5 Running Essentials
Julian and I have both run on and off for most of our lives. We find it helpful for both our physical and mental health and enjoy it for the most part. However, until we signed up for the marathon about a year ago, we weren’t super intentional about running. Outside of shoes and a good sports bra (for me), that was pretty much all we used. As we've become more intentional with our runs, we’ve found a few essentials that have helped us through the miles! I am not saying you need any of these items, I’m just sharing some things I have found helpful for our long (and short) runs.
1
Body + Foot Glide
I blister pretty easily and there is nothing worse than having to put running shoes on (and run!) with a blister. So give me all the glide and vaseline. One of my mom’s friends told me to put vaseline on my toes to help prevent blisters and it has helped so much on our long runs. My feet are very grateful for this tip.
Both of us also have individual body glide sticks that are very helpful to prevent chaffing between your legs (and pretty much anywhere and everywhere on your body 😉). For long runs especially, we learned there is no reason to be stingy with the glide. Load it up!
2
Coil Hair Ties
I usually run with my hair in a high pony tail and these hair ties are a game changer! No matter how long I run, they keep my pony tail tight and in place without giving me a headache. Need I say more?
3
Clip Lights
Generally we run in the morning so we can be done before either of us starts work. Even on the weekends we like to get an early start so we are done before the heat of the day. Running when it is blazing hot is seriously one of my least favorite things. Julian loves it, but I want nothing to do with it. Now that it is fall, the heat is less of an issue, but starting early usually means the first few miles can be pretty dark. After a couple of dark morning runs, we ordered these clip lights so we are more easily spotted by cars and people. They are very light weight for clipping to our clothes and have three different light modes, solid, blinking or strobing.
4
Running belt
To be honest, I’m surprised with how much I’ve ended up liking running with a running belt. Overall, I don’t like adding a bunch of extra weight or things to me as I run and was resistant towards the thought of using a belt for the marathon. Usually, I just run with my phone and keys, and my leggings have a pocket so I didn’t really need one until it warmed up and we started going on longer runs. Even after it warmed up, I just tied my key to my shoe and held my phone in my hand. However, I eventually gave in and started wearing a running belt and found it so helpful! I love not having to hold my phone in my hand while I run. It really helps keep my upper body relaxed and I don’t have to worry about dropping it!
There are lots of running belt options to choose from, some have big pockets, multiple pockets and water bottle holders, etc. I just use a thin two pocket belt, one pocket for my phone and one for an extra hair tie and keys. I do have a water bottle that clips onto it for our longer runs, but I like that if I don’t need it I don’t have to keep it on the belt.
5
Running App
Neither Julian or I have a fitness watch or tracker, instead we use the Adidas Runtastic Running App on our phones. It is super easy to use for tracking time and mileage (along with plenty of other things such as pace, mile splits, calories, elevation, speed, etc. etc.). What I really like about it is that it has a “voice coach” that tells you when you’ve reached a mile and your pace as you run. Another fun feature is at the end of every run it asks you how you felt on the run (😄 🙂 😐 🙁 😫 ) and allows you to upload or take a picture. We naturally wouldn’t take a picture after every run, but it has been an unexpectedly fun way to document our process!
In the app you can also follow other people who use it and cheer them on when they are running. Or say you are running a virtual marathon, have your parents follow you and send virtual cheers through the app while you are running. Thanks Mom and Dad! 😘
If you are looking to get into long distance running, 4 Months to a 4-Hour Marathon was a very helpful book. After we committed to the marathon I checked out a few books on long distance running from the library and was surprised how much information was packed into it’s 118 pages. It gives tips on how to dress and layer for running in different temperatures, what kind of shoes (and how many) you should get, how to fuel your body before and during long runs and even gives a training schedule! It is a very quick read and both Julian and I found it very helpful without being overwhelming.
Happy running!
