IDIOTIC trail race rule. Thoughts/suggestions?

You have hands, right?

You must think rules never apply to you. Do you wander off of the boardwalks at Yellowstone NP?

The water requirement is probably demanded by the park authority because when people get lost on the trail they don't want to recover dehydrated corpses the day after the race. It isn't a real trail run until somebody gets lost.

Tell them yours is in your bladder and then point to your penis.

Go to 7-11 and buy a 16 oz bottle of water and carry it with you. Do you need someone to hold your hand for everything you do?

albertosaladbar69 wrote:

Hey gang. Decided to sign up for a 9 mile trail race this weekend for shits and gigs. Post sign up I read on the race website "Everyone competing must carry water with them at all times. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!" I run in college and considering the race is only 9 miles with an aid station at mile 5 I think this rule is completely absurd.

Any suggestions on how to carry my water, if at all? Do you think they will DQ the heck out of me if I don't?

P.S I will not wear a fuel belt so don't even mention it

Did they specify the size of the water container? If not get something small - like a thimble or a contact lens case and fill it with a few drops of water.

go buy one of the tiny water bottles that go in the ultra-belts. They hold maybe 5-6 ozs? Right after the start dump it all out. After that you just need to carry a stupidly small and light plastic bottle for 9 miles.

Carry a CamelBack hydration pack. You should have 100 oz capacity for a race that long. Be sure to pack extra layers of clothing, food, and a headlamp. You always want to be prepared.

Since you are such a boss, you should show up to the starting line with one of those giant thermoses full of cool aid. The kind kids used to take to little league baseball games in the 70s. Carry it the entire race, pausing occasionally to take large gulps. Win the race and offer it to others to share when they come in.

albertosaladbar69 wrote:

P.S I will not wear a fuel belt so don't even mention it

YOU SOUND SO HOT

Get a non clear bottle...keep it empty (or with a splash of water if you want to follow the letter of the law). Carry it in your hand at the start, then stuff it in into your shorts (will make your junk look YUGE). When you finish the race 45 minutes later, whip it out to hold across the line.

Just do it.

Get a standard plastic water bottle that you typically get when you buy a pack of, like, 30. Then once the race start, squeeze out the contents and air. Thus, you'll be carrying an empty plastic baton in your hand. Just say that you drank its contents early on in the race. Not the most environmentally friendly suggestion, but hey, you can recycle the plastic bottle at least!

Get a small, standard water bottle. Fill it with a few ounces. And then stuff it in the back of your shorts. That is super common at trail races. Companies even make bottles shaped to fit the waist band. Laugh all you want, but Simple Hydration bottles work quite well.

Also, you are probably going to be the person begging other runners for water. Life just seems to work out that way.

brooksman wrote:

Get a non clear bottle...keep it empty (or with a splash of water if you want to follow the letter of the law). Carry it in your hand at the start, then stuff it in into your shorts (will make your junk look YUGE). When you finish the race 45 minutes later, whip it out to hold across the line.

Get a non-clear bottle. Fill it with BEER. You will be ready for post-race refueling the moment you cross the finish line with it.

Red Blood Cells wrote:

go buy one of the tiny water bottles that go in the ultra-belts. They hold maybe 5-6 ozs? Right after the start dump it all out. After that you just need to carry a stupidly small and light plastic bottle for 9 miles.

This!! I have done that in a couple races. One reason races do this is that they provide water on the course but NO cups so they don't get thrown on the trail. I never drink water in races to half marathon and didn't even drink or eat in my last road marathon. It's not that big a deal to carry a water bottle though. If it is hot, it would even help to pour the water over your head.

I ran my fastest marathons with no water, and never take any water with me on hikes. The hiking clubs have a rule that you have to take water, but I never do, and my friend who ran with me in college never takes water with him either.

The most important thing is to be well hydrated before starting.

The first trail race that I did that had this rule made me think the same thing. I never run with water and didn't know anyone that did. I brought an old bottle I had gotten from a swag bag. I ran with it for the first 4 miles of the race and the chucked it at the feet of the volunteers at the only aid station. It was an xterra 15k. The rule generally doesn't apply to those people averaging 6:00 miles over mountains.

Former goat herder wrote:

The rule generally doesn't apply to those people averaging 6:00 miles over mountains.

Sorry you got disqualified.

The top trail men wear half tights and tuck a 10-20 ounce bottle in the back (or the front). You can get bottles (Nathan, Simple Hydration) at your local running store. It's not a big deal.