How much to drink from the start – and along the way?
There is one rule that applies no matter what race you participate in: Drink some sports drink before you feel thirsty! Like 15-20 minutes into the race. It is not enough to rely on your thirst!
What also happens when you drink a little sports drink early on is that your stomach gets used to absorbing fluid and nutrition.
The sports drink is supplied by Fuel.
For example, drink 2dl three times an hour. If it is very hot, some people need to drink four times an hour, but this is mostly in street races when asphalt and the city are hotter than the field, where there is also shade from trees.
So this drinking thing is individual. And training conditions, weather and temperature also play a role.
A general recommendation, and as the literature also shows, is that most people do not need more than 0.5 - 0.8L per hour. More than that is not recommended!
So how much you should bring from the start to the first drink station depends entirely on how long you spend, how demanding the route is – and what time of day it is.
It gets hotter in the middle of the day!
Remember that Ecotrail does not hand out cups, not even at the finish line. Bring your own optional drinking system!
80km has five stations
From the start (7am) it is just over 13 km to the first drinking station at Maridalen Church. Calculate a minimum of 0.5L per hour.
From Maridalen Church to the Holmenkollen food and drink station it is just under 20km. Two steep climbs (Fagervann and Vettakollen). Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour.
From Holmenkollen it is just under 20km to the food and drink station in Sørkedalen. Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour.
From Sørkedalen to Fossum food and drink station it is 10km. The first 3km is continuous climbing. Calculate minimum 0.6L per hour.
From Fossum to Thaugland drinking stations it is approximately 11 km. The route is hilly and technical in places. Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour.
From Thaugland to the finish line it is just under 9km. Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour you will use to reach the finish line. Be aware of the temperature too!
50km has three stations
From the start to the first drinking and food station in Sørkedalen it is just under 20km. Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour you use.
From Sørkedalen to Fossum food and drink station it is 10 km. The first 3km is continuous ascent. Calculate minimum 0.6L per hour.
From Fossum to Thaugland drinking station it is approximately 11km. The route is hilly and technical in places. Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour.
From Thaugland to the finish line it is just under 9km. Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour you will use to reach the finish line. Be aware of the temperature too!
31km has two stations
From the start to the first food and drink station at Fossum it is 10 km. The first 3km are continuous climbs. Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour.
From Fossum to Thaugland drinking station it is approximately 11km. The route is hilly and technical in places! Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour.
From Thaugland to the finish line it is just under 9km. Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour you will use to reach the finish line. Be aware of the temperature too!
21km has a station
From the start to the Thaugland drinking station it is approximately 11km. The route is hilly and technical in places! Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour.
From Thaugland to the finish line it is just under 9km. Calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour you will use to reach the finish line. Be aware of the temperature too!
10km "has a station"
10 km will meet the drinking station after just under 2km.
In any case, you must calculate a minimum of 0.6L per hour from the start.
By the way, are there bananas and food at the last drink station?
No. There, a banana won't be of much use other than to satisfy any hunger. Fructose/fruit sugar irritates the intestines if there is too much of it, but it is also a carbohydrate that has to go through a few detours before the body can use it. First it is absorbed, then it goes to the liver and there it is converted into glucose (dextrose). So it takes some time before the muscles can use it.
A drop, gel, or gum on your tongue can actually have just as much of an effect as a banana at the end of a race. The advantage is that you don't have to have it in your stomach.
So there will be snacks, and chocolate for those who feel hungry, instead of bananas at the last station. That will also save us 4,000 smelly and long-traveled banana peels.
At the finish line there is also water and sports drinks. And lots more snacks and miscellaneous items.
