Category: Nutrition / Race Day Strategy Reading Time: 6 Minutes

We have all seen it in a race: a runner creates a bottleneck by stopping dead in their tracks, fumbling with a zippered pocket in their shorts, and struggling to tear open an energy gel with slippery, sweaty hands.

They have broken their rhythm. They have spiked their heart rate. And they have lost time.

Nutrition is the fourth discipline of endurance running. Your legs might be strong enough to go the distance, but if your fuel tank runs dry, your engine stops. This is known as "bonking" or "hitting the wall."

To avoid the wall, you need to eat. To eat consistently, it has to be easy. Enter: The Cockpit Strategy.

What is the Cockpit Strategy?

Think of a fighter pilot. They don't unbuckle and walk to the back of the plane to check a map or get a drink. Everything they need to survive is located within arm's reach, visible on their dashboard.

Your RunWithFreedom Vest is your cockpit.

By moving your essentials from your waist or back pockets to your chest, you create a dashboard of fuel that allows you to eat and drink without ever stopping your stride. Here is how to set it up.

1. The Science: Why You Need a Strategy

Your body stores glycogen (energy) in your muscles, but that tank is limited. Most runners only have enough stored glycogen for about 90 minutes of hard effort.

Once that tank empties, your brain forces your muscles to slow down. To prevent this, science suggests consuming 30–60 grams of carbohydrates per hour for any run lasting longer than 75 minutes.

That is roughly one energy gel or serving of chews every 45 minutes. If accessing that fuel is annoying or difficult, you will skip it. And if you skip it, you bonk.

2. The Setup: Organizing Your Vest

Use the front pockets of your RunWithFreedom vest to separate your "Liquids" from your "Solids."

Left Front: Hydration

Keep your BPA-Free Soft Flask in the front left mesh pocket.

• Pro Tip: You cannot digest carbohydrates efficiently without water. Having the water right next to your mouth encourages you to take a sip immediately after taking a gel, which speeds up digestion and prevents stomach cramps.

Right Front: The "Vending Machine"

Use the front right pocket (behind the blue logo) strictly for calories.

• Pre-Tear Your Gels: Before you start your run, snip the very top of your gel wrappers (just a tiny bit, so they don't leak). This makes them incredibly easy to rip open with your teeth while you are breathing heavy.

• The Rotation: If you are running an ultra or a very long training run, keep your immediate fuel in the front. Move supplies from the back storage to the front pockets during walking breaks so your "cockpit" is always stocked.

3. Waste Management: Don't Be That Runner

Nothing ruins a trail or road like a discarded shiny foil wrapper.

• The Trash Can: Designate a specific pocket (like a lower side pocket or the bottom of your nutrition pocket) as your "Trash Can."

• Sticky Situation: Gel wrappers are sticky. By keeping them separate from your phone and keys, you prevent a mess that you have to clean up later.

4. The "Sip and Nibble" Technique

When you carry a handheld bottle or rely on aid stations, you tend to "chug" water all at once. This sloshing in your stomach can cause nausea.

Because the RunWithFreedom Vest keeps hydration on your chest, you can adopt the "Sip and Nibble" technique.

• Sip: Take small sips of water every 10–15 minutes.

• Nibble: Instead of forcing down a whole energy bar at once, eat half now and half in 20 minutes.

• Why it works: This provides a steady stream of glucose to your bloodstream, rather than huge spikes and crashes.

5. Why Material Matters for Nutrition

When you are pushing your body to the limit, your stomach becomes sensitive. The last thing you want to ingest is micro-chemicals from cheap plastic.

As your body heat warms up the vest, standard plastics can release distinct chemical tastes into your water. This is why our hydration flasks are strictly BPA-Free. The only thing you should be tasting is your water or electrolyte mix—clean, pure, and safe.

Conclusion: Fuel the Machine

Don't let poor logistics ruin great training. By organizing your vest like a cockpit, you remove the friction between you and your fuel.

Stop fumbling. Stop stopping. Start fueling.