Finally bought a hydration vest and did first test. Results encouraging. Most important thing was no chafing -- that's a big deal. My back got sweaty pretty quick, but chest and nipples were fine. Chest strap is adjustable on the run. I got the smaller 1.5 liter Nathan. It's not going to be as easy to fill during races as my water bottle, but shouldn't need to be filled often.
Drinking is easy. It has a bite valve that can be carried in the mouth for several strides to allow breathing and running. I was never very adept at drinking out of the water bottle on the run. If I did get water down, I also messed up breathing.
The cool part is that the vest actually encourages smooth running with no vertical motion because the bladder sloshes louder if there's up and down going on. Really smooth stride is rewarded with silence.
There are several pockets in the vest, so the next step is to put the metronome in one and start using it to sustain cadence. Cadence seems to have a big impact on vertical motion. When some up and down starts, increasing cadence and shortening stride damp it out.
Running up Cayucos Creek Road again. Already up to Picacho Rd fork--my usual winter short run. Hills are easier and times better than last spring during training for San Diego. Knee feels ok. A little stiffness in the beginning, but hasn't seized up at the end yet--free and easy movement. Wind is still a problem with the higher speed, but it seems to be coming back.
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