Some runners like to have all kinds of gear with them while they run. They'd never dream of leaving their house without their Garmin, Ipod, Iphone, salt tabs, hydration belt, etc... Others are minimalists and simply stick $5 in their sports bra and hit the pavement. I understand both philosophies because I've done it both ways. And I'm not going to turn my nose up at runners who love having all their gear, nor the ones that are more laid back and "run with the flow".Where I fall on the running gear spectrum depends on the weather and how far I am running. Once, on a 20 mile run on the Appalachian Trail in freezing temperatures, I had my hydration pack, toilet paper (never run trail without it!), my phone, 2 extra pairs of gloves, a turkey sandwich (which I ended up feeding to a stray cat) and a Fiber One bar. That's a lot! But on the other hand, when I run around my house, I rarely ever even take water.
However, there are some creature comforts that make my runs more enjoyable!
1. Mizuno Wave Riders- size 7.5 - I've been wearing these shoes for the past 8 years. I hope they don't discontinue them! Much of the time, I find them for 50% off at Holabird Sports. Check it out... they may have YOUR shoe!
2. Garmin - Would you believe I have been running for years but didn't get a Garmin until this past Christmas? Honestly, you don't NEED one. I survived with years without one. But I do think once you have one and use it regularly, you will feel lost without it!
3. MP3 player w/ NPR pod casts uploaded! - I'd rather listen to pod casts on a run than music. I know, I'm weird!
4. Sunglasses - If it's sunny, of course. A sunny run without sunglasses is MISERABLE! I just get cheapo black ones at Wal Mart. Nothing fancy, because I don't want to have to worry about them.
5. Hydration Pack - If it's a hot day or I'm running long, you better believe I'm bringing water! I've been using this exact hydration pack for years and it has held up just fine. It's a North Face Sailfin, but I know there are other wonderful packs out there. The only thing is I bit through the mouthpiece- but they sent me a replacement for free! I also had to buy an insulator to go over the exposed tube to stop the water from freezing in the tube during really cold runs. It was a good investment.
One thing you will notice is not on this list is some sort of ID tag or bracelet. I had an awesome ID bracelet I wore on every run. You can find it at RoadID. But when I moved (5 years ago!) and my address changed, I never got another one! This is something I would like to get.
What do you take on a run?
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