I’ve been running 3-5 days a week for the past couple of months. Running is such good therapy for me. It’s the ultimate stress reliever and makes me feel good. I wrote a post about why I run over 3 years ago and it still holds true.
Last weekend I ran 9 miles. That’s the farthest I’ve run since before I was pregnant with Lawson! My pace is certainly not fast, but it’s the first time in recent memory that I don’t even care. I’m so proud of myself!
There are 6 items I never go for a run without wearing or bringing.
- Air Pods – After running with my Bose noise cancelling headphones, Jim offered to let me try his Air Pods (that I gave him for his birthday). I’ve used them on every run since. Like I mentioned above, I ran 9 miles last weekend. The Air Pods never fell out or even felt like they were going to. It’s really easy to set them up. I honestly don’t know if I would make it through my long runs without listening to my favorite podcasts or music (I usually start with podcasts and switch to music halfway through a long run).
- Apple Watch – Another one that I essentially stole from Jim. After not getting used for years, when I went to resurrect my Garmin Forerunner it no longer worked and a strap had broke. Being the generous partner he is, Jim offered to let me try his Apple Watch (it’s the 42mm Series 1 GPS, no cellular, with a white band). I wear it almost every day and definitely on every run. It keeps the stats I want (time, mileage, pace). I am very cognizant of closing my activity rings each day.
- Running belt – I mentioned this running belt/fanny pack in a recent Weekend Roundup. I first saw it on Merrick. When I decided to start running more, I ordered it as a place to put my iPhone. It’s a great size to hold my phone, key and an emergency contact card (which right now is a ripped piece of paper with Jim’s name, ha!) It’s so light I sometimes forget I have it on.
- iPhone – This one probably goes without saying since I need my iPhone for the Air Pods and Apple Watch. Yes, I am a walking Apple product. What would I do without my iPhone to take a quick photo, listen to podcasts or music and track my run??
- Outdoor Voices Hudson short – I hadn’t bought a pair of running shorts since before I was pregnant with Lawson. When I finally started running again, I realized all the shorts I had before were a little too tight to be comfortable. I am obsessed with Outdoor Voices leggings and wanted to try the shorts. I bought the Hudson short in navy/black and loved them so much I bought another pair in the pebbled rose colorway. They are very comfortable and have a small zippered side pocket that is great for a key. They run TTS to slightly big. If you’re between sizes, I’d order down. It’s now my goal to replace all my too small Lululemon shorts with these!
- Feetures running socks – I exclusively run in Feetures running socks. You can buy them at a ton of places, including Amazon. I’ve even seen them at Athleta. I’ve never gotten blisters when running in them.
In addition to these 6 running essentials, I’ve been loyal to Brooks Adrenaline for years, wear these compression socks after a long run and reach for my Athleta low essence tank more than any other (they sadly don’t it make anymore – Athleta please bring it back!)