Fueling for/during OWS

Couple of ideas: slip some energy gels into your suit; make a paste of an endurance drink powder, wrap it in something, slip that in suit as well. I couldn't do that distance w/o refueling and rehydrating. Others can. Check to see whether there are rehydrating stations on the course? (I see Chaos just posted...) Good luck!

I did that swim last year without fueling and suffered for it from about mile 3.5 to the end. Another friend took a gel that he had in his suit at around mile 2.5 and had no problems. But everyone is different--some can go that distance with no issues at all. Last year, they had two support boats. I think they were at mile 2 and mile 3. I think I saw both of them; some of my friends missed them. This is not to say that they weren't well marked, just that in the heat of the swim, it can be hard to pick them out. I did not stop at either, though that was primarily because I was on the left and they were on the right. I didn't want to move that far out of my line to get to them. I've heard that they've been more to the center in other years. All of which is just to say that if you are sure you need something, you might want to try to plan for a way to have it on you rather than depending upon the boats. Good luck! It was probably my favorite swim last year.

If you think you'll be out there long enough to need a snack, practice with it beforehand. GU is palatable, digestible, and convenient for me but you might prefer something else. I recommend against something you would have to chew. Also, test out a few locations to stash the packets to find out what is most comfortable and secure and easy to get to. In an ankle-length suit I can fit a GU packet neatly into the hollow behind my ankle bone and Achilles tendon; in a tank suit I can carry one on my chest, just where the strap meets the front part of the suit. Don't forget that if you eat something while you swim you'll also need to tuck the empty packet back in your suit or cap until you finish.

Don't forget that if you eat something while you swim you'll also need to tuck the empty packet back in your suit or cap until you finish. You can't do like the old Jeff Foxworthy Redneck jokes...about the beer cans on the lake when you're fishing??? "Don't just throw the cans out on the lake to make a mess...fill 'em with water so they sink to the bottom!!" :bolt:

i never took a feed during that swim, but they will have a couple of boats out there +/- half way with water and maybe some carbo drinks. pack a gel or two in your suit. go to brighton beach and swim "the loop".... see how it feels. the bay swim shouldn't take you much longer than that.

2 miles is what you do in pool practice, so I would think that 2 in O W would still be O K.

This will be my fifth year at the Bay Swim -- I love it! Sometimes the food boats are not where you need to be in terms of current/position. I always stick 2 GUs under the back of my swim cap. Make sure you try this in practice. I do one at mile 2 and one ~ mile 3.5. But I am slow (3-hour finisher) so I need that extra boost to get in the last mile since by then the current has really picked up and the last mile is by far the hardest.

Thanks SO much for the suggestions guys, I have been taking GUs during practice swims but I wasn't sure if I was nutty to think I could do this during the swim. :) It's a different ballgame than running with a GU in your pocket! I'll test out the GU in the cap vs suit. Thanks for the heads up on the fuel boats too, those aren't mentioned on the website.

For those of you who mentioned you've done the Great Bay before, are there a lot of non-wetsuit swimmers out there? I have no desire to wear a wetsuit for 4.4 miles. :)

For those of you who mentioned you've done the Great Bay before, are there a lot of non-wetsuit swimmers out there? I have no desire to wear a wetsuit for 4.4 miles. :) i've done the swim 4x. the water temp was never below 72. you will be in the minority as the event awards structure favors the use of wetsuits but..... don't wear one! (you'll like yourself better for it) a few forumites have done it both ways.... they will concur.