Rule of 3- Aid Stations
3 tips to improve your racing through optimal aid station management
1. Plan in advance. What kit might you need to change? What nutrition re supply will you need? Do you need a change of shoes? Have a checklist printed in your bag! When you’re tired you risk forgetting something, don’t get 5k up the road and realise you didn’t pick something up. I’m a geek and had mine printed and laminated then pinned to the top of my bag.
2. On the approach - do a quick body scan. Any blisters / hot spots need addressing? How has your nutrition and hydration intake been? What food/ drink do you want to have at the aid station? Remind yourself what you are getting for your re supply. Get your bottles out ready to refill before you walk into the aid station (add powder in advance if using & carrying)
3. Keep the stop to an absolute minimum. Refill bottles, re supply food, change any clothing / kit as needed, then grab food & drink you need to have then and walk out. Eat/drink while walking on. You could get 5-10mins up the road vs consuming it at the aid station itself. Stopping for too long risks your body thinking the race is over making it very hard to get going again. On the Spine challenger I was clocked at spending 6mins at aid station 1.5, vs most peoples 20mins+
Aid station SOP’s
Just prior to arrival
Arriving on schedule? – continue with Plan A.
Arriving behind schedule? – calculate extra nutrition requirements. 30g carbs per 20-30mins. So if 30mins behind schedule add 1 gel to the next resupply, 10mins behind – add aid station food eg. half / quarter banana.
Arriving ahead of schedule – ?need to slow down!? Pace yourself. Do a systems check: How is the body feeling, what is the RPE? What is average HR?
On approach to aid station
Plan A / Plan B? (if crewed, shout out to your crew)
Remove bottles from race vest and unscrew the tops ready to fill (add powder if carrying own salts/energy powder)
Check you’ve consumed all fluids / nutrition from the last checkpoint.
If not all finished remind yourself that must eat/drink more
If run out / behind schedule, consider adding extra to the next aid station resupply.
On arrival to aid station
Fill fresh bottles.
Deposit used gel packets etc. in the bin
Pick up fresh nutrition as per plan A and/or collect food from aid station as per Plan B.
Pick up flashcard with next split details.
On leaving aid station
Walk out the aid station, eating any solid food as collected.
Remind yourself of the details for the next section (chunking the race).
Slowly transition back to running.
Additional questions
If temperature hot – is extra bottle required? (have extra bottle of Precision Hydration on hand)
Is a change of clothes required?
Is sun cream required?
Is anti-chafe required?