I am only an "expert" on what I've been using, but wanted to give a "shout out" to the things that have been helping me on my runs during the past six months.
Six months. Wow. I can't believe it. Yes, on June 9th, I ran for, like, thirty seconds, and my lungs burned. Today, on December 8th, my lungs burned a little bit with cold, but I ran for far longer than I did that day. I did the BlogHer 5K, then an "official" 5K at Disney, another 5K local race, a 10K local race, a 5K trail race, and I'll be doing a 10K this Saturday. I'm signed up for a New Year's 5K and then two half-marathons in February and March, respectively.
So no, I am not an expert, but I've come a long way in six months.
The first few races I did in shoes made for walking. I had received them for a Ryka review back in September 2007 when my exercise was walking. Sure, they were fabulous shoes at the time, especially since they were specifically designed for walking -- but two years later any shoe is going to be inadequate for a newly-minted runner. I went to a real running store to get fitted for running-specific shoes. I ended up with New Balance 1011s. It really is a personal choice - I know people who are thrilled with many other brands.
While at the running store, I picked up some Balega running socks. They are really comfortable, thin, and don't bunch up in any way. I love 'em. (And they don't stink!) I haven't tried out any calf-length compression socks yet, but am intrigued. The ones I have are just ankle-length.
On top I have a sports bra (mine is the Enell) and then I have a variety of shirts. I had two criss-cross tank tops from a Dick's Sporting Goods review I did. At the time, I used these Reebok Performance Essentials tanks for yoga and the 30 Day Shred, but soon learned that they are fabulous for running because there is a little internal pocket that fits my Blackberry perfectly.
I've also used the Nike jacket I received from the same review, plus a UV Skinz jacket that I purchased over the summer. I have two long-sleeved UV Skinz shirts that I wear frequently, too, because they are thin but provide that important UV coverage. Now that it is getting chilly, I'm putting the thin jackets over my shirts, and am looking around for some sort of appropriate cold-weather running solution. (UV Skinz is having a holiday sale - 20% off with code HOLIDAY09 through New Years!)
On the bottom I have two go-to brands: lululemon pants (a capri type and a running-tights type) and Running Skirts. Both these brands use hidden pockets liberally, which is important for stashing my various items. I must admit that I made a poor choice during my 10K though, because I kept an unwrapped chew in a front pocket that ended up pretty sweaty - ick! But aside from my stupidity, the pockets are well placed for easy-access!
For things I don't need instantly while I'm running but need to have (car keys, hotel room key, credit cards, cash) I rely on my shoe pouch from RoadID. I had learned about RoadID through the Shredheads. I purchased a wrist band, too. Essentially, this means that if I collapse, get hit by a car, slide on ice and pass out, or otherwise become too ill to give anyone any useful information, my RoadID will talk for me. As a bonus, for every $20 you spend during the holiday season on www.RoadID.com through December 25th you'll receive an entry to win either a Human Touch massage chair or an Orbea bike. Plus, if you become a RoadID customer, they will frequently send you exclusive coupon codes to get discounts on their gear.
Now that it is getting really cold, I got myself a Nike fleece running cap. I like it - and it is warm - but my problem is that I have really thick hair. It comes with a little ponytail hole, but my hair doesn't come close to fitting in it. So for now, I have the "ponytail bump" which then makes the hat ride up too far. When I get some free time (ha!) I'll cut the ponytail holder a little bigger and try to reinforce the edges so it doesn't completely rip the back of the hat.
Speaking of Nike, I got a Nike+ sportband. I don't wear Nike shoes, so purchased a Switcheasy RunAway to hold the sensor. Admittedly, the sportsband required a learning curve for me because I had actually turned the sensor off, amongst other things, but once I figured it out, I was good to go. The first couple runs were off, but then I completed a successful calibration run and I think it is pretty accurate. At the least, I have an exact time for my run, and I usually already know (from marked pavement) what the distance is. I have a couple GPS programs for my phone, so if I wanted to be super-accurate I could run those at the same time so that the distance is precise. I love how the sportband tracks how I speed up and slow down during different points. Although I use DailyMile to keep track of (and tweet about) my runs, the nike+ also keeps track of my runs online so that I can have a record of them.
Aaaaaand... that's about it. I expect that I'll find some other running gadgets if I keep this up, but for now, the above is what I use!
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Disclaimer: As noted, some of the products mentioned I received through other reviews. Most of them I purchased on my own. Where I link to products on Amazon I've included an affiliate code that gives me a few cents if you make a purchase. Otherwise there is absolutely no compensation given for mentioning any of these products here. The discount codes mentioned in the post are either publicly posted elsewhere or obtained via subscriber email. I do not receive a commission if these online coupons are used.
