Race Advice re: "water stations"

Silent_Soliloquy

I'm a 35 yo male, reasonably fit but just getting into running.

March 30'th i'm doing a 15K race. there are four "water stations" that have water, sports drinks, chocolates, and bathrooms.

How do i go about planning time lost for these stations? Should i aim to run right past the first one (only a few K in), should i plan to grab some water? does anyone actually rest at these?

As of right now, i'm running 10K in 55 minutes fairly easily... (can carry conversation, tired after but no soreness next day). I have 6 weeks left to train. I have not tried a full 15K yet, as the group here has been advising risking hurting a knee or ankle. But i "Feel" like i could have kept going another 5K on my recent 10K's ... maybe i'll hit a wall though.

My question is essentially, should i aim to take any breaks at all? if so, which ones and for how long? or should i just try to run past them, and grab some water if i'm absolutely parched? I've never had any water or etc during my training runs, but i know 10K isn't 15K by a long shot.


Any feedback is appreciated.

Silent_Soliloquy

Here is the course map for reference:

TavistockToad

I usually grab a water half way round a 10k race, but it's not mandatory.

If you're not going to train drinking or eating anything then you don't need to when you race.

L1zardQueen

Is winning your goal or to have fun?

Silent_Soliloquy

Thanks. I just hear these stories of people who are fine and then hit a wall and everything comes to a stop for them.

debrakgoogins

Whatever you do during your training plan to mimick in your race. If you find that you don't need to hydrate during your training, you will probably be fine. If you start to amp up your mileage and realize you need to hydrate or add some energy, do the same thing during your race. I have heard many people who do longer runs say that the best advice they ever got was to walk through the water stops. I haven't done any runs that long *yet* so I can't give an opinion on that.

janejellyroll

For races shorter than half marathons, I just drink when I'm thirsty (for halves and longer, I will drink water at each stop).

I am a klutz, so I walk while I am drinking the water. It only takes a few seconds and it keeps me from accidentally inhaling water. I have done all kinds of races and it is very common for people to walk while drinking, it won't look weird at all. Even if you wanted to step to the side and drink while standing, that wouldn't be that unusual (just make sure not to suddenly stop as there are people probably behind you).

I'm assuming the weather isn't going to be much different (heat, humidity) than what you have trained in. In your case, I would probably trust my training and drink to thirst.

deannalfisher

i always walk stations - grab a cup of water at the first, drink while walking and then grab one towards the end - for a 15k likely won't need food

FL_Hiker

I always run through the station and drink, you can pinch the cup which makes it like a little funnel into your mouth lol.

MelanieCN77

I have a little 6oz bottle that is in an easy access pouch with a magnetic flap on it - I don't want to stop for aid stations either and carry it if I think I'll need it. It's light enough and secure enough that I barely notice it. I didn't reach for it at all on my last 10k but I was glad of the option.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010C65V2I/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Duck_Puddle

If you don’t need to drink normally; you’ll be fine. You shouldn’t have any worries about a wall on a 15k. If you are thirsty and decide to get a drink-it’s considerably easier to drink while walking. You’ll lose maybe 10 seconds. It’s a table with people holding cups of water that you grab as you go by and a garbage can 50 ft after the table (toss your cup in there).

I’ve never seen someone stop who didn’t need to potty or wasnt in distress or filling their own water bottle or something. It’s not the expectation. The stations are there if you need them. If you don’t, thank the volunteers that gave up their day to come be there and keep going about your race.

Silent_Soliloquy

Thank you so much @Duck_Puddle ... that gave me a real feel for what to expect.

I guess i expected like a place where people actually stopped and ask for water, or a sports drink. The ability to have a quick gulp on the fly sounds awesome... and wont impact my time on the scale i am aiming for (90 minutes was my original my goal).

dewd2

Good luck!

Duck_Puddle

Silent_Soliloquy wrote: »

Thank you so much @Duck_Puddle ... that gave me a real feel for what to expect.

I guess i expected like a place where people actually stopped and ask for water, or a sports drink. The ability to have a quick gulp on the fly sounds awesome... and wont impact my time on the scale i am aiming for (90 minutes was my original my goal).

It’s absolutely a quick on the go thing. Even if the cups are on the table; you still just grab and go.

If they have Gatorade and water at the same stations, they are usually split apart the same way at each stop so you know what you’re grabbing.

If you do need to actually stop (for anything at the water stop) - wait until you get after the actual table and then go off to the side - otherwise you’ll get run over.

It’ll all flow perfectly and you’ll see lots of people in front of you-just do what they do. It’ll be great.

Good luck!

Silent_Soliloquy

Thanks!

Little off topic ... but if a 55 minute 10k is easy ... do you guys think a goal of sub 90 min is a good time to shoot for ?

GiddyupTim

Most people are not going to need much water at all, or a gel, for a race of that distance in early spring.
I would guess you are going to want to run through the water stations, maybe grabbing a paper cup of water as you do, and drinking it as you run.
Have fun!

MelanieCN77

Silent_Soliloquy wrote: »

Thanks!

Little off topic ... but if a 55 minute 10k is easy ... do you guys think a goal of sub 90 min is a good time to shoot for ?

I think you'll be well warmed up by then and will be able to judge if you can go for it!

noblsheep

Silent_Soliloquy wrote: »

Thanks!

Little off topic ... but if a 55 minute 10k is easy ... do you guys think a goal of sub 90 min is a good time to shoot for ?

I think sub 90 minutes might be a bit conservative. You're already doing 10km at 5.5 min/km and 90 minutes is 6 min/km. By race day, the adrenaline and the crowds and the mass of people running with you will probably make you a bit faster than your training runs. Personally I'd say around 80 minutes might be a better goal if you want to race it.

On original topic, I would recommend you slow to a walk and drink something at each of the four stations (funnel style as suggested above), just because you might be running harder than you think you are, and dehydration is really uncomfortable, even for 15km. I don't think you'll be needing much carb intake for this distance, but if they have sports drinks at all the stations, you could drink some at station 2 and/or 3 just to make sure you don't tank. This will add maybe a minute to your total time. Personally I might skip station 4 to save 10-20 seconds depending on how I feel.

Oh and you've totally got this. There is very little possibility of hitting the wall at 15km. Fitness-wise, you could probably run that race tomorrow if you wanted to. Just try to resist going out too fast. Aim for negative splits and enjoy your race!

Silent_Soliloquy

Thanks @noblsheep !

I have been training negative splits. I try to do a "stretch the legs" first mile, then kick it back and work on slowly improving each mile. A typical run is seen here ... i assume this is reasonable, though i may have to cycle it twice for then 15k.

WickedPineapple

We're running the same race! Hopefully it won't be cancelled again (last year there was freezing rain/snow/mix and they cut it to only the 5k).

As for water, I agree that whatever you do in training is what you should do on the day of the race. Definitely hydrate beforehand. Have you been training outside? You might find you need more or less based on the weather.

englishmuffinruns

I did the Tampa Hot Chocolate 15K in December. Skip the chocolate and marshmallows. We saw a few people who, shall we say, regretted that decision later in the race. Mind you it was ungodly warm even for December.

The aid stations were very well organized with plenty of volunteers, and you could definitely "grab and go." We hit most of them, alternating between water and Nuun.

Silent_Soliloquy

@WickedPineapple ... my friend and i were discussing how uncertain the temps will be. We could be in shorts, could be in full baselayer.

...If we are in the same corral we should fist bump.

I live in Fort Wayne so its been hard to get outside, but I've been doing it as possible. I've Logged 4 10k's and a handful of 5k's outside this year. Some of them in -20 windchills which was brutal.

StephSuter2508

I have run 10k, 16k, 21k and 42k races. I find for 10k I don't need water but when I do the Great South Run which is 16k I need water and sometimes energy gels.

I will take water at the 5k and 10k stations on my way round, but I don't stop, I grab the water as I run past, drink as I run then they have points where you drop your water bottle on the floor and they collect,

In training I take water with me as it takes practice to drink whilst running,

As for food, I find I vomit if I eat just before or during a run, so I use energy gels BUT you have to have them during training to see how your body reacts to them as they are a big hit of sugar and sometimes caffein, I usually have a gel at the halfway point on a 16km run

The wall is different for everyone, hitting the wall is simply reaching a point where you cant run anymore. When I started running I hit the wall at 12km, but with training I found I could keep going and I can now run 21k without stopping, my record for non stop running is 24.5km, at that point I switch to jog / walk

solieco1

For me, getting behind on fluid is impossible to catch up. Walking the water stops to have a quick drink is unlikely to significantly affect your time. On the other hand, being trashed the last 5k will.

Silent_Soliloquy

Ran a 5k at lunch today ... but man so slippery and cold ... check out the roads!

Today is my recovery day so not a huge deal but it can be really hard on the hamstrings and stuff.

dmkoenig

Sounds like you are well in control. That time of year for an 80-90 minute event you shouldn't have to be too concerned with heavy hydration. Take it when your body is asking for it, no need to force. It's easy to get caught up in the race excitement and go out too hard, so if you focus on taking the first 5K on the easy side and get into a comfortable cadence you'll be in good shape. Picking off people in the last half will be plenty incentive to increase your pace and race well if you have something left in the tank. Good luck and have fun!

WickedPineapple

Silent_Soliloquy wrote: »

@WickedPineapple ... my friend and i were discussing how uncertain the temps will be. We could be in shorts, could be in full baselayer.

...If we are in the same corral we should fist bump.

I live in Fort Wayne so its been hard to get outside, but I've been doing it as possible. I've Logged 4 10k's and a handful of 5k's outside this year. Some of them in -20 windchills which was brutal.

I have zero expectations for the weather. It could be 25 or 85 degrees, snowing or thunder storming. Our weather is usually weird, but it's been even weirder than normal this year. Luckily I have all the cold running gear from the last time winter overstayed it's welcome.

If you're running a 10k in 55 minutes, I doubt we'd be in event adjacent corrals (I'm slow).

Good luck!

Silent_Soliloquy

Full disclosure, i dont even know what a corral actually is ... like physically.

If i have to start way back, does the time getting me up to the official start count against me ? Im inagining that could be 3 minutes or so ?

solieco1

Silent_Soliloquy wrote: »

Full disclosure, i dont even know what a corral actually is ... like physically.

If i have to start way back, does the time getting me up to the official start count against me ? Im inagining that could be 3 minutes or so ?

No, your individual time will start when you cross the timing mat. Try to pace yourself as accurately as you can though. Too slow and you have to get around a huge crowd and too fast and you end up making others go around you.

janejellyroll

Silent_Soliloquy wrote: »

Full disclosure, i dont even know what a corral actually is ... like physically.

If i have to start way back, does the time getting me up to the official start count against me ? Im inagining that could be 3 minutes or so ?

Usually corrals are marked with signs within the starting line area. You just line up in the area for your corral and then start in waves.

The majority of races I've run in that have corral start times have a "gun time" and a "chip time." The gun time is when the first wave starts, the actual start of the race. But your official time is your chip time, when the timing strip on your race bib (or a little plastic thing attached to your shoelaces) crosses the actual start line. That way the time doesn't count against you, everyone is timed from the same spot no matter when they actually begin the race.

I was in corral 4 for a marathon last weekend and we probably started 8-9 minutes after the first group started.

Silent_Soliloquy

Thank you all so much. Im a hyper-planner so the unknown is killer for me.

So, lessons learned:

Go easy on the first 5k, so you dont crash hard. (Ill shoot for something like a 27 min first 5k. My rest days are 30 minute 5k's right now.)

Wait for the last 5k to really extend the stride and start flirting with lactic acid build up.

Have some sports drink or water if it sounds good, but dont overthink it. It's okay not to drink at a station.

Dont plan on actually stopping at the rest stations, if you have to stop, get out of the way past one first.


I guess the rest, ill just have to take in the experience and do my best.