product reviews!

For my birthday I asked for a handheld water bottle.  Normally on long runs I use a camelpak, which works well, but is a lot of extra weight to carry.  I think it messes with my posture and after so many miles having any extra weight, especially on your shoulders/back, is just uncomfortable.  My sister-in-law, Melody, graciously made my birthday wish come true!

This version holds 10 ounces and is made by Fuel Belt.  I don't know where Melody got it, but you can find it here on Amazon.

I used this for the first time on Friday morning for my 22 mile long run.

Size: The front pouch is pretty small - I stuffed one Gu gel in there - I maybe could have gotten two if I'd smashed them?  The pouch could be a little bigger, but its current size keeps it from being bulky or in the way.    The ten ounces was a nice size.  It kept the water bottle from getting too heavy, but gave me more than one swig of water.  I refilled this once on my run.  On a hot day (it was in the high 40s when I ran) I would probably need to fill it more than once.

Fit: The strap over the hand is adjustable, which is great.  I had it fit pretty tight against my hand and it didn't move or bounce around, and I didn't have to use my fingers to hold on to it.  Once it was on, it was on.  That was really nice!

Comfort: It took me awhile to get used to the bottle.  In the beginning I didn't like it - it felt awkward and unusual and I didn't like having one hand full and the other empty.  As I ran I got used to it and it didn't bother me nearly as much (it also helped when I drank some of the water and it was a little lighter).  Toward the end of my run it started to annoy me again, but at that point pretty much anything was annoying me because I wanted to be done.

All in all, I really like the water bottle and will definitely use it for my long runs and for runs this summer when I know I'll need water and won't be passing a water fountain!  And for about $10 it's a really good deal!

Remember when I bought BondiBands at the Indy mini marathon expo?  I've been wearing them for my runs lately and I LOVE them!  They're lightweight and fit really well - they don't feel constricting or tight and they totally stay put!  I'm really happy with them.  If you're a maniac about not having hair in your face (like me) and have a problem with headbands actually staying on your head (like me) I definitely recommend these.  They're about $8 each, but I got mine 3 for $20.  You could see if the website has similar deals, or wait for an expo near you!  Note: they have two versions, a sport version and a style version.  The style version is made with slicker fabric and isn't guaranteed to stay put.  The sport version has a little more texture and will not move.