So uh what are aid stations?
Aidstations are just what it sounds like
Stations throughout the race course that provide aid to the runners and pacers, usually anywhere from 2-10 miles apart. Some races have a lot of aid stations, and some have none.
Aidstations are usually run by volunteers too, many times they’re overworked and tired, some pull it off, others not so great.
And “aid” usually comes in the form of hydration, food, good vibes, and a place to address any blisters, chafing, or injuries – anything a runner could need to keep going.
But…
It’s also a place where people decide to drop out of the race…
a double edged sword.
How to be most effective at Aid Stations.
To me, the point is to get in and out of an aidstation as fast as possible.
Because the longer we stop, the longer we’ll take to finish, the longer we have to contemplate dropping out…
plus, the clock keeps going until we cross that line.
Here’s a quick scenario:
Person A goes into an aid station, sits down, figures out what’s wrong/ what they need…
They decide to take their shoes off to check blisters, then put their shoes back on but then they figured they should change their socks so they take their shoes off again and then back on…
Then they looked around at the food and water situation, chatting it up with a few people about the weather and how hard the race is
And before they leave they have to take a shit, waiting in line because there’s only one porta potty and there’s someone else in there taking forever….
That’s a reality.
Person B is on mile 5 and they know the next aidstation is at mile 6.. (they know this because they read the race packet and wrote down all important information on an index card and carried it with them like the aidstation mile numbers )
So in the mile leading up to the aid stations, person B starts going through some sort of checklist:
- “What hurts me?” the lower back is tight, do a deep squat to reset.
- “What do I need” Refill all my water bladders, bring some calories on the go
- They even refill the Tailwind in their water bottles before they get to the aid stations (tailwind is a powder supplement that mixes with water, tastes good, but more importantly delivers calories and electrolytes to the body)
- “Bathroom break?” I could but if it’s jammed I’ll can keep it moving and go in the woods or next aidstation
Then, we run up into the aidstation – hand the aid station volunteer our bladders for a water refill, drop right into a deep squat, glance at the bathroom situation, do a quick scan of any food – we grab a peanut butter sandwich, and stuff it into our pack..
We get the bladders back and boom, we’re off to the bathroom to take a shit – no one is in there. “Thank youuu!” we scream to the aid as we’re on the move.
The biggest difference? Person A took 25 minutes, person B took 10 minutes…
A whole 15 minutes faster…
Imagine if there were 5 aidstations? Or 10?
We don’t have to be the fastest – but we can still finish well if we move efficiently and effectively especially when others aren’t.
Here are 5 tips for Ultra runners and aidstations.
- Do a systems check before you get to the aid station.
- Come into the aid station prepared – know what you need.
- Carry an aid station cheat sheet, usually, I’ll write this on an index card and keep it in a plastic baggie. . When are the aidstations? What is my game plan for fluids, calories, and salt?
- Carry everything you need on your gear-wise, especially for 100 mile ultra-marathons. Aid Stations are there to assist you on your journey, not make or break the event for you.
- Intake per hour (this could also be every 4-6 miles, something like that, I like using time because it’s scalable to if I’m moving faster or slower than usual)
- 200 calories per hour
- 1000 mg of sodium per hour
- 30 oz of fluids per hour
And that’s all there is to it!
Stay locked in, get in and out, have a plan for the aidstations, and nothing left to do but work the plan
Go get your miles! Peace!
Joe DiAndrea 