Gear Review: CamelBak Mini M.U.L.E. hydration pack

I am a grownup woman reviewing a child's hydration pack. And I am not ashamed. The Camelbak Mini M.U.L.E. is a great hydration (plus!) pack for a smallish adult female marathoner.

In the city, it's not difficult to find water along my running routes. I'm fortunate to have access to abundant public water fountains and runner-friendly Dunkin Donuts or Whole Foods stores.

During marathon training this summer, I began logging lots of miles on unfamiliar, much more rural trails and roads. I was already fairly accustomed to carrying this handheld water bottle, but found myself quickly drinking through 18 ounces in the summer heat. Between fuel, extra layers for unpredictable weather, keys, phone, and money, I also found myself carrying a lot more stuff as my runs grew in length. I've previously tried and disliked the feeling of running with a water belt, so I decided it was time to buy a running pack.

First Thoughts
I did not do research about running hydration packs ahead of time. I walked into REI, pulled all of the small hydration packs they had in stock off the racks, and ran around the store wearing each one. I tried on and really liked a few different brands. The CamelBak Mini M.U.L.E. wasn't even among my first round of test packs...because it was in the kids section. That's right, this is a pack designed for a child to wear while riding his or her bicycle. I had narrowed my choices down to two packs when I caught a glimpse of the Mini M.U.L.E. and decided to give it a try. I didn't love the bright pink color, but the $50 price tag was less than half of any other pack I had looked at. A 1.5 liter reservoir seemed like a good match for marathon training long run range, the pack had some extras like gear and cell phone pockets, and the fit was surprisingly comfortable. Sold.

Pack Specifications
Total Capacity: 91 cubic inches (1.5 Liters) + 1.5 Liter reservoir
Hydration Capacity: 1.5 Liter reservoir (included
Pack-Only Weight: 8.5 oz (.24 kg)
Torso Length: 12 inches (30 cm)
Harness: "kids fit lightweight mesh with slider sternum strap"
Fabric: "70D Diamond clarus/ 210D Nylon"

Fit/Comfort
I'm a 5'5", 125 lb woman, and this pack fits snugly and comfortably. It sits high between my shoulder blades and has adjustable shoulder straps and a sternum strap that slides up or down. I've taken it on dozens of runs now, and I've never needed to make adjustments or fuss with it while running. I do sometimes hear the water sloshing in its reservoir while I'm running, but this hasn't affected the way the pack feels. I even tried it out on some faster paced tempo runs without a problem.

Carrying Capacity
The pack has two zippered pockets: one on the front of the backpack for keys, snacks, etc; and one at the top of the backpack which fits my iPhone vertically and is a good place for stashing cash. There's also an open cargo slip pocket in the middle of the pack with adjustable straps. This pocket works well for carrying a light shirt, pair of gloves, or sunscreen.

Hydration System
The 1.5 liter reservoir is your typical Camelbak with a hose and bite valve. The bite valve can be shut off with a locking valve to prevent leaking during travel. When running, I do tend to leave this valve unlocked for easy access to drink, and I do occasionally notice the bite valve leaking just a little. The pack has a separate pocket for the hydration pack.

Versatility
In addition to using on runs from 8-20 miles, I've taken this pack on day hikes. I was able to cram in my lunch and snacks, a couple layers, map, cell phone and keys without a problem. It is not the coolest looking pack, so I wouldn't necessarily wear it out on the town.

Bottom Line
As autumn wanes and the local water fountains are shut off, I'll be happy to comfortably carry my own water and have a place to keep all my snotty tissues. For a smaller woman, the Camelbak Mini M.U.L.E. is a great alternative to the more expensive hydration packs.

16 miles + A Post Run Recovery Smoothie Recipe

Folks, we have officially entered uncharted territory. Before (foolishly?) deciding to sign up for my first marathon, the farthest I had ever run was 14 miles. Now, 8 weeks into marathon training, I have just officially completed my first 16 miler.

16.38 miles at 8:05 minutes per mile, to be exact. And it wouldn't be a long run without some snow, so we had a bit of that. I elected to follow the marathon route for a good stretch of my run, both so that I could get some practice with mid-run hills and because I knew that this morning loads of Boston Marathoners would be out getting in the Last Long Run before the race. It was incredibly energizing to be surrounded (at 7 am on a Saturday in the March snow) by hundreds of other runners. As I gritted my teeth and pumped my legs up Heartbreak Hill, a pair of runners shouted across the street, "You got this!"

Thanks, running guys. That really made me feel good.

I was inexact in my route plan mileage calculation, so when I hit 16 miles I was still a half mile from home. At first, I kept running (hence the .38). And then, I had this moment:

So I walked the rest of the way home.

Recovery after a long run is a serious deal to me.
In this morning's case, recovery = Legs up the wall. Ice on the foot. International soccer on TV. Bagelsuarus and carrot turmeric protein smoothie in my belly.

Duncan joined me for a bit of relaxing.

If you are a) puzzled by or b) scoffing at my "carrot turmeric protein smoothie", I take no offense to your skepticism. I am not a nutritionist, nor will I claim to have conducted exhaustive research on efficacy of various recovery foods/drinks/supplements.

I do know that turmeric has long been used in Ayudervic and Chinese medicines to treat pain (among other ailments). And that many papers have been written about the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, a component in the turmeric root.

I did not arrive at the decision to add a protein supplement to my diet overnight, and I will not suggest that it is the right choice for anyone but myself. If you want to know more about how and why I came to start adding protein powder (or to tell me reasons why I shouldn't take a supplement) feel free to ask me about it. For today, I'll just share that I do take a protein powder as part of my post-workout nutrition. After testing out many types and brands of both plant-based and whey protein sources, I've landed on Vega Sport Performance Protein. Of those I've experimented with, it has by far the best taste and texture and I like that it's a multi-source, plant-based powder with 25 grams of protein per serving. In this smoothie, you can swap in your protein supplement of choice or omit it all together if protein powder is not your jam. It's still a delicious smoothie.

Carrot Turmeric Protein Smoothie
(adapted from Vega)

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 cup coconut water (Harmless Harvest is my fave)
• 1 scoop Vega Sport Performance Protein Vanilla (totally optional - see note)

Preparation

1. Blend it all up
2. Enjoy 45-60 minutes post workout

I'm off to Gillette Stadium to watch the Revs take on the San Jose Earthquakes, in the snow!