2013 Battenkill Feed Zone

I'm going to have brad follow me in his car and I'll wave him up when I'm thirsty or bored. There was also volunteers handing bottles last year
 
Last year my girlfriend drove to the feed zones and handed me bottles as I came by. The feed zones are on climbs so you can easily grab a bottle from some one since you're already pedaling at low speed.

She'll be doing that again this year as well. I'll probably book her a massage / spa appointment to show appreciation. 🙂
 
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Someone can have a free Rapha bag if they want to look super cool, just shoot me a PM.
 
Forgot to mention. The race has neutral volunteers at the feed zones handing out bottles too.
 
The race is under 3 hours so there's no need to use the feed zones. You can easily carry enough with you.

-Jim.
 
Yeah, I carried 3 bottles last year. one in each cage and one in my back pocket. + Bard will be behind me in the MTBNJ Team Support Car...
or MTBNJTSC for short.
 
I'm going to try and be self sufficient as well, I don't want to botch a water bottle hand off 🙁
 
jimvreeland said:
The race is under 3 hours so there's no need to use the feed zones. You can easily carry enough with you.

-Jim.
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I guess if you're a camel? I carried 3 bottles. Drank 2 bottles before I got to feed Zone 1.

Throughout the race I think I drank 5.
 
capedoc said:
I guess if you're a camel? I carried 3 bottles. Drank 2 bottles before I got to feed Zone 1.

Throughout the race I think I drank 5.
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WTF? You're doing something wrong. 1 bottle per hour is all that's ever needed. I brought 3 with me and drank 2. I actually attacked in the feed zone when everyone slowed up and established a (non-winning) 30 mile solo break.

-Jim.
 
The race is actually longer this year and will NOT be under three hours for most. Winners in the 3,4, and 5 fields will be around 3:10-3:15. Keep in mind...that is the winner. Some will be out there for an additional hour. Everyone has different personal hydration needs so you should experiment in training to understand how much you will need.

The first feed zone is really early at mile 22. Many racers go through that feed realizing they haven't taken a sip of fluid yet. :hmmm: I think that feed is useless unless you start with only one bottle. OTOH, this feed could be a godsend if you lose/drop a bottle early in the race.

The next feed zone is at mile 44. A little late in the race. By the time you get a feed there and drink it, your race has been decided. Try to make up for missed hydration and you will go up Stage Rd. all bloated.

In 2012, ToB volunteers offered neutral feeds of water but it was very sporadic. They were volunteers and not the most dependable. I was in the feed zones providing for clients after my race. I heard plenty of riders enter the feed zone asking for "neutral water". Most left empty-handed. If you go through the feed off the back and alone, you have a good chance of getting a neutral feed. Go through in a pack of 50 riders and you are in a dream world.

If you do not or can not make arrangements for a feed, you can carry a third bottle from the start. I have done that for two years. I drink one from my bike in the first hour. Dump the empty. Then replace it with the bottle in my pocket. If I lost a bottle along the way, which is very common on these rough roads, I would go through the feed asking for a neutral.

I find a bottle in the pocket to be really friggin annoying so it provides a reminder to drink.
 
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I'm the same way; I need more than a bottle an hour in an intense race like Battenkill. Last year I got a neutral water bottle, but like others mentioned, some people missed out because of the number of riders.

Probably gonna use the Camelback RaceBack, but I don't like the idea of carrying the extra weight up Juniper Swamp!

Thanks for all the comments...
 
capedoc said:
I drink more beer than the average person. In the winter time, I can do a 65 mile ride and drink 1 bottle. IN the Spring and Summer, I might need 5 or 6. It's ridiculous.
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but doesn't the beer get warm and foamy?
 
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