preview for The Best Way to Grab A Cup of Water (Tested)

In my experience running hundreds of races—including 30 marathons—over more than three decades, I’ve tried just about every possible way to avoid taking a Gatorade bath. The most successful method involves a finger hook and pinch of the cup. To prove that, we tested the “pinch” method against other techniques.

Update: When shooting this video, test editor Amanda Furrer said she didn’t think this method was any better than how she’d previously grabbed water in a race. A week later, as she blew past me on the Boston Marathon course, I watched her grab three cups—all using the pinch! She fessed up later that, yes, it is in fact a superior method.


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Jeff Dengate
Runner-in-Chief

Jeff is Runner-in-Chief for Runner's World, guiding the brand's shoes and gear coverage. A true shoe dog, he's spent more than a decade testing and reviewing shoes. In 2017, he ran in 285 different pairs of shoes, including a streak of 257 days wearing a different model.