Here's the skinny on cupless

Why we're moving toward a cupless race

This change is consistent with our commitment to sustainability and the environment. Seeing how much waste events like a marathon generate, we felt compelled to do all that we can to minimize our impact on the environment while still providing an efficient and enjoyable race experience for our runners and walkers.

GU taking care of yu (and the environment)!

GU is our on-course nutrition sponsor and they also feel strongly about reducing waste. They have donated a number of free GU collapsible cups to us. If you need one, just ask at packet pickup and we'll be happy to get you one. 
​ Feel free to use whatever hydration device you want but we also want to make sure you're taken care of since this isn't just a little change.
This is an awesome little cup that can be used for races for years to come. It weighs in at only 10grams and packs easily into a small gel pocket or into a sports bra. 

What are your options

Luckily, there's no shortage of different options for you. Many, if not most, trail races are already cupless and that has spurred a whole niche around hydration innovations. There are packs with bladders or front softflasks, waist belts with bottles, handheld bottles, and stow-and-go reusable cups. Whatever you choose to go with we would definitely encourage you to practice before the race if possible. 

How will I fill my bottle/cup

That's a great question and we have a great solution. Most water jugs have a little trickle that runs out the bottom and might take minutes to fill. We know that's not acceptable to to someone running a marathon so we've got a few ways to speed that up. First will be more water stations to fill up at. Second, the use of a new High Flow Valve on the water containers that can fill up a cup in seconds. And third, more volunteers at aid stations to help with the filling. We definitely don't want you to have to wait for water. 

Elite bottles

Many marathons utilize a bottle system for elite athletes and we want to accommodate that as well. Qualifying times for elite status will be 3:00 for men and 3:20 for women. Please contact us bendmarathoninfo at gmail dot com if you would like have bottles on course.