Running Gear

One of my favorite past times over the past few decades has been running.  It's been a destresser for me over the years.  If I had a problem, or a worry, I'd head out on a long run.  I enjoy the isolation.  My body is working, but my mind has the time to relax and wander where ever it wants to go.  Sometimes I review my writing, or my goals.  Other times it's just me and my music.  If you are looking for a way to relax and release tension, I'd suggest running.

Running is not just great for the mind, but it's one of the best ways to lose weight.  I have always, and always will be battling my weight.  I love food.  I do have some self-control, but when I stop paying attention even for a few weeks, I can pout the weight back on quickly!  So running has become therapy for me.

Since I've been running, I've had tons of experience with different products.  I want to pass along to you some of the cool nifty items I've used and had success with.  I've run a few 5k races over the years, but my biggest race was the Disney Half Marathon, which was a blast!  I enjoy running by myself, but I've also learned there is a shared energy between runners when you run as a group.  The energy from the half marathon was amazing!  I would suggest anyone who wants to run, try some smaller races, but eventually try a few longer ones too.  My eventual goal is to finish a marathon. 

Your running shoes are some of the most important equipment you will buy as a runner.  Your shoes are responsible for so much.   Definitely find a local running store and have them do a running analysis on your feet to determine which shoes you need.  I slightly roll my feet outward when I run, so I consciously try not to do that, lol!  Eventually I have settled into New Balance shoes.  I'd suggest trying a few different brands until you find something you really like.  The New Balance are great if you want to try them, and you can find them at the discount stores for $35 to $40, or you can spend upwards to $150 on shoes at the running stores.  I'm not letting my shoes break the bank.  I'd suggest changing out your shoes every 6 months at minimum. 

Different clothes for different places for different seasons! I run mostly in Florida. So I deal with a lot of hot weather. Because of all the sweat, I love my Under Armour gear. There are lots of alternate brands, but I have to stick with the original. Under Armour has hot gear, which lets the air through so your body can "breath" but whisks away the sweat. If you live in a colder climate, they have cold gear too, which is awesome when running. I'm a little bit of a sissy when running. If the weather gets into the low 60s, I'm breaking out my cold gear! I buy the shorts, shirts, both long and short sleeve, tight and loose fitting so I can layer if needed. I even buy their under wear. It helps keep you from chaffing!

I'm an engineer, so I love techie gadgets.  When I started preparing for the half marathon I went out and bought a Garmin Forerunner.  It's a GPS watch which can track your speed, distance, mile rate, and might even make your breakfast for you!  A friend of mine has the heart rate monitor version, which I plan to upgrade to soon.  I enjoy tracking and spread sheeting my results over time.  This little gadget helps me be precise.  I'd suggest any serious runner to get one, especially the heart rate version as it helps you train more effectively.

If you get your long runs up over one hours, you need to figure out how to get you some water.  A few sips is all you need to keep yourself going.  Hydration is a losing battle when you run.  I have a water belt.  It's great, and doesn't weight much, so I barely noticed it when I began running with it.  Many also have pockets for quick snacks, keys and ID.

You can also look into the sports gels.  There are lots of them out there.  My advice, seriously, is to buy one of each flavor and try them before you buy them in bulk.  I found I like the vanilla flavor, but there is nothing worse than being on a run, or even in the middle of a race and try a flavor which doesn't agree with you!  If the sports gels aren't for you, there are lots of different running snacks, many specifically for running.  I've heard of people keeping snack baggies of animal crackers on them!

Living in Florida, sun protection is a big thing here.  I use Under Armor hats to protect my eyes.  There's also some nice, but expensive sunglasses a lot of people wear.  If you plan to run in the sun much, protect those eyes.  Also protect your skin!  Get some sunblock, minimum of SPF 30, and wear it, even under your shirt.  Your shirt barely blocks much of the ultra violet rays which cause harm.  So even put it on under your clothes! 

The other protection is from animals and people.  There are some mace products you can carry with you, but my best advice is to stick to populated areas and keep out in the open.  Carry a cell phone with you, and be watchful of your surroundings! 

I hope you enjoyed and picked up some ideas from my experience with running gear.  Good luck on your runs and hopefully I'll see you at the Disney Marathon one of these years!