I've been running for a little over four years now. I started running because I wanted to do a sprint triathlon and I knew I'd need to be able to run at least a 5K. I wasn't interested in being a runner and I never planned to do anything further than a 5K distance and figured I'd from time to time jump into a local 5K race for fun.
Four years later I can't remember life before I started running. I absolutely love running (ok so not every single run) and I know that in these times of high stress if I couldn't run I'd maybe go crazy. My son has some complicated health issues and running has helped me process a lot of my emotions surrounding his needs. I ran the morning of my grandma's funeral to prepare myself for the emotional day that was waiting for me.
A lot of my friends ask me questions about gear and such when they are considering taking up running so I thought I'd write a post about my favorite gear. Please know that your runs don't need all the fancy gear. You need a pair of good running shoes (please, please go to a running store and get measured and invest money on good shoes before investing in anything else!), two legs and the desire to run. If you want to track your distance there are great apps you can use on your phone that you can download for free to you don't even need a fancy watch.
So here are my favorite things and I'm going to work from head to toe:
Earbuds: Again nobody needs fancy, wireless earbuds to start running but most people I know do prefer to listen to music when they run. I give huge kudos to those who never use music because as much as I love to run I need a beat! So my go-to is the Aftershokz Trekz Titanium. They are wireless, bluetooth headset. They are bone conduction so they sit in front of your ear and you hear via bone conduction from the jawbone. This leaves your ears open so you can hear your surroundings. I will say I am usually so lost in thought that this doesn't always work for me. I still get spooked by cyclists and such. They have a six hour battery life and I've heard some people say they think the sound quality isn't great but I'm not looking for a surround sound, theater sound. I just need music!
Sports Bra: I'll be completely upfront about bras. They have been the most difficult piece of running gear for me to find something I love. I've tried many different ones and I've spent a ton of money on a lot of bras I've hated. I'm someone whose weight has yo-yo'ed my entire life. Over the last six years I lost close to 100 pounds. I have a lot of extra skin that sits under my arms and on my upper back. I need a sports bra that has a wide enough band that I can tuck that into it. I also hate bras I have to pull on so it needs clasps or zippers (whether front or back) and I seriously despise the uni-boob look and feel that most sports bras give you. And I've got what I consider fairly large breasts which also makes it so I need high support. So currently I'm running in the Victoria Secrets Knockout. It's by far been my favorite. If the zipper didn't create the uni-boob feel and the back went up higher I'd be totally sold but I still think there's a unicorn out there that I haven't tried on yet. I recently purchased a Koala Clip but because of the way this bra is in the back I can't reach to put the clip on it. I do need to get a new one and get remeasured due to some weight loss the one I'm wearing is too big.
GPS Running Watch: Again you don't need a watch. You can download the Map my Run app or Strava and your phone will track you distance and pace. If you're a data geek there are a ton of options for watches. I'm currently using the Garmin Vivoactive 3 with Music. This watch does a lot. It will track your workouts, it's got wrist-based heart rate tracking, it tracks sleep, steps, stress level (although I don't understand how that works because election week should have had my stress level at a max but it doesn't say that on my data), it tracks your VO2 Max and you can program workouts into it. I have to charge mine about every 3-4 days or sooner if I've done several longer runs. This particular watch allows you to load music onto it so you don't have to carry a music playing device however twice I've had it glitch during a race and the watch had shut off and I've had to stop and switch my music to my phone and I've lost the data from the run on the watch so I no longer use it for that. I love this watch and if/when it dies I will likely upgrade it to something that does even more but I am not an elite athlete and this has plenty of bells and whistles and is a nice mid-price option for tracking. It charges quickly also.
Shorts/capris/tights: I recently purchased some Nike running shorts from Plato's Closet and I seriously love them! However the no pocket thing makes me crazy. They are amazingly cool on warm days and they are super comfortable. I've never been a run commando runner but I love the liner in them and I don't feel exposed while running with no underwear on like I would in other bottoms.
I also love my Sparkle Skirt (Sparkle Skirt was bought out by Bolder Athletic Wear) especially for longer runs/races. The skirts have no slip shorts under a skirt and they have so many options. They have lots of pockets where I can stash my fuel and my phone. I never have had chafing in my skirt and they just feel cute.
https://bolderathleticwear.com/
On cooler days I love my Saucony Bullet Capris. I've heard they stopped making these and I got mine for half price on clearance at a race expo. As much as I love these capris I'm disgusted by their sizing. I'm a 5'2" and 165 person and my XL capris are almost too snug. There is no excuse for the running industry to not be more inclusive on sizing. I'm not a small gal but I'm smaller than many of the runners I know and I can't imagine finding gear is easy for any of us plus size runners with female bodies. These also do have great pockets that are big enough to hold a phone and fuel though.
https://www.saucony.com/en/fortify-capri/43150W.html?dwvar_43150W_color=SAW800267-BK
For long pants I'll be honest that I haven't invested in expensive options. I buy a lot of Tek-Gear from Kohl's. I have fleece lined leggings from there that I love and I have some full length Avia leggings from Kohl's that have pockets that I like.
Socks: I love Balega Hidden Comfort: I've gotten very few blisters even with all the miles I've run. I feel very fortunate for that. I love these socks! They are comfortable and protect my feet well. I've done some of the Another Mother Runner training plans and a pair of these come as swag with almost all the programs I've done so I'm happy that I love them!
https://balega-socks.implus.com/
Shoes: Shoes are such an individual thing. What I like you may hate and what you swear by I may end up despising. I started out running in the Asics Dynaflyte and I had no issues with that shoe at all. For a while I ran in the Brooks Launch and loved them but I didn't love the newest model the Launch 7. For the last year I've been running in the Brooks Ghost 12 and I love this shoe! It's got a little more padding than the Launch and I can get a few more miles out of them and they are a nice mid-price option between the Launch and the Dynaflyte I used to wear. I wear a neutral shoe but some people need a stabilizing shoe so the best thing you can do is to go to a running store and get a fit by a professional and have them look at your gait. Most running shoes have very generous return policies so that you can take a shoe home and run in it and return it if you hate it within a reasonable amount of time. They want you to keep running so they will really work with you.
https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us
Handheld Water Bottle: This is another category that I've tried so many different things to find the one I love. I have the Amphipod Hydraform Jett-Lite Thermal Handheld. I love this water bottle. It fits my hand well and I don't feel like I'm carrying anything. It holds enough water for. me to run a half marathon. It's got a pouch that I can stick my keys or fuel in. It's by far my favorite. My only two complaints about this water bottle is that the thermal covering on the bottle can get pretty stinky from your hands sweating on it but that's easily solved by throwing it into the dishwasher and it's kind of hard to adjust it when you've got bulky gloves in the winter time so that it fits better. Other than that it's the perfect bottle for me.
You'll notice I didn't put anything in here for tops. I have many tanks that I like. The one that is my favorite is a Reebok brand one I got that apparently they don't make anymore. I like a nice looser fitting shirt that is longer and that is a dri-fit material. For new runners don't run in a cotton t-shirt unless you want to chafe and get overheated. Again my long sleeve options are mostly Tek-Gear from Kohl's and they are affordable and comfortable.
I'll make a post soon about my favorite running based podcasts as well so if you're interested in that check back soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment