10 running things I could not live without.
I DID IT! On Saturday, I woke up feeling more like myself, so I met up with my friends for part of their run.
Sidenote: The girls have now decided that they want to pick out my running outfits sometimes (I am telling them weather requirements, ha)! So the above combo was all Brooke:). Also, if you have ever wondered why my running clothes are always wrinkly, it’s because I haven’t folded a piece of clothing in ten years. I either stuff it in a drawer or hang it up.
Jo was running the 5k (it was so tempting to join her, but I knew it would be way too much for me!), so we did her warm-up as we cheered on the half-marathoners. Jo WON her 5k, which was so exciting. She is so fast.
Last Saturday of soccer games.
I’ve been drinking so many of these lately.
My sister has a Mother’s Day tradition, and I copied her. She goes out on a walk with each of her kids individually and chats with them. I loved getting to do this with all four kids yesterday. We had Knox this year on Mother’s Day bc his mom needed to switch having him for Father’s Day this year!
This is my new favorite tradition.
We also had time with my mom and grandma too!
———————————————————————————————————
I think today would be a great day to make my formal declaration of the top ten running items that I could not live without:
*Maurten Gels. These will be the only gels I take for long runs and races for the rest of my life. This may sound like a bold statement, but I stand by this. Never in my life has a gel been taken as easy as these or felt as good as I feel after taking one. You don’t even have to take them with water like other gels. And the caffeine ones have 100mg of caffeine in them… get ready to feel QUITE the energy boost.
*This is one of those things where ignorance was blissful (for my bank account). Once I tried them (AND FLEW), I’ll never look back—> Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2. I don’t even walk a step in them because I want to get as many running miles in them as possible.
*Spandex shorts with large side pockets to fit my gels and water bottles. Pockets in anything make me happy, but good ones in a pair of running shorts take things to the next level. My favorites are these and these.
*My Garmin makes this list. It may be off on the race predictor, but it is perfection in my opinion. It gives me all the info I could ever want and need, and I have strong feelings towards the sand color band.
*Dove Deoderant. I swipe a bit on my chafable areas, and boom… I haven’t chaffed in a very long time. It’s cheap, and you can grab it anywhere if you forget it and travel somewhere.
*Deena Kastor ha (that sounds creepy). Her book changed my running brain, and search ‘Deena Kastor podcast’ and listen to each one and report back to me on how it changed the way you view running.
*I like and wear a lot of different sports bras, but when it comes down to race day or a hard workout, there is only ONE type I will wear because I love it so much.
*Same for socks, I wear a lot of different ones and don’t have a problem with them, but when I want to go…. the power stride is for me. A blister has never happened to me in these socks.
*I know things have changed drastically after wearing and loving Brooks for nine years straight, but I think my body needed a change as I have gotten older (there isn’t a dramatic story that happened after working with them for so long… I simply could not wear them after my injury). My plantar fasciitis was so bad (I tried everything from dry needling to cortisone shots), and the thing that helped them the most was the Hoka Clifton 8s. I wear these for most of my easy runs and the rest of the day many times a week. They feel like heaven when I put them on and help me recover on my easy days.
*My Koala Clip. I can bring my phone on every run and not feel it on my back. I don’t leave home for a run without it. Code HRG10 gets you 10% off!
Those are my top ten items, but honorary mentions go to—> The Peloton app—> The strength training (and my cycle classes) on here is too good to be true for my running game. Goodr sunglasses. If the sun is out, these will be on my face. These ponytail holders don’t leave creases in my hair and keep my hair back the entire run.
———————————————————————————————————
I would love to hear about a few things that your running/workouts cannot live without?
Fold or stuff your clothes in drawers?
Have a favorite protein drink/powder?
-UP2U and Fairlife are my current favorites.
Do you like racing 5ks, or do you prefer longer distances?