fuel belts for distance runners?

Question

i am thinking of purchasing a fuel belt. currently i have one of those one bottle water carriers and i hate it b/c it moves around too much. i think i will shell out a few more dollars and get myself a fuel belt but i'm not sure if i should get a 4 or 6 bottle belt. if i get a 4 (or 2 bottle) belt, will i be able to add more bottles using clips, etc? what about the gel bottle? can i just put the gel in the regular bottles? if anyone has any info on this it would be greatly appreciated.
ps. right now i'm training for a half marathon. how many bottles will i need if i don't want to make stops at the water stations?

Answer 1

I bought a fuel belt with four 8 oz. bottles. I got it from my local running shoe store, but you can find it at http://www.fuelbelt.com. They look pretty goofy, but they became very popular with my training group. It was probably because it doesn't move around as much as the other kinds. There are models with up to eight bottles, but the "goofiness" is pretty high..

Unfortunately, you cannot add any more bottles after you get them. However, no one says that you have to use every bottle. For example, on a short run, you can just use 2 out of the four bottles. As long as it's an even number, it should not be uncomfortable.

I do not know about a gel bottle, but if you're referring to whether you can put gels into the bottle, that's fine. Since they're dishwasher safe, it's pretty easy to clean. Also, there's a rather small pouch that can hold 2-3 gels. I really wish they would make bigger pouches..

For my first marathon, I made a rookie mistake of not making stops at the water stations. I figured that I would shave some time off by skipping the water stations. I got so dehydrated that I got severe muscle cramps that forced me to walk the rest of the way. My final time was far worse than the lower end of my expectations.

Anyway, those aid stations are there for a very good reason, and I hope you take advantage of them, using the fuel belts as backups rather than primary sources of hydration. You might be able to get away with it for a half marathon, but do you really want to chance it on your big day? Besides, how much time do you expect to shave? 4-5 minutes tops vs. maybe an hour for an injury? Isn't it better to run at a slightly faster pace?

Answer 2

No matter what kind of fuel belt you get it will jiggle around. If you MUST get a fuel BELT, get one that holds flat bottles. Consider getting a Camelback instead (water bag sits on your bag where it bounces less, and has tube that goes to your mouth). If you are running 10K's or less, you don't need a fuel belt -- just get plenty of water at the start and be sure to get some at the water stations.

Get gels that have high water content. CarbBoom makes one that's about the taste and consistency of applesauce (Gu and Clif shots always come out a bit pasty in my opinion), and there's another vendor that makes one in Caramel flavor that's a little more liquid that you might try.

I don't know what you'll need for a half marathon. The most I've run is about 8 miles, and I usually just stop at the water stations. But if you have to get something, I'd recommend the camelback and not the water belt.

Answer 3

Honestly, you should consider just not getting a fuel belt. People seem to be under the mistaken idea that if they just take lots of fuel with them, they can run distances better. That's not true. If you really want to last for a longer race, train with longer runs to build up the muscle endurance and memory in your legs, do speedwork and do tempo runs.

The other issue with carrying all your water is the obvious: you're carrying water. The bottles bounce around and they are like having little weights on.

For longer training runs, try to run near locations that have water stops (water fountains in a park, for example). If you don't have that, take a water bottle in your hand. Gatorade is good too.

On race day, stop at the water stations and keep a gel in your pocket. Although, for a half marathon you don't necessarily need to stop at all of them. If you move up to do a marathon, the gels are almost always provided for you (but I pack one just in case I miss the gel station).

I don't want to be discouraging and judgmental. It's cool that you're training for a half-marathon and I wish you the best of luck. But, if you watch a distance race, you won't see any of the early finishers crossing the line with a utility belt around their waists. There's a reason for that: they train their bodies for the race. Even beginners should do the same: get a good training program and get your body ready for the distance.

Answer 4

My favorite multi-bottle water belt is the Amphipod Runlite Snapflask. This belt is similar to a Fuelbelt, but much more adjustable. You can add, move, or remove bottles and pockets from the belt to put them in any configuration you'd like.

For gels, I'd forgo a gel bottle and just keep the packages in a belt pocket. That way you can vary flavors instead of just sticking to the same one all of the time.

How many bottles you will need will depend on how long the race will take you. Water intake is based more on time than on distance. Experimenting on your long runs while you're training will be the best way to figure out how much water YOU will need.

Happy running!

Answer 5

I tried a fuel belt for one race (marathon) and HATED it. the constant bouncing and chafing is not worth having some extra water when you want it.

I carry a couple of the Carb-boom gels in my pockets, and get water at every aid station. The extra couple of seconds it takes to slow down and grab a cup is much better than the chafing the belt caused.

Answer 6

quit running and buy a car. Your bones will thank you for it later in life.