Archive for February 9th, 2008

If you’re not a regular reader, look two posts down to “I Need A Drink” and you’ll find my histrionics about taking hydration on the run, ultimately bringing me to buy a handheld which I had all intentions of hating…deeply. Well, no one could be more surprised than I am to find that I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new Amphipod Hydraform!

I had planned a 14 mile run today but felt so fabulous thanks to having Gatorade in hand, that I extended it to 16. The best part was looking down at the Garmin around 14.5 miles and finding I was bopping along at an 8:29 pace. For someone who’d been feeling draggy for the last few miles of my 13s, this was a revelation and a huge DUH! moment.

The wild thing is that I expected to be carrying something the whole way which was where my dread stemmed from – the one time I tried to carry gloves in my hand, I got so annoyed after a millisecond that I shoved them into my waistband. But that was carrying, which requires you to clutch something in a firm fist, and that’s not what the Amphipod is about. Instead, it hangs off your palm – your hands and fingers are in a perfectly relaxed position the whole time.

What’s especially weird is that it didn’t affect my armswing in the least. I switched it to the opposite hand every 25 minutes or so, only because I knew I should, not because of any shoulder or arm cramping. Seriously, when I wasn’t marveling over it, the thing was virtually transparent the whole run.

Now when the summer comes, I am thrilled that I won’t need the belt anymore, I’ll just refill the handheld at a water fountain. What could be easier? So, no cussing from me today, just relief that I’ve found a simple hydration solution that I can live with. It’s a miracle!