My Running Gear

I like to ensure a comfortable run. What’s the point in having a miserable run?

First and foremost, you MUST have good shoes. If your shoes don’t support you like they should and feel good at the same time you will suffer on your entire run. I used to run in your basic New Balance 471. It was an inexpensive way to get started at $45 max. It was a decent shoe for your everyday transit, but disastrous for running. My shins always hurt, my knees would ache, and it even led up into my back on longer runs. After running the 2008 Cooper River Bridge Run (a 10K or 6.2 miler) in Charleston, SC, in my NB 471’s I knew that I HAD to buy good running shoes if I was going to stick with this. So, my cousin and I stopped at Fleet Feet in Columbia on our way home. I was properly fitted for shoes by a superb staff and came out with the Saucony ProGrid Hurricane 10. Yes, they cost 3 times what the New Balance shoes did, but I can run 10 miles in the Hurricanes and my feet, shins, knees, and back feel as good at the end as they did when I started. As it turns out, I have a slight problem with pronation and these shoes give proper support in the required areas. Well I wore out the ProGrid 10’s (as far as running is concerned) in about a year (actually it was less, but I tried to avoid spending the money again). DO NOT skimp on shoes. I bit the bullet and got another pair, now it’s the ProGrid Hurricane 11. It feels like I am running on air.

As far as shirts go, I used to run in a normal t-shirt, but have shifted over to the moisture wicking variety. I initially went with Under Armour because they were “THE” brand. But, I have drifted from them. Don’t get me wrong, they are a great product, and I love their loose fit heat gear, and compression cold gear, but am not really satisfied with the compression heat gear. I have 2 compression heat gear shirts; one short sleeve and one sleeveless. Both of these shirts have a tendency to ride up as I run, which gets to be quite annoying. I came across a great deal at Academy Sports a short while back on the Nike Profit compression heat gear shirts. They were normally $25, but were on sale for $12.99. I figured what the heck, it’s worth a shot. After wearing that first one I immediately went back and bought 4 more. They fit like a glove and don’t ride up at all. I wear them all the time under whatever shirt I happen to be wearing at the time. They really do help to keep you dry. Well worth the $13 each I paid for them, and even worth full price.

Shorts don’t really seem like something that major, and really they are not (at least to me). I run in basketball shorts, soccer shorts, and Under Armour running shorts. It really depends on what is clean and what I feel like grabbing, which is usually just what’s on top.

I have not purchased any Cold Gear Leggings yet (yes, that’s just a fancy name for tights haha). I am having a difficult time finding some for my 31-32’’ waist and 36’’ inseam. Most of what I find to fit my waist looks like Capri pants, and what gets close to fitting my length is big enough around for my whole family to get in with me. I have found one pair made by Skins, but they run about $80-$120, depending on when you catch them on sale. For now I will brave the cold in a pair of Nike practice basketball pants. If it gets too cold, I will throw on a pair of Long-Johns underneath them. That is, of course, at least until I can justify a good pair of Leggings.

Lastly, the one thing I never run without, my Road ID. I have the Wrist ID Sport Model. This is a very handy and reassuring piece of gear. It is a nylon wrist strap with a removable stainless steel plate on the face of it. The plate is laser engraved with any emergency info you may want to have listed. Mine has my name, DOB, my dad’s cell phone number, NKA (no known allergies), NKDA (no known drug allergies), A POS (for A positive blood type), Possible Hypoglycemia (for the times when I eat out and get too much processed sugar in me, I have had two episodes where I lost all color and nearly passed out), and lastly on the bottom two lines it says “Nothing tastes as good as thin feels”. If you think about it, that little slogan is so true. The constant feeling of being thin and in shape is so much more rewarding than the ever so brief feeling of joy that a piece of candy/pie/cake/etc. gives you. I believe that this Wrist ID could very possibly save my life if I become unconscious for some reason, or worse. It was probably the best $20 I have ever spent.