Drinking water during races... ITS HARD (Read 1019 times)

ok, ive ran a few races and they all provide water. Which I am grateful for, but the only problem is in a couple poor attemps at even a sip i cough... I cant swallow while running. the races i have done are only 5k and 10k so hydration while running is not super nessessary especialy since its cool out. I do however plan to run HM and Marathons in the future. is there an art to drinking and eating while running. When i run i refuse to walk unless i absolutley have to becuase i am afraid of tightening up and not being able to run anymore. Anybody have advice/ the same problem i have?

I learned that there is nothing wrong with walking. I walked the water stops at my last half marathon and I improved my time by 7 minutes. Dont be afraid to walk through the stops. Just don't get in anyones way.

I agree. If you dont want to walk (though I do recommend just walking the water stops in longer races) squish the cup. It keeps the water from splashing around as much. Also, though you may not walk, slow down your pace a little.

Pinch your cup and turn your head like you're eating a taco (or hot dog), like everyone else has said. You won't miss a step at all. Close the back of your throat and suck the water into your mouth first, then swallow it. Better yet, just drink beer on the course...you will care less about your time so you'll be OK with stopping to walk and drink so you don't froth the beer up too much.

If you are running a 5k, you do not need water. If you are running a 5k at a pace that is slow enough that you might need water (i.e., 30+ minutes on a warm day) then prehydrate or slow down to drink ifn you cannot figure out how to pinch the cup.

Train to gulp by drinking beer. Or carry a bike water bottle for shorter races. Just squirt when you need. And you won't have to slow up for water stops. Or use a Camelbak-type reservior. I ran a marathon with this one. Holds about 45 oz. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41vNqPfoQaL._AA280_.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.amazon.com/Camelbak-Flashflo-Running-Hydration-Waistpack/dp/B000P8AN4K&h=280&w=280&sz=9&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=_EH0rg2Dcrx20M:&tbnh=114&tbnw=114&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcamelbak%2Bflashflo%2Bamazon%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGLJ,GGLJ:2006-34,GGLJ:en%26sa%3DN Didn't jostle and held my camera so I could take pix of wifey finishing.

I stopped completely every time I drank in my first marathon because I couldn't drink from the little cups on the run (or while walking for that matter). It was a chance to collect myself, relax, and not get too carried away with the pace. There's no need to stop for water in races shorter than an hour in duration, in my opinion. In races longer than an hour, the 15 seconds or so that it costs you out of every 45 minutes are definitely worth it in the long term.

I stopped completely every time I drank in my first marathon because I couldn't drink from the little cups on the run (or while walking for that matter). It was a chance to collect myself, relax, and not get too carried away with the pace. There's no need to stop for water in races shorter than an hour in duration, in my opinion. In races longer than an hour, the 15 seconds or so that it costs you out of every 45 minutes are definitely worth it in the long term.

Oh - and since Jeff won't bring it up himself, I'll point it out - that "first marathon" of his (if its what I think it was), in which he apparently stopped completely whenever he took a drink ... ... was run on an impossible course, and completed in something like 2:50. He WON that marathon. Stopping at the water stops. Something to think about if you're actually stressing over walking a bit in your 5-k.