Hello from NYC, it’s the NYC marathon this weekend!
My friends and I live around Mile 18 of the route and we always go down to cheer the runners on. Last year we discussed that we should offer something beyond cheers and shouts.
One of my friends was thinking about pooling our money together and buying some snacks and cookies and just having a big “snacks for runners” sign. Would this work? Would this be helpful? What kind of snacks work best? (ideally something available at Costco)
None of us are runners beyond the occasional turkey trot so we have no idea. So turning to r/running hoping for some feedback before we buy $500 of snacks that nobody wants.
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We have an aid station at mile 22. For runners pacing the 4:00 and below, nobody’s stopping. They’ve got a goal, and they’re trying to hit it.
After that, it kind of becomes a party.
Coke
Sports drinks
Half bananas
Peeled clementines
Grapes that are bordering on frozen
I baked 4 lbs of Bacon and that had become a perennial favorite
A crave case. Nobody will stop and take one, but if you wave it in their face and say “you look like you need a burger!” You’ll usually get a laugh and a taker.
Tylenol
Motrin
Bandaids
Antibiotic cream
Feminine hygiene products
Small bags of chips or cheezits or salt
Small packets of cheap fruit snacks
Tissues!!! I just ran Indy and someone was passing out tissues and I was so grateful to blow my nose 😂
It was sooo windy and a bit chilly so those State Farm tissues really saved me 🤣🤣
Snot rockets…which I really need to stop doing when I’m not running.
I felt this.
I’d second that but would suggest paper towels because you can also use them to wipe the sweat off your face without them disentigrating
I was going to say this. I really appreciate when people have a box of tissues and I can grab a couple.
Yes I was gonna say hand out toilet paper lol
Just finished the marine corps marathon and someone was passing out tissues around mile 23 or 24. It honestly made me smile so hard because I thought it was one of the most thoughtful hand outs, which could have been delirium setting in, but either way I was really grateful.
PLEASE PAPER TOWELS! And a plus!? Have a mirror lol we have no clue what we look like. One race i had a piece of paper on my cheek
Based on my race pictures, I apparently don’t care what I look like when I’m running.
same senior cheesecake. Same.
Actually yes, just took a tissue at mile 21 and I didn’t realize I needed it till I got it!
I just did that one this weekend and wasn’t able to grab a tissue. Frustrating for me but I was glad to see someone was handing them out!
Pickles and beer! (For the non-serious runners like me…) also orange/watermelon/other fruit slices
Based on my experience, the sweet release of death.
Or something sugary.
I was thinking adderal. But either of these work.
At 18 give them gummy bears or beer. It’s 21+ where the sweet release of death would be appreciated.
I’ve done 5 marathons and the thing I tell people is that I love 1/2 marathons, they’re a nice way to start the day. But there’s nothing beyond 20 miles except pain and a larger medal.
I can’t tell if you’re serious or not, but are people really drinking beer while running a marathon?
Pain, misery, questioning all your life’s decisions, wondering what the hell you are doing, wishing pain upon anyone banging a drum or playing terrible music loudly on a Bluetooth speaker, telling yourself you’re never doing another full again, wondering whether you’ll still have toenails after taking your shoes off
Surprisingly the worst part of my last marathon was between 18th and 22nd miles.
After that I regained enough strength to reach the finish line without much issues.
I was struggling in a really cold/rainy race one year and someone near the end was giving out Dixie cups of beers and hot bacon strips and it was amazing.
I ran by a frat house that was handing out full cans. Yes it was some cheap beer…but tasted amazing!
I ran the Newport Oregon Marathon. They handed out oysters on the course. For some reason, there weren’t many takers.
Bacon at mile 18 would be amazing. Salty and fatty but not too filling. Especially if you handed out 1/2 or 1/3 strips.
NOT SUGAR FREE GUMMY BEARS.
Oh gosh I’ve run 3, one ultra and (being in Canada) around km 36 or 37 I always have someone meet me with a beer or radler - even if just for something very cold, effervescent and sugary. The alcohol I find just barely fills the pain and mostly signals that you’re almost done. Huuuuge dopamine boost.
What exactly is the sweet release of death?
Well there’s the death where you have just enough time to think “Oh, shit!”. Then there’s the death where you die in excruciating pain like in a fire or gun shot that doesn’t kill you quickly. Then there is the death where you just kind of melt away in a quiet, illusion of peace.
A marathon is all three of those in one except that finishers keep coming back until it is finally all over.
I’ve been laughing at this for minutes
I read your second line as “something surgery” and was about to write a strongly-worded post advising against surgery during a marathon.
Sour patch kids
Twizzlers
Fireball
Pickles/pickle juice
Jolly ranchers
Coke
Orange soda
Take 5 bars
This requires more UpVotes, particularly for the Twizzlers!
Coke! I would have killed for a coke, that’s a good call.
Omg pickles/juice is GENUIS
There was a guy in the final miles of the MCM (in Crystal City) who had a big tent and he was handing out Fireball Shots in plastic cups. He was playing Pitbull’s “Fireball” on repeat, complete with a sign saying “I’ve had this song on repeat for 6 hours!” and “Bad decisions made here!”
But that’s probably not the “fireball” you meant? :)
I saw a guy actually grab one. I’m pretty sure I would have vomited and died if I’d taken one.
It’s 100% the fireball I meant!!
The MCM fireball guy was too early in the race for me. I was still feeling really good and didn’t want to risk it. I took Jell-O shots at Chicago around mile 21. I already felt like shit, the Jell-O shot was good.
Do not do Dixie cups of water because none of that water is making it into your mouth unless u stop and the last place you wanna stop is mile 18
Electric scooters
But only if they ride them on the sidewalk.
Those little wheel boards.
Salt! I always need something salty
Yes! Ran a 30k trail run once that had a 50k going at the same time that had chips, pretzels and chicken bouillon. Suddenly did not care about my time and had myself a snack break.
Tiny salt packets. You can grab a handful from a restaurant by the napkins and ketchup. I never carry them bc get wet from sweat but if someone handed me one, I’d be eternally grateful.
I did an off road triathlon this summer and they had big trays of potato chips at the run aid stations. It was a god send.
Pickles might be a hit.
I second this.
I would have murdered someone for some salt at mile 18, had any of my muscles worked at that point.
Literally salt packets would have been awesome, but also precooked bacon or flat coke
See you at mile 18!
Pretzels!! So many gels are sugary. All I wanted was something salty. I about kissed the lady with pretzels last year.
Oh god pretzels. Running and inhaling that dry dusty shit with minimal saliva
No thanks
Yeah there’s a stunning absence of savory gels like soy sauce or turkey gravy flavors.
Soy Sauce flavored gels might be the only thing that could convince my husband to join me on a run.
Malört
Watermelon slices
Op this sounds so fun! Would love to see photos of it!
The last thing I want at Mile 18 is solid food, by the time I am at Mile 18 I already have started to despise gels and Gatorade and the last thing I want to do is put more in my stomach. Although I am a front of the pack racer so maybe slower runners wouldn’t mind.
I’d rather run by something that puts a smile on my face at Mile 18 than be handed food
Gum, Oreos, Jelly Beans, Bacon