Lesson learned: don't try new equipment on a long run

This seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it? But apparently it wasn't to me.

I've been looking for a comfortable device to let me carry water and fuel on long runs (a necessary hassle that I am slowly resigning myself to). Last week, I bought what seemed like a good option. Here's what it looked like:

This was actually my second try with one of these. I bought one last year while training for my third half marathon and didn't like it -- the size I bought didn't fit comfortably around my hips and I felt like I was suffocating if I put it around my waist. I toughed it out on the last few long runs before the half marathon, completed the event, and never used it again.

Since my main issue with it was the size, I thought I'd get a bigger one -- which I did last week. I tried it on in the store, jogged around, and it seemed good. It felt comfortable on my hips and stayed put, although I didn't have much room to tighten it if needed. (Do you sense trouble brewing?)

Fast forward to Friday, my long run day. I filled up the water bottles, stowed my sport beans and other necessaries in the zippered pouch, then headed out with J. Less than half a mile in, I realized that my new contraption was not going to work: it was bouncing all over the place and the heavy bottles pulled it down my hips. I tightened it as much as I could but that didn't help. I considered holding it in place -- not very realistic on a 13-mile run -- or ditching it, but smart J suggested that I tie it on instead of using the Velcro. Brilliant!, I thought.

But not only did I tie it too tightly, I didn't realize that I'd done so until nearly the end of the run. By the time I got home and took it off, I had a the beginnings of a huge swollen bruise in the middle of my groin, where the knot had pressed into my flesh. And to go with it, I had some very attractive chafing at the top of my butt crack, where the zippered pouch had rubbed too hard.

Three days later, I am still sore and puffy between the hips. I don't know if I've ever had a bruise in this exact spot! But my little injuries are great reminders for the lesson I'm never going to forget: no new equipment allowed on long runs. From here on out, I'll try new stuff on shorter runs to make sure it's comfortable and works the way I need it to.