Aid Station Skills: Drinking on the Run

Practice for road race aid stations: grab a cup without fully stopping, pinch it so it won't spill, drink while walking, and get back to pace. It builds hydration habits during exercise, endurance, and race planning.

How to play

1. 300 m loop with an aid station table halfway and a trash can 20 m past it. Groups of 5: 3 run and 2 work the table, filling cups with a couple of fingers of water (3 min).
2. Demo: raise a hand, grab the cup from the top, pinch the rim into a spout, take 3-4 sips while walking, and drop it in the trash can (2 min).
3. Round 1 (4 min): easy running; each lap, practice the technique at a walk.
4. Round 2 (4 min): keep jogging; volunteers hand cups out at arm's length. Then rotate roles.
5. Round 3 (4 min): group relay. Each runner reaches the trash can having drunk half the cup without spilling; a spill adds 10 m to their next lap.
6. Debrief (3 min): in events over 45-60 minutes, take small frequent sips, before getting very thirsty, without overdrinking.

Rules

• Fill cups only one-third full.
• Pass the table in single file and on one side only.
• Safety: dry the wet area or walk through it so nobody slips.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: practices in a wheelchair with the table lowered.
• Visual impairment: a partner guides the student and places the cup in their hand with a verbal cue.
• Fitness level: some run at race pace, others mix jogging and walking.

Learning goals

• Drink on the move without losing pace.
• Know basic hydration guidelines for long exercise.
• Value planning aid station stops in a race.

Equipment for a class of 25

• plastic cups: 30
• plastic gallon jugs: 4
• classroom desks: 2
• cones: 10
• trash cans: 2

Teacher tip

Use reusable cups labeled with names to cut waste. Remind students that overdrinking is also a risk in long events.

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