Hydration … Rehydration … Repeat … Snack, Snack, Snack!

Mine’s not pink ….

Hydration:  I’m a Nathan Girl

Hand Held: Nathan Quick Draw: Ok mine’s red!  It has a little pouch for a car key etc. Great for the Gorilla Run or little races where I know I might be in “trouble”.  I’m trying to get better about rehydrating on 5k’s for racing purposes, but it’s always nice to have. Fits the hand nicely. I do use a different style bottle, however. Maybe it’s a different pack. Rut-ro! 

Belt: Nathan Speed 2: I know I mentioned that I broke the Cardinal Rule of Racing by doing new things starting with my very first race … it was my first of these water belts. I finally had to buy a new one after 2 years! After my first Disney, and reaffirmed after Las Vegas Rock & Roll 2009, I like to carry my own water in anything over a 10K.  I have had the 4 bottle belts, but I really don’t like them because the front bottles were right at my arm swing height.  I’ve added pouches for snacks and gloves to the front … so I really do look like I’m prepared for camping! The plastic bottle holders are REALLY secure, unless you do a bonehead maneuver like I did with wearing a larger shirt than usual.  I’m only replacing my old one because it’s gotten so soaked and then stuffed in luggage just one time too  many that it’s … well … it needs replacement.
Distance Training Pack: Nathan Women’s HPL Racing Pack: This was in response to my running out of water even with the 4-bottle pack. I am very hard-headed and I also don’t like the way the Camelback cut into my shoulders. This vest was a suggestion by John over at Runner’s Roost on Colorado Blvd. Since I usually can’t fit in women’s anything, I was surprised it worked out.  It’s NOT perfect. I’m still working with it, but it’s nice to know I’ve got enough water on long days. I’ll have it sussed out completely by next summer, I’m sure! Pockets for things at easy reach and water doesn’t go sloshing about. Fairly easy to clean, but still working on that also.   I am interested in trying a snowboarding backpack because the downer with this is that if you overheat like I do, you end up with warm water.  Also I have bit through the bite piece and have had problems finding replacements.  This does make me sad, but then again, I am not wedded to anything! 

 

Snacks:

Blocks: Power Bar Energy Blasts:  Up until Susan Randall left me packages of raspberry and cola flavored energy chews, I was definately a Clif Shock Block girl.  These I like.  They don’t get stuck in my teeth and don’t tend to get gooey in the heat.  I’m a cola fan, but be careful – they are caffinated.  

Gels:  Hammer Gels:   Again, I was a Clif girl, but they stopped making the gels I liked.  I also have had a real problem with the waste.  What I mean is when you go through maybe 3 gels in a long training, you end up with a lot of little goey packets that aren’t recyclable.  Hammer offers the potential of filling a bottle with their product and go through that instead of trying to rip a packet with teeth while mucky from racing.  I do have to try using the product more, but 2012 was a strange year.  The packets are easier to deal with when flying to races, unless you can send stuff to a friend.  The downer is that their products are thin in texture and I have noticed that I need to use more of it.  It just could be that I’m used to other products.  I do have other products that I’ll use, but Hammer is probably the best of the gels out there for me. 

 More to be added …. trying some new things in 2013!!

Electrolyte Stuff:

Cytomax and Gatorade.  Can anyone tell me what the Ester of Wood Rosin is in Gatorade? 

I tend to use whatever is going to be offered in the race.