Running accessories

I've used running belts in the past to carry water, keys, phone, etc, and had always resisted the idea of wearing a running vest. This year, I decided to try wearing a vest to carry more fluids, fuel and gear while training for a first marathon. I bought the Ultimate Direction TO 3.0 race vest and love it. Its very light, comes with two 14oz soft water bottles and has room for all your stuff - gels, meds, phone, TP, keys, etcetera. A bit pricey, but it has been worth every penny to me.

I also wear a garmin 920 watch for speed, distance, HR, etc.

I don't take/carry anything unless I absolutely have to. And in many cases, if I have to, I just won't run. I hate extra stuff. I don't carry a phone, a car key, nothing. I have a garmin watch to record my workouts, but that's the only "accessory".

Personally, I'd get a smartwatch/wearable/whatever you prefer, then think about ways to cut back on what you have to carry. Not everyone can/will, but it's easy to get carried away with all the crap running shops make you think you need.

I have the TomTom Spark 3 Cardio + Music...I don't use the Music feature, but it allows you to download music onto the watch and connect to blue tooth headphones. I put my key in my sports bra and carry my phone in my right hand. I drink plenty of water throughout the day, so I don't carry water on my runs. If you need to carry things, make the dog useful...he/she can wear a hiking pack and carry your phone, keys, water, etc...

I also have a Flipbelt. I put my keys and phone in it, and it holds water and gels on long runs. If you listen to music on your runs, I recommend Bluetooth headphones as well.

What do you mean by parched? If your mouth is just dry, try a piece of gum or something similar.

TavistockToad wrote: »

Linz91741 wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

DX2JX2 wrote: »

Depending on the length of your runs, you might want to try running without carrying water. It makes things much easier from a logistics perspective (water isn't exactly light or compact) and chances are that you might actually be hurting your running performance by drinking too much water along the way. Many runners (myself included) don't bother with water mid-run unless we'll be going for an hour or more.

It's not critical but is something to consider. If you ever start running for race times/performance, then you'll definitely want to revisit your hydration needs.

Key running accessories for me are a true run tracking watch (the ability to review stats around cadence, pace, HR, etc. help tremendously), an armband for my phone (I actually don't mind carrying it in my hand most of the time but the band is a lifesaver for longer runs), wireless headphones, and a good stockpile of shorter and longer podcasts. I generally run with a bare minimum.

Another option for water...if you do and out and back or repeat laps of a track or route, just leave your water bottle somewhere along the way. Nobody will mess with it and you can grab a drink as you pass by.

i hate carrying anything, i only bought the belt because i felt like water would probably help on my long runs!

Sometimes I wonder if I'm experiencing a hydration issue because i get seriously parched by a half mile! Thanks for the feedback. I often run laps around my neighborhood, I could totally leave a water bottle somewhere :-)

How much do you drink in a normal day. It's doubtful that running half a mile is actually dehydrating you.

This. It's either all in your head (your mouth gets dry from breathing hard and your brain equates it with thirst), or you're not adequately hydrating throughout the day.

Next time you run, try not to take a drink of water unless you absolutely have to have it. Make sure you drink enough water throughout the day before you go out if you run in the afternoon/evening. If you run fasted in the morning, drink at least a couple of cups before going out.

I'm guessing you'll find that you don't actually need the water during your run and that running is so much better with less to carry.

Yeah, I have a knock off of the flip belt. So much nicer than carrying my phone.

I use different accessories, depending on the situation:

Hydration and carrying stuff (key, etc.):
Shorter runs, or longer runs where I know there are places to re-fill water: Nathan water bottle with pouch and hand strap
Longer runs where there is no fuel: I use an Osprey hydration pack made for cyclists. The cyclist pack bounces less than those made for runners (those cyclists get all the good stuff...).

Music:
Armband to carry phone.
Bluetooth earbuds for shorter runs (2.5 hrs. max) and wired earbuds for longer runs (because of battery life).

Watch / tracker:
Garmin Fenix 3 HR - you may not need something as expensive, but I love this tracker. I switched from Fitbit after I realized the Fitbit battery wasn't going to cut it for longer runs.

If I might be out at night / after dark:
Headlamp, handheld runner flashlight (it has a blinking red light on the back and a hand strap), blinking clip-on lights, reflective hat, shirt with reflective material, and reflective vest.

If I'm going to be out during daylight, I usually have a hat. Always wear sunscreen - don't forget suncreen lip balm. My glasses darken automatically when it is bright, but you may want sunglasses.

Make sure the shoes fit right for you, and don't wear cotton. Some of us use Body Glide in some areas. If it is really hot, I also use talcum powder. I also always carry a hankerchief to wipe away sweat.

I wear a RoadID and a Garmin watch and stick my key in a pocket or in a pouch that attaches to my shoelaces. For shorter runs I don't bother with water and I plan my long runs so I pass my house half way round and stash a water bottle under the hedge. I never carry a phone or any music so don't need to bother with armbands or headphones.

For races, I have a spibelt which has toggles to attach my number and I can put a couple of energy beans in the pouch just in case. If it's 10k or shorter, I don't bother carrying water and will use the water stations if I feel I need it. For races longer than 10k I will attach a small water bottle to my Spibelt. I once ran a half marathon in warm weather and passed a couple of water stations without taking a drink, only to get the station where I was planning to grab a drink to find they'd run out of water. Not fun.

I wear a Garmin Forerunner watch and carry an ipod in my shorts pocket if I want music. If I'm going to be out for more than an hour, I carry water - either a 20 oz soda bottle or a 32 oz. Gatorade bottle - in a fanny pack. Less than an hour I don't bother with water unless it's really hot. I carry dog spray in the fanny pack as well, since there are a lot of loose dogs at the farms around here. I've only been bitten once, but it was enough to make me cautious on my longer runs. If I'm doing a short group run I skip the water and fanny pack and just keep keys and headlamp either in my pocket or in a Spibelt.

I know a lady who's apartment is set up so that when a visitor buzzes in, it goes to her phone. So when she runs, she brings the phone and leaves the key behind (one less thing to lose) then buzzes herself in when she's done.