Mad Manatee Mentors, Part 2! CLOSED (Page 94)

Here is the belt I use and love... usually run with 2 bottles, but on real long runs (including races) I run with 4 bottles.  Usually do 1/2 with water, 1/2 with Gatorade..I also love the pouch.  I always run with my Drivers License, a Credit Card, and my phone in that pouch.  I can put my house key and a car key in their as well.  I carry my food in my hand (usually 1 power bar as I hate gels)

And here are pictures of me modeling this amazing belt... (That I will be wearing for my 1/2 next weekend)

So this doesn't bounce and slosh, I had one and it drove me mad!  I tried holding one and it put my shoulder out on a 30km run !!!!

IF I were to participate in IM....I would wear a camelpak on the ride...that way I'm not worried about bidon handovers etc etc.  Figure 5 litres plus two bidons on the bike would be plenty...

For the run, whatever is on the course.

I had the Amphipod handheld that I got for free and I wasn't sold on it.  I tried two different Nathan belts and got so mad at them I tried the handheld again and decided it was fine.  

This and saddles -- hard to figure out because you can waste a lot of time and money finding what works for you.  :-(

i love my belt.  Took me a few runs to get used to it, but love it now.

Oh my goodness, no. That really is unimaginable. Lots of light, love and strength being sent ...

Kirsten, I am so sorry for the family and all they are going through. Absolutely praying for all of you.

Wow, so sorry to hear. Will do

I also currently use the Amphipod belt, although mine is a 2 bottle. I used a Fuel Belt previouslyand it did not hold up to the sweat/weather that I put it through. I did have the Fuel Belt pouch on the Amphipod, although the pouch zipper just crapped out this weekend. Amphipod has a cool little netlike pouch built in, for key carrying. The bottle holders are removable, which is nice as I mostly only use one bottle. I'll wear it for anything over 4 miles. I also carry a bottle on shorter runs, just an old Fuel Belt bottle in my hand, no straps and whatnot.  The humidity being what it is in Fl, I can be sucking down small amounts of water after 1/2 of a mile. Amphpod also makes a few accesories for the belts, most notably a gel dispensor and a gel "SnapPod". I don't have either, but the SnapPod would be a possibility if I were using a variety of gels, chomps and chews. Another feature you might want is a bib holder. Since I race trails with my belt, I had to come up with a seperate way to attach my number.  This is not a big deal, but it is a feature you might want. My sister used to use a Nathan belt, but gave it up for a handheld, due to comfort.

As to comfort, if going the belt route, I would look for a belt that gives the ability to move the bottles around on it. I like them on the hip, but the small of my back works well for a single bottle as well. I'm with Janyne on this, if possible, test as many as you can afford to test. The flip side is that I think triathletes have a tendency to overthink stuff, so if you find one you think may work and it has the features (I think this is the biggest selling point) you want, give it time so that you adjust to it. Or, get an old water bottle and run a few times while holding that (it was what I did when I started). At least you'll get an idea.

www.amphipod.com

www.nathansports.com

www.fuelbelt.com

I was on a quest to eat every gel known to mankind, and I really like Hammer Montana Huckleberry. Then I read an article in Runners World this winter about honey. It seems to have become my goto, although there are a couple other things I might use as well. Fig Newtons on the bike after an hour. Honey for any run that is about 1:15 or more in length. The honey is in a 3 oz travel bottle, the squeeze kind. I got it at Wal-Mart for $1.00. It may be the cheapest investment I have made into running/triathlon. The bottle goes into a pouch in my belt. I found that once I added nutrition into the long training runs, things got much better. I would suggest that you try many things, as taste and function matter. If you find something you like, stick with it, although a backup plan is not a bad idea since manufacturers will change stuff.

Good Luck!!!!!

First, prayers to the family of your co-worker, Kirsten.  How horrible a thing for those dear kids to experience.

On a lighter note, thanks for all the great advice and personal anecdotes on hydration and nutrition on longer runs.  Sounds like belt vs. handheld bottle is a real toss up.  If I were deciding purely on how each were 'marketed' here in manateeland, I'd have to go with Chad and his belt because his modeling pics were nice, very nice!   I will give my handheld a try again, and see if I can borrow a fuel belt from a friend to see which I can better tolerate.  Although I really do like the looks/function of the Amphipod belt...some online research may be in order!  And putting honey in a little travel bottle is genius, Chris!  I may borrow that idea, too, and load 'er up with some orange blossom honey as an homage to you!  Or tupelo, mmmm, tupelo...

Yanti, your decision makes total sense, especially if your rib won't cause a problem.  As you said, the training is already done and if you can get yourself and Red Robber rehabbed, it is actually a pretty sweet deal.  You know we are behind you 100%!

Jo, you just plain crack me up.  "Oh, I may have just registered for a 70.3".  LOL!

In other interesting news, I had a dream about ALL the manatees last night!!  No lie.  I was already in Hawaii (I'm not sure why) and Yanti was going there to do a race and all the manatees showed up for a manatee meet-up and to cheer Yanti on!  I actually remember thinking in my dream, "Yanti isn't as tall in person as I pictured her" and I vaguely recall making other 'real-life' observations compared to what I knew about the manatees from online.  Bizarre but neat!

Absolutely terrible.  Prayers for them.  Those poor little boys.

WTF is wrong with people?  It's just a divorce! And why do these nutjobs always seem to do sh*t to, or in front of, the kids?  I just wish they would leave the kids out of it.... 

This type of news makes me sad.  My condolences to all affected by this tragedy.  I hope those boys can somehow recover.  

You made me laugh Mel...  Thanks.  

Great write up Chris... I did not know about the gel snap pod...nor the bib holder for these belts.  I will have to look into both of those.  

One of the other benefits of running with these belts is that during races, I don't have to stop or slow down at the aid stations. Not sure if that is a big deal to others, but since I get a bit competitive in my races, it's huge.  At my last 15K race, I was passed by a guy at about mile 4, and at the 10K mark I blew by him when he had to stop to drink... He never caught me again.  

I personally run with my belt on every single run, even the 3 or 4 mile runs.  I always carry at least 2 bottles of water.  I figure I am training myself to run with the added weight / feeling of that belt.  It is also nice to have the water when I finish the run and am walking it off... 

Ann-Marie - that sucks about falling on that bottle.  I can understand why you don't want to wear a belt now!  

Lots and lots of options and even within the Manatees, very varied answers. And LOL Chad, nice modeling photos. 

First I would like to state that more important than what you do during your workouts or race is what you do on a regular basis in the days prior. This means eating and hydrating BEFORE your workout/race. 

I never carry water unless I am running on the trails where there is none. For my long runs I plan my routes so that there are a few options if I get thirsty. I'm lucky to be an urban runner and there are tons of drinking fountains and convenience stores. This is less important in the winter. 

One thing I would like to note. Carrying water on a course is a personal choice and definitely do what you are comfortable with but it is not a competitive advantage. If you don't believe that, I direct you to look at any/all of the elite marathon runners. 

It is against the level of racers I am competing with.. LOL  You "elite" types may not slow down for aid stations, but the guys I'm "racing" slow down, walk, and even come to a complete stop to drink at aid stations.  

Some of them take out their wallets to buy gel packs, some tie their shoes, some tuck in their shirts and then they are off again...(ok, maybe I exaggerated this last sentence, but the first sentence is true)  LOL 

Actually, I don't think walking through aid stations is a bad idea. Higdon is a proponent of it.  It's easier to get the fluids you want and get them down that way.

I'm thinking of races longer than a 10k, of course.