Better than a Fuel Belt?

On Saturday I finally got back to some double digit mileage with a sweaty 10 miler, but it isn’t my Herculean efforts that I’m planning on regaling you with in this post. I’ll save that for another time. Instead what I’d like to draw your attention to is a bizarre sight that I saw during my long run. I sped (yes, sped) around a corner and found myself rapidly gaining on a woman walking around the lake with a water bottle on her head, ever alert for new blog fodder I whipped out my camera phone and snapped this picture:


The really strange part was the steadfast demeanor of the water bottle. It didn’t wobble to and fro, it didn’t look like it was in any danger of falling off her head despite the fact that it was a little crooked. It just stood there like a stoic Leaning Tower of Pisa. The woman walked briskly and not at all cautiously as though she knew that the little water bottle would not fall. I never saw her reach up to steady it or catch it, and I never saw her take a drink from it but it did appear to be half empty. Although I suppose you optimists might have claimed that it was half full.

I passed her quickly and I successfully resisted the temptation to knock the water bottle from her dome or trip her to see if it was in fact attached somehow. It occurred to me that it could be a mirage. Thirsty people stranded in the desert often think they see water, and it was hot and I was thirsty. Then I got home and looked at the picture I’d taken and unless my camera was also hot and thirsty and seeing the same mirage I realized that it must be real.

I don’t understand why you would do this, and when I don’t understand something I find that the best response is to make fun of it. Seriously, what’s the point of this? Does it help your balance or posture? And if so, does it help it enough to outweigh the fact that you look weird doing it? I think not. Is it easier to secure your water bottle to your head than to carry it or wear a fuel belt? I’m baffled. Do any of you carry your water bottles like this or know why someone would? I’m all ears if you’ve got answers in the comments.