Some days, it's too early to run...

And sometimes, microwaves are not healthy.

I cannot stress enough how much I love hydration. (I love a lot of things, don't I?) I've gone for very few runs without some form of water; those runs have been enough to encourage me not to do it again. Whether it's 110 degrees or 10 degrees below zero, I always need water. If I'm running 10 miles or more, I also need some form of solid food. Enter my favorite water bottle...

This is what my favorite water bottle used to look like.

Wasn't it so pretty? I loved the soft handle that kept the bottle snug on my hand so I didn't have to squeeze it. The pocket was the perfect size to hold my keys, a fuel gel, and (on my really ambitious work days) my T pass, building badge, and driver's license. It holds 16 ounces of water, which is enough for about 13 miles, depending on the weather.

Well, now I need a new hydration system. And with this 26.2-miler looming ahead of me, my old 16 ounce water bottle doesn't seem like enough. I plan my routes to pass public drinking fountains so I can refill if necessary, but those will be shut off in a month or so. Enter my new favorite water bottle(s)...

There are MANY models of fuel belt on the market and I did a fair amount of research before I bought this one. By "research," I mean watching what other runners were using. For every other type of belt I saw on the road, I saw 5 of this one. That sold me.

What I love about this belt is the lack of bells and whistles. There are belts with comfort grips, but a friend who used one got bruises from the bounce. Some other belts have clip-closures with adjustable widths, but another friend said that hers kept loosening on her runs. My belt has no bounce and the stretchy, velcro closure is easy to fit to almost any body. It holds four 8-ounce bottles, which can be replaced fairly inexpensively with a 6-, 10-, or 12-ounce model. The pocket in the rear is my favorite part. I can fit three, count 'em, three fuel gels in that bad boy and still have room for my keys!

I'm going to have to think of a new excuse to delay my long runs... :) In other news, I'm up to 17 miles on the weekend! I'll try 20 this weekend and let you know how it goes...