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Question on HIM hydration on the bike
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 2009-08-14 2:56 PM |
Expert  1116   Thornton, CO |  Subject: Question on HIM hydration on the bikeI have my first HIM coming up in a month, but there's a simple detail I'm not sure how to deal with. I have 4 water bottle cages on my bike: down tube, seat post tube, and 2 on the seat post behind my back. During my longer rides I typically fill the down tube and the two behind me. I'm most comfortable reaching down to the downtube mount to get my bottle, so I typically use the seat post tube as a place holder as I swap out bottles from behind me to exchange empty for full bottles, etc. During my sprint tri's I normally only carry one bottle, but this will be my first HIM. During a typical 50mile training ride I'll go through 3 bottles. But I know I will be increasing my intake during the HIM a lot to make it through the run. Here's the info from my race on aid stations: Bike Aid Stations: There will be 3 water bottle hand-ups on the bike course stocked with chilled water and HEED energy drink. Please discard all empty bottles at these zones only. Aid stations will be located approximately at miles 11, 30, and 45. These locations are equally spaced by the time it will take to ride between them, based on terrain and normal wind direction. What kind of bottle strategy should I use? I'm guessing I'll go through 5-6 bottles. Should I start with 2 of my own bottles on my bike and pick up one at each aid station to make 5? Should I start with 3 on my bike or is that just too much extra weight I don't need? I'm kind of partial to my own bottles, so I don't really want to toss mine to the side. Can you typically only grab one bottle at each aid station or is it sometimes possible to grab two? It feels like such a stupid thing to worry about, but I know from previous training that hydration can make or break my day if I don't get enough water and electrolites before trying to run. |
| 2009-08-14 2:59 PM in reply to: #2349370 |
Veteran 298 Des Moines, IA | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike at steelhead I only had one water bottle with my sustained energy 2 hour mix and a 100oz camelbak over my shoulders. However I can say that there were plenty of aid stations that I just rode past except for one where I grabbed a bottle of gatorade to replenish some sugar I desperately needed. I think if you've got 2 cages on your bike then you should utilize them with one water and one sports drink that you're used to and if you find that you're running low - take what you need from the aid station. The spacing doesn't seem all that bad when you've got your own reserve of hydration with you. |
| 2009-08-14 3:04 PM in reply to: #2349370 |
| Alpharetta, Georgia | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike I used to ride with the 2-bottle rear hydration system in races, but recently have been leaving it off my bike. I'm left with my aerobottle and one cage. If you are worried about extra weight... leave it off and use the course. I'd also recommend to have a "reserve" bottle for the end of the ride. I just did a race last weekend where the (only) aid station on the bike was shut down on the 2nd loop because they ran out of water. And it was 100 degrees out. Also, 5-6 bottles sounds like a lot, but I know hydration needs are individual. What have you drank or done on your long training rides? This is usually a good place to start. Edited by lisac957 2009-08-14 3:04 PM |
| 2009-08-14 3:14 PM in reply to: #2349370 |
Champion 7821   Brooklyn, NY | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike I've only done one 70.3 and I had a setup similar to Lisa's: an aerobottle and two cages. I refilled the aerobottle at each aid station and never needed the second bottle on my frame, but I might have if it had been hotter that day. |
| 2009-08-14 3:21 PM in reply to: #2349370 |
Extreme Veteran 1942 In front of computer when typing this. | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike For my HIM I had the big aerodrink (the 2-chamber one that holds 40 Oz of fluid). I filled that with Accelerade and grabbed water at the 30 and 45 aid stations (all we got was water). I was done with Accelerade by mile 40 so just did GU + water for the rest of the bike. It was a hot day (92 by the end of the bike) but this was plenty of hydration for me. |
| 2009-08-14 3:23 PM in reply to: #2349370 |
Extreme Veteran 1942 In front of computer when typing this. | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike Oh, one more thing: don't take "nice" water bottles if you are planning on getting refills at the aid stations. The intent is for you to toss your bottles and grab new ones, so unless you want to lose or lug your nice bottles, I'd just use some cheapo water bottle that you can toss (unless you do an aerodrink setup where you refill on the go). |
| 2009-08-14 3:33 PM in reply to: #2349441 |
Champion 7233 | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike one bottle here. for olympic and under thats more than plently. for HIM i switch out at each aid station regardless of how full the bottle is in order to always have a full one. 4 bottles and aid stations, dude your set to ride for hours. |
| 2009-08-14 3:55 PM in reply to: #2349392 |
Expert 1116 Thornton, CO | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike lisac957 - 2009-08-14 2:04 PM Also, 5-6 bottles sounds like a lot, but I know hydration needs are individual. What have you drank or done on your long training rides? This is usually a good place to start. The course is rolling hills, rolling downhill on the first 1/3, flat second 1/3, and rolling uphill for the final 1/3. On training rides of 50+ miles I go through about 2 1/2 -3 bottles and still don't need to pee until I drink another bottle following my ride. You know Denver is extremely dry like Kansas, 3 bottles typically maintains whatever hydration I started my ride with, so I'd expect to need more to compensate after the swim and make sure I'm hydrated for the run. I haven't invested in an aerobottle yet because of money and might not get to because my aerobars just broke on me yesterday (arm pad broke off... it's old). My bike isn't the lightest in the world, with the aerobars and 3 20oz bottles and it's at 25lbs already. I know that 1lb or 2lbs of water is worth their weight in gold if it means I'm hydrated for the run. I just don't know what to expect with the aid stations. Them running out of water didn't really cross my mind... so I will probably carry 3 bottles, keeping one in reserve at all times just in case like you said. I guess worse case scenario is that with the 3 bottles I start the bike with will bring me to the run in the same place, hydration wise, as when I finished the swim. |
| 2009-08-14 4:01 PM in reply to: #2349473 |
Expert 1116 Thornton, CO | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike newbz - 2009-08-14 2:33 PM 4 bottles and aid stations, dude your set to ride for hours. Hopefully, like I said, I don't know what to expect. It could just me the nerves of the final month before a race I've been training for for 9 months getting to me. Just trying to make sure all my bases are covered and I don't ruin my experience because I collapse from dehydration 100m from the finish line  One bottle on the bike and a couple squirts from another in T1 and T2 for sprints works just find for me, but those are 18 vs 70.3 miles. |
| 2009-08-14 4:09 PM in reply to: #2349533 |
| Alpharetta, Georgia | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike zionvier - 2009-08-14 3:55 PM lisac957 - 2009-08-14 2:04 PM Also, 5-6 bottles sounds like a lot, but I know hydration needs are individual. What have you drank or done on your long training rides? This is usually a good place to start. The course is rolling hills, rolling downhill on the first 1/3, flat second 1/3, and rolling uphill for the final 1/3. On training rides of 50+ miles I go through about 2 1/2 -3 bottles and still don't need to pee until I drink another bottle following my ride. You know Denver is extremely dry like Kansas, 3 bottles typically maintains whatever hydration I started my ride with, so I'd expect to need more to compensate after the swim and make sure I'm hydrated for the run. I haven't invested in an aerobottle yet because of money and might not get to because my aerobars just broke on me yesterday (arm pad broke off... it's old). My bike isn't the lightest in the world, with the aerobars and 3 20oz bottles and it's at 25lbs already. I know that 1lb or 2lbs of water is worth their weight in gold if it means I'm hydrated for the run. I just don't know what to expect with the aid stations. Them running out of water didn't really cross my mind... so I will probably carry 3 bottles, keeping one in reserve at all times just in case like you said. I guess worse case scenario is that with the 3 bottles I start the bike with will bring me to the run in the same place, hydration wise, as when I finished the swim. Tee hee Kansas is soooo not dry... it's very humid and muggy. Yicky! I love visiting Denver becuase it's such a drastic change from my neck of the woods. I get winded after a few steps running, but dang it if I don't sweat much! Anyway, what I would probably do is start with 3 full bottles and one empty slot in your rear hydration system. That way, when you hit the first aid station at Mile 11, you can grab a new bottle without having to chuck one of yours. When one of your bottles gets empty, set it in the rear hydration system and keep swapping out empty aid station bottles for new ones. |
| 2009-08-14 4:20 PM in reply to: #2349541 |
Champion 7233 | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike another thing to think about is if you finish the race a litlte dehydrated you will be fine. there is a study somewhere (will see if i can find it) showing race performance with poeple that were a bit and very dehydrated, hydration stayed the same, as well as over hydrated. every single person performed the best when they came in just under where they started. my guess would be that if you try and take in/replace everything you lose you will have a LOT in your stomach, might be wrong here, and those that know more about this area hopefully will chime in. |
| 2009-08-14 6:53 PM in reply to: #2349370 |
Expert 2555 Colorado Springs, Colorado | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike If you start with all 4 bottles you likely won't need anything more. If you're running low then grab something at the last aid station. There will be aid stations on the run so you don't need to go overboard on the fluids during the bike. The bike is where you need to get your nutrition - gels, bars, etc. It doesn't sound like you drink 5 bottles in training. The standard rule is don't do something in the race you haven't done successfully in training. I would be sloshing with that much fluid intake. Don't use bottles that you want to keep either. |
| 2009-08-14 10:24 PM in reply to: #2349370 |
Expert 697 Northern CA | Subject: RE: Question on HIM hydration on the bike If you don't want to toss your bottles, you can squeeze out the stuff in the aide station bottle into one of your bottles and toss that. That's what I was advised to do.I only have two cages right now so my plan for my HIM is to put concentrated Infinit in one and water in the other and just keep refilling the water bottle on the course. Though I do have some water bottles I hate so maybe I'll bring one of those and toss it, just for grins. What do they do with all the tossed water bottles, btw? It seems so wasteful to me. |
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