Running Gear: What I’m Actually Using So Far

When I first started walking more and then started adding some running, I really didn’t think I needed much.

Shoes. Shorts. Maybe some water.

Apparently I was being a little optimistic.

I’m still definitely a beginner at this, but I’ve already figured out a few pieces of gear that make a pretty big difference.

Shoes

For everyday shoes, I normally wear barefoot-style shoes.

I like the wide toe box, low heel-to-toe drop, and actually being able to feel what my feet are doing.

Then I started walking more.

Then I started run/walking.

Then my body reminded me that I am not 20 anymore.

So I decided a little cushioning probably wasn’t a terrible idea.

I ended up getting the Topo Athletic Fli-Lyte 6.

They still have a wider toe box and a low drop, so they don’t feel completely different from what I normally wear, but there is enough cushion that running on pavement feels a little more forgiving.

So far I really like them.

I know there are people who can run forever in completely minimal shoes, and maybe someday I’ll be one of them.

Right now I’m more interested in making it through the run without every part of my body submitting a complaint form.

The Watch I Definitely Didn't Need

I also bought a COROS PACE Pro.

Did I absolutely need a running watch?

No.

Did I convince myself that it would be useful for training?

Yes.

Was I right?

Unfortunately, also yes.

It has actually been one of the most useful things I’ve bought.

The biggest thing for me is pacing.

I’m learning that my natural running strategy seems to be:

“This feels pretty good.”

Followed shortly by:

“This was a mistake.”

The watch gives me something objective to look at instead of just going by how I feel in the first 30 seconds.

I’ve also been programming my run/walk intervals into it, which has helped quite a bit.

Right now I’m doing 2-minute run / 1-minute walk intervals, and having the watch tell me when to switch is a lot easier than trying to keep track of everything myself.

And then there’s the other problem.

I’m a bit of a data nerd.

So naturally, once the workout is over, I’m looking at pace, heart rate, cadence, distance, the individual intervals, how steady I was, and probably several other things that I really don’t need to be obsessing over yet.

I can finish a 30-minute workout and somehow spend another 20 minutes looking at what happened during it.

But I actually do like that part.

The numbers give me something to compare instead of just thinking, “Well, that felt hard.”

I can look back and see whether I went out too fast, whether my pace was more consistent, whether my heart rate behaved differently, or whether I’m actually making progress.

So yes, the watch probably feeds my tendency to overanalyze things.

I’m okay with that.

And if I’m going to suffer through cardio before sunrise, I at least want some graphs afterward.

Compression Shorts

This might be the least glamorous but possibly most important piece of running gear I’ve bought.

Long compression shorts.

Because apparently inner-thigh chafing is something you don’t really appreciate until it happens.

I learned pretty quickly that loose shorts alone were not going to cut it for me.

So now I wear shorts with a longer compression liner underneath.

Problem mostly solved.

There are a lot of things I expected to worry about when I started running.

Heart rate.

Breathing.

Leg soreness.

Pacing.

I really didn’t have “keep my thighs from trying to sand each other down” very high on the list.

Yet here we are.

Socks

I also learned that socks matter more than I expected.

Before this, my sock selection process was basically:

Are they clean?

Good enough.

Running changes that a little.

Once you start sweating and repeatedly landing on the same foot thousands of times, little things become more noticeable.

Bunching.

Seams.

Moisture.

Hot spots.

So I’ve started wearing actual running socks.

Nothing terribly exciting here, but definitely better than grabbing whatever happens to be on top of the laundry pile.

Water

Water was another thing I had to figure out.

At first I was just carrying a regular 16.5-ounce disposable water bottle in my hand.

That worked, technically.

I didn’t like it.

My hands get pretty sweaty when I’m running, so the bottle would start getting slippery. It was also one of those really thin, flimsy bottles, so by the time I had been squeezing it for a while it felt half crushed.

Not exactly ideal running equipment.

I already have a CamelBak, but wearing a full hydration pack for a short morning run or 5K felt like bringing expedition gear to walk around the block.

After my first 5K, though, I knew I wanted to have my own water with me.

I’m not running a 20-minute 5K. I’m doing run/walk intervals, which means I’m out there quite a bit longer, and I like knowing I have water when I want it instead of depending on an aid station.

So I ended up getting a running belt with a 20-ounce bottle.

I used it for the first time this morning.

So far, I like that setup a lot better.

I don’t have to carry anything in my hand, the bottle isn’t slowly collapsing while I run, and I still have enough water with me for the kind of workouts I’m doing right now.

I’m sure once the distances start getting longer I’ll have to rethink hydration again.

Apparently running is just a series of solving one small problem and then discovering the next one.

Apparently I Needed a Light Too

Most of my weekday workouts happen early in the morning before work, which means I'm running in the dark now.

I knew I probably needed some kind of light.

Yesterday made that decision a little easier.

I ran up on a skunk.

Nothing quite like suddenly realizing there is a skunk in front of you to make you rethink your running equipment.

Thankfully, it didn't turn into the kind of running story that would have required me to throw away all of my clothes.

But it made something pretty obvious:

Being able to see where I'm going is important for more than just cracks in the sidewalk.

Some of my route has decent street lighting and some of it really doesn't. A light also makes me easier for drivers to see, which is probably slightly more important than spotting wildlife before I'm close enough to introduce myself.

So a good light has officially moved from the “I should probably get one” category to the “yeah, I actually need that” category.

You Really Don't Need All of This to Start

The funny part is I still don’t think somebody needs to go buy a bunch of running gear before they start.

I didn’t.

I started walking.

Then I started adding short running intervals.

Then little problems started showing up and I dealt with them one at a time.

Feet want a little more cushion?

Different shoes.

Can’t control my pace?

The watch helped.

Want enough data to analyze a workout like I’m preparing a scientific paper?

Also the watch.

Inner thighs attempting to start a fire?

Compression shorts.

Want some water without carrying a flimsy bottle in my sweaty hand?

20-ounce bottle belt.

Nearly surprise a skunk before sunrise?

Okay. Buy a light.

That approach probably makes more sense than going out and spending a fortune before you even know what bothers you.

I’m still really early into this.

Right now I’m doing run/walk intervals and trying to gradually increase how much running I can handle.

I’m sure as the distances get longer I’m going to discover a whole new collection of things I didn’t know I needed.

Or problems I didn’t know I could have.

Either way, I’ll keep sharing what I figure out.

Because part of this whole process for me is learning what happens when a middle-aged guy who hasn’t been a runner decides he wants to start running, eventually go farther, and somehow thinks adding cycling and swimming into the mix is also a good idea.

What could possibly go wrong?

If you want to follow along with the actual workouts, I’m also on Strava. That’s probably the best place to see the good runs, the rough ones, and all the data I’m apparently incapable of not looking at afterward.

Strava: Victor’s Strava

Endless Path and Wellness
www.endlesspathwellness.com