MY FAVORITE RUNNING GEAR
Happy Summer Everyone! I hope you all are enjoying the warm weather (especially after all of those crazy storms we just had!), and are participating in all of your favorite summertime activities. You know what one of my favorite summer activities is? RUNNING. I’ll allow you all a few seconds to recover from the shock of that statement, while I explain why I am talking about running, again. I have a really good reason this time, I promise! June 5th was Global Running day! So, to show my immense love for the sport of running, I am sharing some of my favorite running gear.
Although I have only been running consistently for about three years (a baby in my family’s view), I have discovered some of what I consider to be the best of the best in running gear. From tights to sunscreen (Ya, you better believe someone with this pasty skin was going to include sunscreen on her running gear list), I have tried and tested many products, and have found what helps to make my runs the amazing stress relievers they are. I hope everyone can find at least one product that peaks their interest. If not, I am deeply sorry that I cannot refund you these seven to eight minutes of your life. So, with that deeply positive remark, here are my top running products. (None of these products are sponsored, because obviously these companies have no idea who I am 😉).
1. Sunscreen
Alright, lets get the sassy comments out of the way right off of the bat. Yes, I am incredibly pale. Yes, I have reviewed many sunscreens whilst on long runs outside. And yes, I have discovered the Holy Grail of sunscreen. Since I am the palest of all pale, I use a different sunscreen for my face and the rest of my body (Go ahead and judge! See if I care!). For my face, I use the Neutrogena Sport Face Sunscreen, and for the rest of the pale skin, I use the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer in SPF 55. I love the way both of these sunscreens feel on my skin. They are not too heavy, and they do not feel oily at all, but they still give me the plethora of coverage this pale skin needs. They last through my entire sweaty, long runs, and they do not have that horrible sunscreeny smell. (Trust me, I have been the kid that constantly reeks of sunscreen and it is not a fun place to be.) For great coverage with a good smell, these are the sunscreens for you!
2. Tights
Tights are my absolute favorite things to run in. They are super comfortable, they help to cover up my pale skin (so I can cut down on the time of my sunscreen application), and they are really low maintenance! I have noticed that as I run in leggings, I spend a lot less time worrying about my outfit, and more time enjoying my run. However! Not all leggings are created equal in this department. Isn’t it the worst when your favorite pair of tights loses their elasticity? Then you are spending your whole run hiking your leggings back up where they belong with every step you take. Well, I am here to gift you with the best pair of leggings that have ever graced the planet. The Adidas Women’s Running Supernova Tights. Y’all. These are a game changer. You wanna know why? THEY HAVE A DRAWSTRING. You never have to worry about them getting to old, or losing their elasticity, because the drawstring has always got your back. These tights are super comfortable, really soft, and I cannot recall ever having to adjust them on a run. Trust me, you need these in your life.
3. Headphones
Nothing can ruin a run more than the horrible sound of your own breathing. (That joyous sound should only be heard by those around you. Duh). Seriously, my worst runs have been the ones where I have forgotten my headphones, they wouldn’t stay in my ears, or they didn’t have the sound quality to drown out my own footsteps. So, after many failed relationships with headphones, I have found the only ones you will ever need. The Jaybird X3 Sport Bluetooth Headset. The sound quality on these are incredible (I never have to hear my constant weezing), and I love that I don’t have to wrestle with the wire when I run. They sit comfortably on my neck, and remain there the entire run. They come with many different earpiece sizes and styles, which makes the headphones incredibly customizable to you. And for real, these things never fall out of my ears. I can run all of the four hills of New Mexico, and never have to readjust them. MVP.
4. Shoes.
Alright, if we are being honest here, I am not super particular about my running shoes. My dad has made me custom inserts for my Planar Fasciitis, so it tends to not matter what shoes I use. I have tried many different brands and styles that I enjoyed, and they all have gotten me through the race of life 😉. However, there is one pair of shoes that I just can’t seem to quit, and those are the Asics GEL-Kayano 22. When I was researching the best running shoes for Planar Fasciitis, these were some of the top shoes recommended, so I decided to try them out. I have been in love ever since! There are so many color options (obviously the most important component of any shoe), and they are really comfortable when I run. They are very light, which is nice when you are literally dragging your feet through the New Mexico heat, and they seem to stand the test of my many stress-filled runs. I have bought them many times over, and I plan on continuing to purchase them until I cannot find them anymore. Why quit what works? (Maybe I am just an Asics snob 😉)
5. Fun Running T-shirts
Lately I have been trying to expand my daily wardrobe to things besides the t-shirt, (you know, maybe dress like a grown up) and let me tell ya, the struggle is real. I am proud to say that I have cut my t-shirt days down to twice weekly, and hope to continue to progress. However, on those beautiful days where I get to wear my t-shirt and sneakers to work, there is like an 85% chance it will be some kind of running t-shirt. Where do I get my favorite running t-shirts, you may ask? Well, Gone For A Run, of course! Their t-shirts are hilarious, comfortable, and they have so many options! Holiday t-shirts, punny t-shirts, accomplishments t-shirts, the possibilities are seriously endless (one of my must haves was this Favorite Things one. So cute!) You can wear them on your long run, to give you that extra little boost of motivation, or represent your hobby on the reg, like me. Seriously, go check them out. You will not regret it (your bank account might, though).
So, there are my top favorite running products. I am sure as the years go on, I will gather many other products that help me to get through those long, difficult, stress-releasing sessions. However, as the baby runner that I am, these are my top recommendations. I hope you try some of them out on your next run, and be sure to let me know if you enjoyed them as much as I do. If you have any incredible running products that I have not listed, please let me know! It is always exciting to add another product to my arsenal 😊