Water supply during races?

Callas:

Quoted message said:

If I were to take part in a longer race, say 60 or 80 miles, what is
typically done regarding water supplies?

I normally carry two bottles on my bike, which last for 20 to 25 miles
each, which is insufficient.

What size bottles do you use? Unless it's very warm, a single 750ml bottle
usually sees me through the Sunday morning club run, which is usually around
50-60 miles - not exactly racing levels of effort, but not exactly pootling
either. I would have thought that two 750ml bottles should be enough for 80
miles, even at racing levels of effort.

Or you could get a team car riding behind you with refills.

d.

davek <[email hidden]> wrote:

: What size bottles do you use? Unless it's very warm, a single 750ml bottle
: usually sees me through the Sunday morning club run, which is usually around
: 50-60 miles

That's not enough for that distance. Your performance would be better with more
water. I'd use 2 750ml bottles in that most of the year. In the heat, one 750ml
an hour so 3 in 60 miles (stop at a garage if needed)

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

Callas <[email hidden]> wrote:
: If I were to take part in a longer race, say 60 or 80 miles, what is
: typically done regarding water supplies?

TT or road race? TT - use a camelback. Added advantages of not needing
to move out of the aero position to drink and the hump makes you
more aero.

Road races? A 60 mile RR will take less time than a solo 50 mile ride, so
two 750ml bottles should be fine (say 2 1/2 hours unless it's very
hilly).

There's very few 80 mile 3/4 races. Usual options are a) team car (for
the big boys) or b) helper at the side of the road, grab a bottle as
you go past.

Even here, you might get away with 2 bottles just. The last 80 mile
3/4 roadrace I did took 3 1/4 hours. Three bottles would have been
ideal but two was just about ok.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

Arthur Clune said:

TT - use a camelback. Added advantages of not needing
to move out of the aero position to drink and the hump makes you
more aero.

Does this mean you become less aero the more you drink!?

Colin

Colin Blackburn <[email hidden]> wrote:

: Does this mean you become less aero the more you drink!?

Dunno. The idea of doing a TT longer than about 30 mins makes me want
to bang my head against a wall instead. But it's what all the top guys
do.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

Arthur Clune:

Quoted message said:

Dunno. The idea of doing a TT longer than about 30 mins makes me want
to bang my head against a wall instead. But it's what all the top guys
do.

I was amazed to discover this (I found out when they were talking about it
on the ITV TdF coverage the other day - it came up because Tyler Hamilton
wore a camelbak during the team time trial). Apparently, the UCI have tried
to ban this because they consider it a type of fairing because it alters
your body shape.

d.

Arthur Clune:

Quoted message said:

That's not enough for that distance.

I expect you're right. I have the difficulty that I only have space for one
bottle cage on my bike, so if I can't get a refill I have no choice but to
make do. Usually I get by OK - it helps that the ride always includes a cafe
stop - but I do sometimes think I could do with more water, particularly
when the ride is closer to 60 miles than 50.

d.

Callas said:

If I were to take part in a longer race, say 60 or 80 miles, what is
typically done regarding water supplies?

I normally carry two bottles on my bike, which last for 20 to 25 miles
each, which is insufficient.

I aim for 1 ltr/hour. I carry two 75ml bottles and fill up whenever I can.

"Simonb" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Callas said:

If I were to take part in a longer race, say 60 or 80 miles, what is
typically done regarding water supplies?

I normally carry two bottles on my bike, which last for 20 to 25 miles
each, which is insufficient.

Quoted message said:

I aim for 1 ltr/hour. I carry two 75ml bottles and fill up whenever I can.

You'd have to fill the 13 times per hour!
Perfume bottles, are they? ;-)

I think this may be a bit too much water.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

davek said:

Arthur Clune:

Quoted message said:

That's not enough for that distance.

I expect you're right. I have the difficulty that I only have space for one
bottle cage on my bike, so if I can't get a refill I have no choice but to
make do. Usually I get by OK - it helps that the ride always includes a cafe
stop - but I do sometimes think I could do with more water, particularly
when the ride is closer to 60 miles than 50.

d.

I've got an xlab dual bottle holder on the back of my saddle... but I
think they've gone out of business. Alternatively, a Camelback?

Steve

Steve:

Quoted message said:

Alternatively, a Camelback?

I have one. I don't particularly like it. But I might start teaching myself
to like it now that I know the pros use them. 😉

d.

Helen Deborah Vecht said:

Quoted message said:

I aim for 1 ltr/hour. I carry two 75ml bottles and fill up whenever
I can.

You'd have to fill the 13 times per hour!
Perfume bottles, are they? ;-)

I only said I /aim/ for 1 ltr/hour -- I didn't say I ever actually /managed/
it. Maybe some bigger bottles are in order? ;-)

Quoted message said:

I think this may be a bit too much water.

Is this possible? I don't get any ill-effects.

Helen Deborah Vecht [email hidden] opined the following...

Quoted message said:

I think this may be a bit too much water.

1 ltr / hour is the "normal" recommendation for water intake during
exercise. How close this is to your requirements depends on the nature
of the exercise. I've had ill effects from what I considered to be high
intake of water, until I realised how many hours I had been riding and
how little water I had really drunk.

Jon

Simonb:

Quoted message said:

Is this possible? I don't get any ill-effects.

The body is very good at regulating its water level. Any excess is quickly
disposed of - I suppose it depends whether you consider stopping to pee
every five minutes an 'ill effect'.

d.

davek said:

I suppose it depends whether you consider
stopping to pee every five minutes an 'ill effect'.

Nah. Just an excuse for a rest!

"davek" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Simonb:

Quoted message said:

Is this possible? I don't get any ill-effects.

Quoted message said:

The body is very good at regulating its water level. Any excess is quickly
disposed of - I suppose it depends whether you consider stopping to pee
every five minutes an 'ill effect'.

Water intoxication can be a problem, especially if rave drugs like
ecstasy are on board. I can't remember where I read this though...

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

Helen Deborah Vecht:

Quoted message said:

Water intoxication can be a problem, especially if rave drugs like
ecstasy are on board. I can't remember where I read this though...

The Leah Betts story, probably.

Here you go:
URL:http://www.ecstasy.org/info/dangers.html

d.