Tech/cotton shirts & race snacking

Hi all,

Two  stupid questions:

1.) Will a tech t-shirt still work if I wear a cotton one on top of it? I'm doing my first half marathon on Sunday and would like to wear the charity shirt, which is a regular cotton one. However, I got so used to my lovely tech tops that I'd rather not get all sweaty and have the wind blowing right through me in a cotton one.

2.) I've heard people recommending jelly beans to top up during a race a couple of times. Why specifically jelly beans and not any of the other gummi candy? What about dried apricots/raisins?

Thanks!

I don't know about the t-shirt issue, but I'd guess that putting a cotton one on top of your tech one will have two effects:

You'll get hot - if you're used to having only one layer.

The cotton one will absorb the sweat, which won't be so likely to evaporate?

I use glucose tabs or jelly babies sometimes, but you should try out a few things and see what suits you, but BEFORE your race.  I wouldn't suggest eating during your race if you've never done it before. Plus, if you've never needed it in training, you probably won't need it in the race.

i think that the tech t shirt would still work in regards to keeping the sweat away but it may not be as affective at keeping your temp right as the cotton t-shirt would be on top; i'd suggest havin a training run soon and trial it out!

in regards to the sweets my mum swears by Jelly Babies for some fuel; something to do with the complex carbs and sugar.

good luck on your run on sun; enjoy it

Thanks guys!

Unfortunately, I won't be able to run before Sunday anymore, so it will have to do on the day. I know I should have tried it out, but was so stressed recently that I completely forgot.

Which is also the reason my training runs have all been considerably shorter than race distance (13k as opposed to 21k), hence me thinking that I might need some fuel during the race.

Do you think that I wouldn't get as cold in the wind with a tech shirt underneath as if I was wearing just the cotton one (which would get very sweaty, and therefore cold when the wind blows hard)? I really should have tried it out...

I find Jelly beans too gumy and jelly babies too big.  my vote is for fruit pastels.I recently did my first HM and only ate one at around 12 miles just as a little distraction!

on the tops i would wear one or the other -not both.

Jelly tots are my fave, just be careful to suck them and not to inhale them as you run, you need to be careful not to choke.  I have them as a treat every mile marker after about 6 or 7 miles. Hope your'e OK SA, we miss you on "Gulp". We've almost all done our first halves now, just done my third and have  the toe from hell to prove it!

Best of Luck for Sunday, Saltpot is running hers then too. Isn't yours Edinburgh?

Thanks all! Much appreciated.

The food question has solved itself by me forgetting the dried fruits and jelly babies I had bought at work, so I'll just trust that there'll be something nice in the goodie bag at the finish.

Not yet decided which shirt(s) to wear... Your advice of only wearing the tech one is probably the most sensible one, but it would be a shame to leave the charity one at home...

Aaww, thanks, Foxy! Will check in teher right now.