Elite drinking stations

I've gotten to use my own bottles twice. Both times they encouraged us to decorate them, and it was fine to tape gels or whatever to them as well as make handles if you want. For the one where I had to buy my own bottles I just got some cheapies on Amazon and had a friend draw on them with colored Sharpies. They were awesome

The other race provided bottles and we decorated them with electricians tape at the technical meeting.

I was jealous of the elite table at Lakefront last week when I was stuck carrying a handheld.

It looked like most people were using a small bike bottle, and ditching them a mile or so after the aid station. I’m assuming the race came by and swept the bottles post-race.

I wouldn’t tape the gels, I’d rather carry then take them before the bottle station, so you don’t have to worry about untaping and trying to take the gel when you have the bottle in hand

EDIT: also props on the elite-level humblebrag /s

I specifically remember seeing an Instagram story of Alexi Pappas before Chicago where it looked like she had these little flags sticking up on her bottles. I could be wrong though. She is an elite though.

In triathlons, I think some events don’t allow you to decorate your bike to make it stand out in the transition zone, so I would double check the rules just in case there is a rule (not saying there is, but I thought I had heard this was sometimes one in triathlons).

Nothing says elite to me like these straws: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/7120E%2B04tNL._SX425_.jpg

Use these bottles: https://www.kelleybees.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/229-BA_Clear_Honey_Bear_Bottles_with_Black_Flip_Top_Cap_24_Ounce_10_Pack.jpg

Fill with your beverage of choice. Stick in a crazy straw and duct tape the top until it's sealed. Elite.

Funny timing on the post as I stumbled across this last night on eBay.

Mo Farah's Chicago 35k bottle

Still has the gel taped to it. Pretty cool piece of running memorabilia, not at that price though.

I ran a marathon this summer where you could provide your own bottles and put them on a table. I used disposable plastic bottles, 12 oz, and I wrapped them with pink duct tape. I also used the tape to secure a gel to each bottle. It worked pretty well, though I had to slow down slightly each time I passed the table to identify and grab my bottle. Overall, it worked great, and I would definitely do it again.

I like the the ones where they put a big loop on top of the bottle (with a pipe cleaner or something). Then they just stick their arm in the loop to minimize the chance of dropping it. Easy to find, easy to grab. May be an issue on a crowded table though.

I believe gels should be ok, but I would clear it with the RD first. IAAF rules basically say the RD just has to approve that type of aid.

I've had a few races where I've done bottles. You should know exactly what type of bottle you're going to use on race day, and practice with those. The coordination while running race pace is harder than most think. Also get something with a straw or a cap where you can easily drink out of it. I didn't for my marathon and it was a bit harder to consume the fluids compared to a straw.

Napa Valley Marathon lets anyone have bottle service. You put your bottle in a big box and so by sticking it in the same corner you generally knew where they would place it on the table.

I used small disposable water bottles which proved perfect. I wrapped them in pink tape and I think I had some kind of long pipe cleaner sticking up so it was easy to spot. I duct taped gels to the side and put the tape right over the top so you could just tear them off and they'd be open and ready to consume. I would just grab the bottle and run with it for a few minutes and leisurely consume the gel/water or gatorade and it was glorious.

I did a last chance marathon in 2017 where you could have your own bottles. I didn't have gels attached to them because my wife handed them to me during the later loops. There was two bottle stations on the course which was 4.25 mile loop. I cant remember how many tables at each station. Maybe 3 or 4 tables for 125ish runners. I never found my bottle at one of the stations in the 6 loops. It was a blue bottle very similar to everyone else's on that table. On the other station, I had a pink lid clear bottle. I was able to find that one no problem. I saw a post on IG where someone had clear honey bear bottles. I don't think you could miss them.

Make sure your bottle is easily identifiable! Think of attaching an unusually coloured feather to an unusually shaped bottle. And expect to pick it out of a sea of other similar unusually looking bottles all tightly backed on a table!

I've tried this on two marathons. The first one had ~300 runners and worked really well. They had a spotter and a course volunteer fetching and handing you your bottle. The second one had ~1500 runners and didn't go to plan. You had to find and fetch your own bottle out of a 10m row of tightly packed bottles. I couldn't find my bottles on the second half of the race and did poorly (frustration and lack of energy).

In terms of what to put in the bottle, I just put water and taped a gel to it. While there is water at the aid stations, one cup is all you'll manage to pickup while running through and isn't enough. Running with a bottle with ~400mL of water solves the hydration problem. Good luck!

You need Claus!

u/itsjustzach has used sub-elite stations before.

I'm doing this for Melbourne Marathon this weekend. There are three personal drink stations setup along the course. Apparently the tables are numbered so you can spot which table your drink will be on easily. I've taped gels to some small bright pink bottles. Also have Gatorade mix in the bottles.

If I can't spot them I think I would just keep running and pickup the regular drink cups provided.

Just did bottle prep for a race today. The published advice was to pick a distinctly colored bottle and decorate it to be recognizable.

The other trick is to use either tape or pipe cleaners to make a loop that sticks up. That way you have a second handle to catch as you go by. Secure the loop with a few layers of tape around the bottle so it doesn't tear off and you're good!

I used my own bottles at the Napa Valley Marathon. I wrapped them in aluminum foil to keep them at least somewhat cooler in the sun. Then, I wrapped a big stripe of red tuct tape around them. They were incredibly unique and visible.

Well, they would have been visible. The issue was that the bottle stations were right after the water stations. At every station, the volunteers wtih the cups kept fanning in towards the middle of the road so they could see the incoming runners. Kind like (I have no idea if this'll format):

          Road↓
  +
    +
        +
           +
              +
                 +
                    +
                       +

[___] <--- bottle table

So, I always had to cut back to the table and find my bottle. It was very frustrating, and the last thing I want in my A race is anything mildly frustrating that I'm not doing to myself.

I'm not sure I'd do it again, unless I was assured the volunteers were trained not to fan out like this. I make my own gels now, and I'm very happy with just them and water. I don't want to rely on the on-course electrolyte beverage of choice. At least water is always water and there is plenty. This also matches my training, which relies on gels and water fountains, so I know exactly how my stomach will react.

I have used condiment bottles for a race before. They are inexpensive about the right size and easy to hold and squeeze:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastic-Squeeze-Condiment-Dispenser-Ketchup/dp/B00MC2ZDRO

Because there are so many bottles and you are going so fast, you really have to go really big in creating some tall loop that is decorated with something really unique and also easy to grab. A flag might be easy to see but also not easy to grab.