt tablets. Car keys in my back pocket. Rely on the race for hydration. No phone, every ounce matters.

 

[Naomeri]

All I can think of is “every Tuesday I take Pudge the Fish a peanut butter sandwich.”

Well, Pudge controls the weather. Maybe we need to offer some peanut buttery sacrifices to get good weather for Marathon Weekend?

 

[GollyGadget]

The Janji pace shorts have two deep pockets, an interior back pocket, and a back passthrough pocket. They can hold A LOT and they're super comfy

These are my go to shorts as well and the pockets do not disappoint. I've even managed to secure my phone into the back passthrough pocket. In addition, I wear their sports bra with a pocket which is typically where I shove my phone, leaving all the short pockets for fuel.

 

[FFigawi]

QOTD: What's your go-to solution for carrying nutrition during a marathon? (Especially helpful if Team Not-So-Fast members could also respond!)

ATTQOTD: I use the Naked belt I linked to above. It holds more than enough gels or chews or flasks to get through a marathon. No bounce or slipping either.

I just ordered both of those yesterday since I wanted to try something different than a running vest. As an answer to the QOTD, I wear a Nathan running vest with a 1.6 liter bladder for runs over 15 miles. I can carry my phone, a bunch of gels, and it has a built in whistle in case I need a musical instrument. I like not having to worry about on-course nutrition or drinks during the marathon. I also hate holding things when I run. For the most part it works, but it can be a little annoying, which is why I’m trying out the Naked belt. It’s supposed to come next week, and hopefully it can replace my vest for the marathon.

Hope you like them. They’re a great combo since the belt doesn’t slip or bounce at all when sized right, and the flasks automagically get more compact as you drink.

 

[The Expert]

Thanks for the great tips, everyone! Thanks to my REI coupon and a few early Black Friday sales, I'm going to pick up a few things and try them out during training over the next month to see what works for me. I'll report back with results!

 

[KCO5988]

So many different options to consider based on all these answers to the QOTD!

 

[The Expert]

So many different options to consider based on all these answers to the QOTD!

I've narrowed it to the Janji pace shorts, the original pack I was looking at, and one of the Nathan belts. Plus the spibelt I already have and my Brooks shorts and Bolder skirts with pockets. I'm confident I'll find some combo that works. (Thankfully REI also has a nice holiday return policy. )

 

[dobball23]

ATTQOTD I travel pretty light for the marathon or any race I’m going for time. Eat a PBJ in the corral then it’s just an SPI belt with 8 gels and some salt tablets. Car keys in my back pocket. Rely on the race for hydration. No phone, every ounce matters.

It's nice to hear someone else runs without their phone. No. 1, I don't have room for it. No. 2, I don't have a need for it. No. 3, I think it would get too wet from my sweat! And I've thought the same thing as you about every ounce mattering.

ATTQOTD: For a marathon, I carry 6-7 gels (mix of E-Gel and Maurten 100 CAF) and two hammer bottles with concentrated tailwind. I am able to fit these in my pockets, but I have considered if it makes sense to get some different shorts with more pocket capacity as I do get concerned I'm going to lose a gel or two along the way (even though I never have).

 

[nancipants]

I could never run without my phone, even if I had music on my watch. I want my husband to be able to track my every move and I want to be able to call 911 if necessary. Too many crazies out there.

 

[camaker]

I could never run without my phone, even if I had music on my watch. I want my husband to be able to track my every move and I want to be able to call 911 if necessary. Too many crazies out there.

This is exactly why I run with a Garmin on one wrist and an Apple Watch cellular on the other. Safety plus the best of both worlds without having to carry a phone.

 

[Naomeri]

I could never run without my phone, even if I had music on my watch. I want my husband to be able to track my every move and I want to be able to call 911 if necessary. Too many crazies out there.

Same, I live out in the middle of nowhere, I want my grandma to know where to look if I'm not back on time. Plus, sometimes she'll have treats waiting for me when she sees I'm almost home

 

[mmm_texas]

I could never run without my phone, even if I had music on my watch. I want my husband to be able to track my every move and I want to be able to call 911 if necessary. Too many crazies out there.

Same here. My wife tracks every run I do (via RunKeeper live tracking, which isn't available in the standalone watch app), and it's less trouble for me to exchange texts with her on the phone than the watch (although it has gotten easier on the watch).

Also, during real Disney races I take tons of photos, and the occasional video. Even during training runs I'll sometimes see something I think might make a nice photo.

 

[RuntheMouse]

I could never run without my phone, even if I had music on my watch. I want my husband to be able to track my every move and I want to be able to call 911 if necessary. Too many crazies out there.

I always run with my phone. We live in town and I run clear across it most days as a solo female, so I want to have the ability to call someone if needed.

The only place I don’t run with it is when I’m at a Disney resort running! I see so many cast members that if I run into trouble I feel comfortable they’d help.

 

[GollyGadget]

In my previous life, I never carried a phone for training runs. I didn't like the extra bulk and I assumed it was safer for me to be running without anything worth stealing. I also wasn't sold that it would be useful should I have a dangerous encounter. Was I really going to have time to call for help?

Four years ago, I experienced an allergic reaction two miles into my run that quickly escalated into anaphylaxis. I've carried my phone ever since. I know some folks are less worried about their personal safety, but you never know when a medical emergency will occur.

I don't even notice it shoved into my bra pocket. And it did give me some peace of mind last night when I was out after sunset. With live tracking enabled, I knew my partner would at least be able to find my last known location should something happen.

 

[michigandergirl]

NYC Marathon Race Report

This was all around a fantastic race experience. First off, I just wanna say, if you ever get the chance to run it, DO IT!!

I traveled with my hubby and my 17 year old DD, plus a couple of friends. Friday and Saturday I did my best to stay off my feet, but having never been to NYC, we had to do all the touristy things. I really put a lot of effort into carb loading this time, more so than any other marathon to date (this was my 10th), and I really think this was key for me. It was not hard to find good food here!

The weather for the marathon and our entire stay was perfect, with lows in the upper 40’s and the high around 60, no rain and light winds. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

On race morning, I took the subway from our Midtown hotel to the Staten Island ferry, to a bus, to the start village. This was easier than I thought it would be and I’m glad I chose the ferry option because the views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline are definitely worth it. The start village and corrals are very well organized and I was very impressed with the logistics of getting that many runners to the start line.

Verazzano Narrows Bridge: I was in Orange Wave 5, corral B and we started at 11:30am. The climb up the bridge was not as bad as I expected, or maybe the adrenaline just helped me power up the hill. Everyone was just so excited to be starting and the energy was palpable. The views from the bridge are pretty cool.

Brooklyn: Man, Brooklyn was an eleven mile street party! The crowds were deep and loud, making me feel like a rock star. That energy was electric and made those miles feel effortless. I stopped to use a potty around the 10 Mile mark and chatting with the guy in front of me, we both couldn’t believe how fast those 10 miles went by.

Queens: Half way already! The crowd in Queens had the yummy snacks, including my favorite, pickles & pickle juice. Not going to lie, The Queensboro Bridge is a doozy. That slowed my roll a bit, but hearing the crowd in Manhattan as you’re coming off the bridge gave me new life again.

Manhattan/Bronx: Again, fantastic crowd support, so much to look at, so many funny signs. Nike also had some great billboards along the course. The second half of the course has several hills, but most are gradual, gentle rollers and they felt manageable.

Central Park: Such a pretty setting to end in and at sunset. I somehow got faster those last three miles. As I was nearing the finish line, I almost didn’t want it to end. I had the nicest volunteer wrap that wonderful orange fleece poncho around me and then he made sure my medal was on the outside, telling me to show it off and that he was proud of me. It brought tears to my eyes!

The largest marathon in the world at over 55,600 finishers and I got to be a part of it. That night I celebrated with margaritas and ate my weight in Mexican food. Also got free desserts for our table for wearing my medal.

My official time was 5:26, certainly not my fastest, but certainly not my slowest either. Most importantly, I felt so good the entire race. Nothing was hurting, I never hit a wall or struggled, just consistent, solid pacing the whole way. My training was good, my carb load was great, and the only thing I would have done differently is maybe eat a little more than I did that morning. The weather was perfect and the crowd support was NEXT LEVEL and all those things made for an unforgettable marathon experience.

 

[kps7795]

NYC Marathon Race Report

This was all around a fantastic race experience. First off, I just wanna say, if you ever get the chance to run it, DO IT!!

I traveled with my hubby and my 17 year old DD, plus a couple of friends. Friday and Saturday I did my best to stay off my feet, but having never been to NYC, we had to do all the touristy things. I really put a lot of effort into carb loading this time, more so than any other marathon to date (this was my 10th), and I really think this was key for me. It was not hard to find good food here!

The weather for the marathon and our entire stay was perfect, with lows in the upper 40’s and the high around 60, no rain and light winds. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

On race morning, I took the subway from our Midtown hotel to the Staten Island ferry, to a bus, to the start village. This was easier than I thought it would be and I’m glad I chose the ferry option because the views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline are definitely worth it. The start village and corrals are very well organized and I was very impressed with the logistics of getting that many runners to the start line.

Verazzano Narrows Bridge: I was in Orange Wave 5, corral B and we started at 11:30am. The climb up the bridge was not as bad as I expected, or maybe the adrenaline just helped me power up the hill. Everyone was just so excited to be starting and the energy was palpable. The views from the bridge are pretty cool.

Brooklyn: Man, Brooklyn was an eleven mile street party! The crowds were deep and loud, making me feel like a rock star. That energy was electric and made those miles feel effortless. I stopped to use a potty around the 10 Mile mark and chatting with the guy in front of me, we both couldn’t believe how fast those 10 miles went by.

Queens: Half way already! The crowd in Queens had the yummy snacks, including my favorite, pickles & pickle juice. Not going to lie, The Queensboro Bridge is a doozy. That slowed my roll a bit, but hearing the crowd in Manhattan as you’re coming off the bridge gave me new life again.

Manhattan/Bronx: Again, fantastic crowd support, so much to look at, so many funny signs. Nike also had some great billboards along the course. The second half of the course has several hills, but most are gradual, gentle rollers and they felt manageable.

Central Park: Such a pretty setting to end in and at sunset. I somehow got faster those last three miles. As I was nearing the finish line, I almost didn’t want it to end. I had the nicest volunteer wrap that wonderful orange fleece poncho around me and then he made sure my medal was on the outside, telling me to show it off and that he was proud of me. It brought tears to my eyes!

The largest marathon in the world at over 55,600 finishers and I got to be a part of it. That night I celebrated with margaritas and ate my weight in Mexican food. Also got free desserts for our table for wearing my medal.

My official time was 5:26, certainly not my fastest, but certainly not my slowest either. Most importantly, I felt so good the entire race. Nothing was hurting, I never hit a wall or struggled, just consistent, solid pacing the whole way. My training was good, my carb load was great, and the only thing I would have done differently is maybe eat a little more than I did that morning. The weather was perfect and the crowd support was NEXT LEVEL and all those things made for an unforgettable marathon experience.

View attachment 914631

Thank you for sharing the lovely race report and that amazing picture. Congratulations on a great race!