Running Equipment
One of the attractions of running is that you don’t need any equipment to get started. A good pair of running shoes help, but there is no rule that you can’t run barefoot in the nude. Some people do.
Running’s minimalism has always appealed to me. Back in middle school when organized sports didn’t agree with me I would run around the track in the gym clothes I already had on. Of course the track was optional. A grassy field, forest trail, or open road would have done just as well. Wherever I am, no matter what I am wearing I am ready to run.
Now of course I don’t run barefoot in the nude. Over time as my running has increased so has my list of equipment. I wouldn’t call all of these items essential, they are just the things you might find with me on a run.
Saucony ProGrid Hurricane
The Hurricane is my favorite training and marathon shoe. It is heavy at 12.9 oz. but provides all of the stability and “Arch-Lock” support required for hundreds of miles of running. The Hurricane is an expensive shoe at $140.00, but it is an investment well worth the cost of avoiding a debilitating injury.
Saucony ProGrid Kinvara
The Kinvara is my secret weapon on race day. I run all of my sub-marathon races in this shoe. Before discovering the Kinvara I would race in the same long distance running shoes I use for training, usually Saucony ProGrid Hurricanes or ProGrid Omnis. After logging countless miles in my training shoes it only made sense that I would run with the shoes I was most familier with. That strategy changed when I picked up a pair of clearance Kinvaras from my local shoe store. I didn’t think lightweight racing shoes were right for me due to the amount of miles I run, but boy was I wrong. The Kinvaras are almost half the weight of my Hurricanes with superb natural support. I find I run at least half a minute faster per mile in them, making for an exhilarating race day.
Long Sleeve Technical Running Shirt
One of the lesser known benefits of running the Boston Marathon is receiving a participant’s long sleeve technical running shirt. I wear these shirts during the winter months and days where there is wind. The benefit of a long sleeve shirt is that you can roll up the sleeves as it gets warmer. The shirt wicks away moisture, and is woven with a gender specific fit. In Boston strangers on the street will cheer you on when you run by wearing one of these shirts.
Short Sleeve Technical Running Shirt
The short sleeve version of the technical running shirt is standard issue swag at many organized races. I wear this shirt in the warm summer months, or layered over my long sleeve shirts in the cold of winter. If I get too hot, I can always take it off.
Athletic Shorts
I have never been particular about running shorts. Having a pocket in the back might help, but do you really want to be running 26.2 miles to the sound of your keys clinking together?
Socks
I have never been partial about socks just as long as they are loose fitting along the neck and evenly snug everywhere else.
Warmup Pants
In the winter I wear loose fitting warmup pants to keep the wind off my legs. I never race in pants if I can avoid it, but the built-in pockets make a good place to store my iPod.
Light Knit Gloves
Hand protection is a requirement for New England winter running. Nothing is more distracting to your stride than feeling frostbite take your fingertips during an early morning workout. I got my gloves for $1.99 at the local pharmacy and prefer the kind without tactile rubber nubs I am likely to rub off. If you run with an iPod that utilizes touch sensitive controls cut the tip off the thumb of one glove to make that all important capacitive contact.
I used to mock my competitors who wore GPS enabled wristwatch computers that chirp off pace dictating statistics every mile. Then I tried one for myself and became hooked. Knowing your current distance accurate to 25 ft. helps with planning workouts, and seeing your average pace eliminates any questions about your current performance. (Stay tuned for a detailed review of the Garmin Forerunner 110 after the Marathon.)
iPod
Carrying an iPod while running is a mixed blessing. It can motivate you to leave the house for long winter runs, and accelerate your pace during difficult speed workouts. Picking the right music helps. An interesting podcast or audiobook might get me out the door, but the monotone spoken word certainly isn’t going to help my pace like familier fast paced tunes. I never use an iPod while competing or during a serious workout. It is more important to listen to my body and experience a great race than dull my senses with music.
Poland Spring 8 oz. Water Bottle
You will not find a fuel belt on my running equipment list. I prefer not to be weighted down like a camel and all the organized races provide refreshments at regular intervals. For those long runs in summer I take a small bottle of water, toss it to the side of the road a quarter of the way into my run, and retrieve it on my way back.
Chocolate Chips, or Twizzlers
My last marathon was the first race I brought my own fuel and it made a significant difference in my performance. Gatorade Goo is too hard to open and sticks to the roof of my mouth. Three of four chocolate chips, or a bite off a Twizzler is a convenient snack to keep me going.