Hi hi! The inspiration for this post came from my friend
Emily, who said "hey, you should write a post on your favorite running things." So in between her own running and baking endeavors, she managed to give me a great blog post topic. She's totally on her A-game.
I always enjoy reading about what my bloggy friends consider necessities and can get some really great ideas on things that I would have never been clued in on. Then there are the other items that I've heard of, but am on the fence about and would appreciate more opinions on.
Here's my list of my
5 6 favorite running items, to have and to hold forever and ever amen.
1. Vanilla Bean Gu
This stuff taste like pudding. It's hard to suck it out of the tiny opening fast enough, since all I would really like to do is dive headfirst into a punch bowl of the stuff. Chocolate is a great flavor, too, but I find that the vanilla is easier going down on my long runs. I haven't had any stomach issues with Gu, which totally depends on the person. I have two on any 16+ mile run, although I don't have a specific science to it. Some people know they need to have 1/2 of a gel every 3.25 miles, which I give them kudos for because that's a hell of a lot to keep track of when you're already focused on your run.
2. Nike smartphone gloves
My brother got these for me for my birthday this year, and I have worn them on every singly outdoor run since. The thumbs are magic and let you work a Smartphone screen, and there's a little key pocket for you know, your house or car key. There has been a couple really cold days when they don't do the best job of keeping my fingers warm, but they never make my hands sweaty, which I dig. Note: my cold in the Pacific Northwest is probably much different your cold in, say, Chicago or New York. These would probably not be the gloves for you.
3. Headband
Yes, it really is just a regular ol' headband, but I wear it as often as those gloves. Actually more, because this lucky piece goes with me on the treadmill and gets to soak up even more sweat. It's wide enough that it covers my "wings" and bangs, and if one of those goes loose I just tuck it in the band and keep trucking. The fabric is lightweight (Polyester and Spandex) and 100% washable.
4. Luna bars
I have a special spot in my purse for one of these, because I always seem to need one. There have been countless times when I get off work and want to go on my planned run, but am so hungry that I just want to scrap it and get into some dinner. However, one of these does a great job of curbing my appetite while not making me feel sick to my stomach once I start running. I've eaten one while running, little bits at a time, and it was a great energy booster. I scored this box of 15 at our local Grocery Outlet for a mere six dollars, but they can get waaay pricier.
5. Nike Sportwatch
I've done a review on this before, and I still love it. I've never had a Garmin so I can't compare it to that, but it truly does a good job of tracking my runs. I like that I can go online and compare my difference runs and get into the specifics of each one to see if I'm making progress. It's also cool because I can see what the elevation of each run is like, and compare it with my pace. I would get it all over again.
6. Hoodies
There is just something about a loose hoodie that makes me want to workout. It's warm, it has a hood, it has pockets for my endless amount of tissues...it can do no wrong. I wear one of these pretty much every time I run outside. They're made out of plain Jane cotton which is so dang comfy, even if there is no wicking involved. They're not too tight to wear I feel restricted, but they're not loose enough that I feel like they're getting in the way. The sleeves go past by wrists and are a little worked out, which is nice when I want to tuck my hands in. The yellow is form American Apparel and the right is Gap, and I think I'll have them forever.
So there they be - my absolute running essentials!
Do you have any of these items? If so, how often do you use it?
Do you use Gu or another energy gel/blocks? If not, is there a reason why?
