whats the deal with fuel belts not “being cool”
I did my first half Sunday, and aid stations were every 3 miles. I wants going to mess with my nutirtion, so I bought a fuel belt.
At mile 13, some jackass spectator goes, “nice fuel belt, buddy, you look cool.”
I really could care less, just wondering what the slowtwitch authority has to say on the subject.
I’ve never raced with fuel belt only trained with it. That beign said, if aid stations were every 3 miles, I would seriously consider wearing it. The half I did had aid stations every 1 mile.
Was it a WTC event?
no, pumpkinman traithon in south Berwick, ME
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Ah, very good. Congrats on your first half!
jackass spectator
if he had been a competitor, AND PASSING YOU, then there might have been a story.
since he probably sits on his (jack)ass all day, beats his pets, yells at his wife, and ignores his kids, i wouldnt worry too much about him 
Forget looking cool last I remember it is a race you are not judged based on looks but based on the clock and what will get you from the start to finish the fastest. I wear a fuel belt and catch some ribbing but I just try to laugh at the nay sayers.
There is a local 30K trail run that one year had a pretty weak field I was running with the leaders and ended up winning the race. (The race has about 20 runnings and that is the slowest winning time ever but digress) The guys who took 2nd and 3rd where training buddy’s and they both told me after the race they did not take me as a serious competitor since I was wearing a fuel belt. To that I just laughed. So in a way in worked in my favor.
Wear the dam thing with pride!
Peace,
RF
Unfortunately the only fuel belts I notice in a race are usually towards the back of the pack (not saying everyone). So they probably get that stigma from there. That said if I felt I needed it nothing would stop me from wearing it. I admit I myself give a bit of a WTF kind of look seeing people with them at sprints or worse with a couple hammer gels in their jersey pockets at sprint.
Personally I only use the fuel belt on certain workouts (I run up this “mountain” sometimes… very little shade), or if its hotter than hell out. I could care less about the looks, I just don’t need the water.
Unfortunately the only fuel belts I notice in a race are usually towards the back of the pack (not saying everyone). So they probably get that stigma from there. That said if I felt I needed it nothing would stop me from wearing it. I admit I myself give a bit of a WTF kind of look seeing people with them at sprints or worse with a couple hammer gels in their jersey pockets at sprint.
Personally I only use the fuel belt on certain workouts (I run up this “mountain” sometimes… very little shade), or if its hotter than hell out. I could care less about the looks, I just don’t need the water.
I most certainly wasnt the BOP. FOP actually.
it kind of falls under the no bucket in transition rule. the “cool kids dont do it” rule book. I agree with the bucket rule, becuase it can fuck with my space. But why what I wear around my waist during a 13.1 run matters to anyone is beyond me.
I actually find it funny.
I bought a fuel belt for long training runs - which for me are usually out in the sticks. I liked it so much I now use it in races. I felt it would be silly to use it in an Oly, but stomach distress caused by the most commonly available sports drink in tri’s led to the decision to use it next time in that distance as well. Carrying my preferred drink has turned out to be more important than I suspected. Fully loaded, it’s an obvious weight but, naturally, that becomes less of an issue over time.
I did my first half this past Sat, and I used my fuel belt. The reason I used it was because I know what works for my stomach. Didn’t want to change anything on race day. And as far as that spectator, was he out there racing ???
We’re talking a HIM not a HM right?
If you were FOP in a HM with a fuel belt, I’d look at you funny too.
And seriously…every mile?
We’re talking a HIM not a HM right?
If you were FOP in a HM with a fuel belt, I’d look at you funny too.
And seriously…every mile?
HIM.
not sure what you mean by “every mile?”
I dont need aid every mile, I just need the option of aid every mile to execute a race plan.
I was out there with you on Sunday. I didn’t have a Fuel Belt, but if somebody had offered me one during the long, sunny stretch between the aid stations on Knight’s Pond Road, I don’t think I would have turned them down.
Not cool?.. because they make you look like a Palestinian suicide bomber… 
I wear one for HIMs - who cares what you look like. I’m used to certain fluids I train with and it keeps me hydrating more often. I actually just switched to the 4 bottle option recently. For me it makes a big difference and doesn’t leave room for unknown stomach issues on race day.
This is what I don’t get. We spend a ton of time training to “get used to” swimming in open water, or running in the heat or riding in wind, but getting used to course nutrition seems to be a foreign concept.
I can understand it if your stomach absolutely cannot tolerate whatever is on course, but I have a hard time believing that is the case with every bento box, fuel belt wielding athlete out there.
Silly Matt, it really doesn’t matter what your stomach thinks. Did you not hear about the new drug testing for age group athletes at WTC events? Athletes can no longer risk eating things if they don’t know what kinds of contaminants the race “buffet” tables contain. I don’t think you want to be the one who consumed the steroid-laced banana right before you take your Kona slot. If you don’t bring all your own nutrition, you’re flirting with disaster.