Running Gear

I know I talk a lot about running, but the truth is I hate it most of the time.
It's hard to hit the trail when you don't have a running partner and making yourself stick to a training schedule.

Here are a few things that make running more tolerable.

















iPod nano with Nike running app
The new iPod nano is roughly the size of a watch's face (and can be worn as one, or simply attached to your clothes), is of course a great medium for music, podcasts, episodes of Fresh Air & This American Life, and keeps track of my distances/calories burned/best times.

If you program it for a certain distance, it will give encouraging updates like "halfway point, only ___ miles to go," various mile markers and increasingly frequent updates near the end, when things feel more bleak. If you make it to the end of your run, it always congratulates you. That might sound silly, but after running a certain amount of miles, you take all the encouragement you can get.

















Lightweight athletic earmuffs & dri-fit clothing
During long winter runs, it's hard to find the right amount of clothing to wear. You want to be warm-ish, but not sweating by the end of your first mile. Fleece sweaters, scarves and fuzzy hats are too warm and a waste of time when you have to turn around & drop them off at your car/locker. Similarly, t-shirt material or simple sweats sometimes aren't enough even for an Arkansan winter.

My favorite solution has been CG and Nike brand dri-fit lightweight jackets. They're amazing: they're thin, but keep away the biting wind; easy to layer, comfortable and are made of this magical fabric that helps the sweat evaporate more quickly.

In keeping with the thin, lightweight theme, these earmuffs are the best.

Clearly, they're not bulky, but they still do the job. In fact, they even fold up, saving more space when you pack for a marathon, camping trip, or are carrying your running equipment to the next trail, etc.

















Special K vanilla protein shake
I like to think of this as a great idea for a person who is somewhere inbetween taking their hand out of the Doritos bag and reaching for the whey protein (or: when you just can't shovel the burger in fast enough). It's not exactly healthy because of the amount of sugar it contains, but it beats eating donuts or gravy made with bacon grease.

As a small added plus, you can at least feel like you're eating healthier, which usually encourages me to make more "healthy" or less awful eating choices.























Theragesic pain cream
Running 20+ miles per week is rough on your body, even when you're young. I like to use this pain cream to keep me from killing my kidneys with ibuprofen and because it works really fast. Less than five minutes and you'll be in better shape.

The down side is that it smells insanely minty- the type of ridiculous smell that can't be ignored (I wouldn't recommend it for use at work, if you run on your lunch break or something, but for the evening runner who is simply going to bed- perfect.)




Full body massages
Whenever you can get them.

Having a massage on a semi-regular basis (once a month, or once a week nearing a race) is divine. It helps to have someone who is used to working with athletes, so they can focus on your worst/most tense areas and give you advice on how to change your regimen. This is how I came to realize that my stride and style of running was causing some pain in only one leg.


I haven't been to many spas, but Clubhaus Fitness has reasonably priced massage services, the Cliffs apartments in Fayetteville has an on-staff massage therapist and if you're in Jonesboro, make an appointment with Julianna Pickens at the Light's Chiropractic Health Center.





What makes running or exercising tolerable for you?