15 running must haves|Beginners guide
"The body achieves what the mind believes"
I am writing this blog post with my more than 20 years of running experience. And I wish had this list when I had started running. I had gone through many experimenting and discomforts to realize the IMPORTANCE of these items on my performance. If you have a goal with running then this blog post is for you.
Running regularly is a habit. And just like any other habit, it takes time to build. Don't give up. Do it today. You will feel so much better later.
1. SHOES A pair of RIGHT fitting shoes is an item you cannot neglect when considering to run regularly. I am not any shoe expert but in the beginning of my journey, I knew that we all have different kind of feet. Hence, logically different shoes fits different style of feet. It's not only about size, but also the slight angle of your feet (pronating, or supinating feet). I asked for consultation at a nearby sports shop, had to run a few laps in front of him, and the consultant took care of the rest. I got MY pair of shoe which was comfortable and airy for my feet, during those long hours of training. Get YOUR pair of shoe, before your first run. 2. SOCKS Your feet sweat too when you run and running specific socks are designed to reduce blisters, wick moisture and keep your feet dry and comfortable. Synthetic materials such as polyester, acrylic are better over cotton since such materials are good in absorbing sweat. While running-specific socks may cost a bit more, but their durability and comfort it provides makes them a more economical choice over time. 3. SPORTS BRA Ladies be ready to try a few brands before you land to your right fit. A good sports bra will look after your breasts supportive tissue and hence is very important. Personally they are so much comfortable to run with. Go for one which provides good support and minimum cushioning. 4. UNDERWEAR Soon after I picked up on running regularly, I realized the importance of sweat absorbent underwear’s. Trust me when I say, it is pretty nasty to run for hours feeling sweat at certain parts of your body. :D 5. TOWEL Any towel works but size matters. Carry a small sized towel which fits good in a small bagbpack to run with easily. 6. CAP/SUN-GLASS This may or may not be essential depending on which hour of the day you go out for run. I am a cap person, running with sunglasses makes me uncomfortable. But you can use any or both, as long as your eyes are protected from direct sunlight. 7. NIGHT ARM-BAND Again this is important if you go out running during late evening hours. Buy one cheap night arm band, for your own protection especially from cyclists. I got mine from Decathlon, which served its purpose. 8. RUNNING WATCH/PHONE APP AND MUSIC Running watch or install a running app on your phone to complete your regular kilometer goals. 9. RUN RECORDER/NOTEBOOK I EMPHASIZE on this one. Motivation becomes garbage when your body aches from the previous run day. Every day is different. And your motivation will not be there with you every day. The journey to regular running comes with it's hurdles, pain, discouragement but one thing helps me tremendously to overcome my mental blocks is my notebook. I record every run of mine. My notebook is my biggest motivation to shut my own negative whispers.
PS. I am an old-school type, I love keeping journals. But you can use your phone too to track your run. In the end. it is about tracking your run! 10. ELECTROLYTES If you are going out for long run, carrying water with electrolytes helps to activate electrical impulses and replenish you. 11. SUNSCREEN Oh I swear by on this one. Please apply a good sunscreen if running during morning or afternoon hours. 12. VASELINE Use Vaseline or any other intensive moisturizer to protect your lips from cracking. Running regularly means you are exposed to different kind of climate, some days are sunny and hot, others can be cold and windy. Your skin needs to stay moisturized. 13. SPRAIN RELIEF SPRAYS Running regularly causes pain and discomfort and even sprains. But that is temporary, it is no reason to stop your run routine (unless you have a big injury). If your goal is to increase endurance or speed or may be just to enjoy running regularly, having a bottle of sprain relief sprays is a good idea. When you feel any discomfort, spray some of it on the area and let your body rest. Most of the time, your body heals by itself. 14. VITAMINS 5 most essential vitamins you will need is iron, B6, calcium, D and C. A balanced diet provides most of it but you can also consider taking supplements if you worry of not getting them on a regular basis. 15. WATER, BALANCED DIET AND SLEEP Final item for a beginners guide is to check on your food and water intake. How much fluids do you intake daily? Is that enough considering the loss during runs? Are you eating a balanced diet? How many hours of sleep you get? All these factors play a big role on your performance and must be taken into consideration when you are putting efforts in making this wonderful habit of running regularly.
Your diet must consists of high percentage of fruit, vegetables, healthy carbs, protein on a regular basis and less packaged and sodium content food. Failing to increase your water intake? Ask me for my tips on how I succeeded in that front.
Thank you for reading. Tell me if any exercise/run related topic you have on mind and what I could cover in my next posts. Start your run today and share with me your run picture on my Instagram handle @smritidutta_
Until the next blog,
Eat.Explore.Exercise. :)
Love and hugs,
Smriti