Sunday, November 25, 2012

Gear and random.

I ran 7 miles today. It took forever. It was so boring. I practically wrote this in my brain while I was running, just to pass the time. (An hour and a half, to be exact.)

Let's talk GEAR! First, watch this video about accoutre-ma (absolutely NOT safe for work, but awesomely funny for home....), watch the whole thing and you'll see what I mean at about 4:08...

Okay, let's get down to it. I'm gonna go H to T (head to toe, couldn't resist the Top Model reference). This is my absolute must-be-attached-to-my-body list for when I run.


Head:
Apple earbuds that came with my iPhone. Necessary. The earbuds actually stay in my ears for the most part, which, I have recently realized makes me one of the chosen few. Being able to change the song from the headphone wire is my favorite feature (aint nobody got time to pull out my phone and do it!). I have tried a few running apps, and although I don't use it as much as I used to, RunKeeper has been my favorite. For music (I'm kinda over This American Life, for now) I use a sometimes-lame-o "Workout Radio" station on Pandora. Thomas and I share a subscription to Pandora One ($3.99 per month) because commercials are awful.

Cheap-o mall kiosk hipster sunglasses because they're comfy, they don't slide down my sweaty nose, and if they fall off my face and break I'll only be out $13.

A sweet ear-cover headband that my sweet friend A got me for my birthday. I've only had to wear it once because it hasn't been cold enough, but I do love it. I can't find a link for a visual. I'm sure you can picture it.

Clothes:

I know it sounds crazy, but brand names seriously matter when it comes to performance clothes. I didn't want it to, because they're expensive, but my Nike stuff is really tried and true.... It doesn't bunch up, it's cut well, it feels good, and it wicks moisture the best. Sports bra brand doesn't matter, though, as long as the material is stretch and wicking. I have a few different ones and they all do the job, but I'm, um, small-to-average in that department, so..... I swear my Nike shirt makes me run faster, though. Because, science. Shorts with built in undies are weird at first, but awesome after that. As it gets colder, I'm gonna need a pair of running pants, but I'm okay for now (I have a SWEET shorts/socks tan!) A hidden key pocket is a BIG bonus, especially for short runs. Sporty socks with arch support are better than cushy cottony ones that bunch up and give you blisters.

Accessories:

I could shout from the roof-tops how much I love my SPIBELT!!! It's perfect for my iPhone and a key if necessary. It stays put and doesn't bounce around. The belt part is super stretchy, so I use it to hold tissues for my runny nose, or anything I need to ditch halfway through a run, like my ear cover headband if it gets too hot, or sunglasses if the sun goes down.... You get the idea. I can't say enough good things about it.

I bought this hand water bottle (I did NOT pay that much, this is just the only link I could find....) for long runs and I'm not sold on it yet. It will do the job, but it leaks like crazy. I keep a paper towel between the bottle and my hand just for comfort, otherwise I have water constantly dripping onto my legs. The little pocket is handy though, for my house key and a couple GUs (that's next). 10oz doesn't seems like much, but it works, especially if I make sure I'm hydrated first....

I have some flashy lights (pictured here around our legs) that I use at night so I don't get run over by people who are texting and driving.

Food:

Last Monday, I did my 5 miles without walking at all for the first time. I got home and showered and I was SO sick.... Nauseous and tired and icky. I didn't hydrate enough and I didn't have enough electrolytes. I stocked up on Gatorade and pre-hydrated a lot, and hoped that wouldn't be a repeat event for my run today.

I've already mentioned the magic of the banana.  And today, for the first time, I experienced the magic of GU! I did my first two miles, feeling sluggish.... Heavy footed, even with banana energy in me. And then around mile 3 I ate half of a GU packet, then the other half around mile 4, and I just raaaaannnn the rest of the 7..... It was like I had a superpower and it was RUNNING. Incredible. It's like this perfect gooey disgusting blend of carbs and caffeine and electrolytes and something to look forward to when oh my gosh is this run ever going to end....? I tried Tri-Berry flavor today.... We'll see which flavor becomes my flavorite (ba ha ha) treat...? And I've felt great all day. I also drank a lot of water, chocolate milk, and Gatorade (just for good measure) when I got home.

Shoes:

I have these Sauconys (except they're turquoise). They're fine. The inner mesh wore out in like a minute so you can see my socks right through the outside. But whatever. This is not a fashion show.

The shoes I wore on vacation to NYC this summer were killing me, so I stopped in the first sporting goods store I saw and bought these Asics (except they're green) so I wouldn't die in New York, and so I would already have my second set of shoes for training. (You're supposed to change your running shoes about every 300 miles. By my calculations I'll be there by mid-December..... Sheeeeesh....) I haven't run in them yet, we'll see.

I also wear old person arch supports because I have high arches that yell at me if I don't take care of them.


Okay, I guess that's all my gear. I guess I'm a serious runner now.

See ya.

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