Thursday, August 14, 2008

Bottle Fed

So like a week ago I bought a handheld water bottle for my long runs, but I've just had so much to brag write about lately that I've had to relegate this topic to the bottom shelf. I purchased a Nathan QuickDraw Plus from Dick's Sporting Goods and took it on its maiden voyage last Thursday, my 10-miler.

I chose the handheld because the CamelBak is too impractical for an average LSD, and I refuse to succumb to a hydration belt. The QuickDraw Plus features a 22-ounce bottle, a wicking hand strap and a pocket just big enough for my regular keychain (I pare down for most runs) or perhaps a gel pack or two.

Getting used to the additional (and off-balance) arm weight took a couple miles. The hand strap is nice because I don't have to actually hold the water bottle. I can relax my hand. My big mistake though was loading up the bottle with ice. Can anyone say numb hand? And after five miles, the ice was completely gone anyway.

I still don't really care to carry anything with me when I run, but unfortunately my body seems to need water if I run more than eight miles. Go figure.

My most common route has plenty of water fountains, but it's also only four miles one way. Now, I've done a 20-miler there, but as you might imagine the scenery gets kind of monotonous. The handheld gives me the freedom to explore other, less hydrated routes. And it doesn't make me look like a total douche jockey.

Booze Hound rating: 3 fingers, neat

[Drunkard's note: The Booze Hound rating system is based on a good pour. Up to five fingers, either "on the rocks" or "neat." If you can't figure out what's good and what's bad, you need to spend more time drinking.]

Idiotic Update
Last night, I completed Week 3 of the Prove Nitmos Is an Idiot Stretchy-Band Challenge. I'm starting to feel like it might be time to graduate to the "intermediate" level, because this beginner routine is getting wimpy. The intermediate program calls for two days each of the Day 1 and Day 2 exercises. So to be clear, that will be Day 1 one and two and Day 2 one and two. I don't know if there are that many days in the week.

[Drunkard's note: If you're late to the party, this challenge is in response to Nitmos's Ode to Stretchy Bands.]

11 comments:

Vava said...

Yes yes yes... But does the nipple pass inspection?

S said...

I have water bottle envy.

And I've noticed that SOME of my exercises with the resistance band are insanely easy and I barely need to try...and then some are still ridiculously hard and I can barely move. It's kind of sad.

Wendy said...

I might have to try that bottle. I have alot of unlove for the fuel belt right now.

Nitmos said...

Fuel belts look like a torture device to me. I'd rather carry a bottle. Six packs tend to clank together though and get real annoying fast. Thankfully, my training runs rarely require me to carry my own water and races always have plenty on hand.

Ian said...

I've succumbed to the geeky look of the fuel belt. I hate wearing it, hate the way it looks but I'd hate it even more if I passed out from dehydration. I'd consider the handheld but I recently found out from race pictures that I run with my arms spread out like wings which would make the handheld feel kinda heavy.

tfh said...

Yeah, I hate my fuel belt, which is just a glorified fanny pack. But I'm not sure I could adjust to the handheld. Also, I kind of think people with handhelds look less hardcore, although that may be better than the total douche jockey look.

Marcy said...

I'm with Vanilla. Gotta goes with the belt. I just bought the Nathan Speed 4. My other one wasn't enough. We shall see how that goes. On the attractiveness scale it gets a -7893748294729 but I can't hang with those handhelds. I need the hands for picture taking and flipping off drivers or senior citizen walkers.

ROFLMAO "So like a week ago"

Sun Runner said...

Can anyone say numb hand?

You do know what you're supposed to do with that, right? ;)

My most common route has plenty of water fountains

Forget water stops...what about the availability of port-a-potties along the way? I know where all of the ones around my town are (and do I ever use them!).

As far as hydration packs go, I have a CamelBak FlashFlo. 45 ounces of liquid love at my disposal. Sure, it can be heavy when I first start out, and the sloshing is weird until I tune it out and it becomes white noise. The convenience cannot be beat, however. Plus it has a cargo area large enough to hold a few Gu packets and my cell phone. I've worn it in both of my half marathons and been very glad.

Spike said...

I must be the odd one here, because I drop off supplies before a long run (a 8oz bottle of water and a blox pack). I'll make one or two little drop areas for a long run. I do this because the blox are easy to pin to my shorts during a race and b/c there is always enough water during a race. Sure the water is warm, but most of the time race water isn't cold, so it’s really just race day simulation.

Why all of this effort? Because I hate the belts more than I do drivers who decide to roll down their window and yell at me for running on the road.

Aileen said...

I refuse to use the fuel belt either, and like Nitmos said, most races have enough water/gatorade stations that I don't really need to worry about it. Most long runs, I just bring a water bottle and do the old hand-switcharoo.

Jess said...

I hate the belt too. For now I just carry a water bottle, but that gets old...