This episode's podcast is brought to you in part by Tailwind Nutrition and joining us

is Candace Bert, who is the race director of the Billingham Trail Marathons and the

infamous Tahoe 200 that's coming up for 2014, which we're really interested in running

around Lake Tahoe in a just spectacular trail environment. So Candace, thanks for coming

on, thanks for putting all the races. And what is your Tailwind Nutrition tip?

Well, today I wanted to tell you a little bit about drinking unfiltered water in the

backcountry.

Right. I have often wondered about that. And just a disclaimer, even if you put Tailwind

Nutrition in your bottle, it is not a disinfectant. So go ahead, we're ready.

Well, so first off, there's always a risk with drinking unfiltered water, but I've been

able to make it all except for one time where I did, I think, at Gerardia, I've been

able to make it for like three and a half years drinking water up in the mountains out of

streams, picking them carefully. The time I got sick, I didn't follow these rules, but I

was desperate. So basically, if you're going to drink unfiltered water, generally you want

to make sure you're in the mountains. Over 5,000 feet is good because it's going to be

more pure up higher. And then you want to pick a stream that's moving water. You want

to pick it from somewhere up high, like a small waterfall or a hillside where it's getting

some air rations in the water that helps to disinfect it a little bit on its own. Basically,

definitely don't want to drink from streams in a city or by roads, by pasture or fields, water

that's muddy or stagnant. You want it moving, you want it to be cold. That all means that it's more

likely to be clean and pure. And be sure when you're traveling somewhere new to just check and see

those places are generally safe for drinking water, like ask around in town or ask local runners.

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