Racing Tip: Pill Pouches

Here's a little tip I picked up over the years.  When doing triathlons (or even some long runs) I like to carry stomach meds, Advil and salt tablets.  I use to carry them in a plastic container but they would bounce around, make noise and it was a pain to open (especially on the bike portion of the race).  After many years I found a much better solution, pill pouches.

Pill pouches (surprisingly enough) were made to carry pills but they can be used for a ton of things.  They are small (about 2in x 2in), lightweight, water resistant and really easy to open and close.  They are also really cheap.  You can get them at Walgreens, CVS, etc for $2.99 for a package of 50.

During my Half-Ironmans I carry one pouch on the bike and one in my running belt.  They are really easy to open on the bike and run.  They are also are also water resistant so my pills do got get wet with sweat or when I pour water on myself on the hot runs.  I usually carry a few extra meds for follow athletes who usually do not think of carrying stomach meds, Advil and salt tablets.  Many fellow athletes have thanked me over the years for saving them by carrying extra meds.

These little pill pouches have saved me many times over the years.  They are an essential piece of equipment in my tri-bag.  Try them out sometime and you will see their many benefits.

Small, sealable, water resistant and easy to open.

Typical contents of my pouches in a triathlon