Marathon Gear

Hey loves! How was your weekend? I spent most of it working – it has been the most intense workweek of my career so far and I loved the challenge, but my training took a backseat. I am also dealing with an injury right now, so it was wise to rest and focus on my responsibilities and recharge for future races!

I went to the trail championships for 5 Peaks and had a blast. It is strange how trail runners start feeling like a family after a while. It has been a golden season and I cannot wait for 2015! A huge shout out to Erin for being an incredible race director!

This week, I thought I would touch a little bit on gear and what I use to get ready for my big races.

First things first. The shoes.

 

I recently spoke at a run clinic and I was overheard the owner of the run store explaining to a customer that if you are going to cheap out on any product, cheap out on clothing and if you are going to splurge on anything, spend on your feet. She couldn’t have been more correct. Your feet take a pounding and it is important to make sure that you are using a shoe that fits your shoe, no matter what your preference is.

I like to train for long distances in a light, supportive shoe and do my track workouts and races in a lighter, less structured shoe built for speed. Right now, I am loving the GOrun Ultra for long distances because of the cushioned sole which allows for easy runs to feel easy and long runs to feel less painful. You can check out a past review of the shoe here. 

I have been trying the GOmeb Speed2 and I am especially excited to race the Boston marathon in them, because Meb…

I will be posting a full review later, but they fit the criteria for a speedy shoe that is able to hold up over long distances.

The hydration

For super long runs, I use my Ultimate Direction hydration pack and I mix nuun tabs in with my water. I use it for long treks on the trail and for long runs 25 KM and over. I have never ran in anything that is better suited for a female runner – I give huge kudos to the female athlete test team on this one. It carries 2 L of water and you never even notice that it is on your back.

Body Glide:

This one is a bit of a must. When I am doing super rainy, or super sweaty long runs, things can go downhill quickly. Never underestimate the power of a small irritation to make a big impact on your race performance. I swipe this on anywhere that can be prone to chafing and head out on a comfortable run!

Compression Socks:

I love my CEP Compression socks and I am slowly building up a drawerful to match every running outfit I own. I have heard arguments on both side of the fence in terms of compression gear, but I am a big fan of it and I feel as if it has been super helpful in my recovery.

What is some marathon gear that you cannot live without?