5. Tearadactyl Shirt
I run in Cleveland. As evidenced by this weekend's unexpected April snowpocalypse, the weather is a touch unpredictable! Layering up is a good solution, but then you have to monkey around with taking things off, tying them somewhere (or discarding them for good), and maybe even trying to pull layers back on when the 60 degree weather turns into 40 degrees suddenly. Fortunately for those of us that live in see-saw climates there's an exciting new shirt coming out call the Tearadactyl. With easily removable sleeves and a pocket for storage, this technical running top could become a staple of my running wardrobe. They're not actually available for purchase yet, but you can be sure I'll get my foot in the door early on these! They ARE available for pre-order, if you're interested!
4. MP3 Player
I already have a standalone MP3 player that works really well, but it has zero playlist functionality and it's getting old so the battery life is questionable. I'd love to have something other than my phone to make playlists and listen to music while I run. Yes, I can use the one I have, but the ability to create playlists for each run or for different race lengths is a feature that I'm sorely missing. And then there's that battery life thing, which is the same concern I have for my phone. While running without music isn't necessarily a problem, and running without a playlist is a minor annoyance, in a perfect world I'd have lots of storage, lots of easy to change playlists, and plenty of battery life to get me through hours of lonesome running! This may be the only case in which I would even consider an Apple device...
3. JournalMenu Planner
Actually training for races is kind of new to me, but I want to make a plan and hold true to it. Not only will I be run-training, but my classes and lifting need more structure, and I want to track how my nutrition and supplements are affecting my training - and I don't want to have to navigate a dozen clunky apps to get it all figured out. JournalMenu creates custom training journals for ANY training (running, Crossfit, nutrition, you name it), including custom covers and custom journal pages to make it easy for anyone to track goals and monitor improvement opportunities. I actually have a bit of a head start on this one...
2. Personal Blender
Honestly, I don't care what brand so long as I can get a blender that will blend straight into a to-go container of some sort! I know Ninja does this, there's an Oster blender with a low profile that does this, I'll take ANY device that will help me get my nutrition back on track! When I was consuming homemade smoothies more often, I was losing some of my excess weight and feeling so much better. I'm not a big veggie eater, but if I can sneak some kale or spinach into a smoothie and not have to taste the leafy texture, I'll consume a lot more! This is definitely a big priority in my training, because I just know my current (lack of) nutrition is going to eventually sabotage me.
1. GPS Wearable
Tracking my runs with the GPS in my phone is tried and true - but what happens when I'm out for hours, trying to listen to music (see #4), tracking my run, and my battery dies? Even more than wanting a separate MP3 player, I'd much rather have a GPS watch or other wearable to separate my location tracking from my phone, which I may need in emergencies, and will probably want working at the end of a long race (for example, a marathon) so I can take photos. Some people think tracking every run is overkill and that there is such a thing as "too much data", but I'm only monitoring for distance and pace right now. The few stats I track, I want to be as accurate as possible, so I can learn whatever is relevant and keep a good record of my improvements. I'm not sure which GPS watch would be the best for me, and I'm also interested in smart watches, but I'll pretty much take anything that does the job!
Don't forget to check out all the great Friday Five posts from bloggers all over the country! Something for everyone, to be sure!
What's on your training wishlist? Can you recommend a good MP3 player or GPS device? What items did you find most useful while training for your last big race?
I'm not an Apple user either but do have a shuffle. It's $50 and worth every penny. I can switch out my playlist and be completely hands free when doing a long run or race since it clips onto my shirt. That allows me to carry my phone if I want or need to!
ReplyDeleteI have the feeling I might cave in and get a Shuffle. I keep hearing it's the way to go, especially on a budget, and for a runner.
DeleteOh heck, everyone's been playing along with my Big Sur training. So we'll all be there for you for your MCM training! It's fun!
ReplyDeleteThe running community is awesome and always supportive! I'm mostly worried about my family and friends who are non-runners. Today's post was almost Five People Who Are Already Annoyed By My Constant Marathon Babble!
DeleteI checked out the link you provided to that shirt and that's pretty cool!
ReplyDeleteI have the Garmin forerunner 10 and I love it. I think it's a more basic model but it does everything I need it to do. I highly recommend it!
Yeah it's a neat idea! We'll see how it plays out, but I have high hopes.
DeleteMore basic = more affordable, usually, so it's probably a good starting option for what I want to do! Thanks for the suggestion!
I've never heard of custom training journals that's kind of cool
ReplyDeleteEvan at JournalMenu will customize the heck out of that thing for you! The website lets you custom design your own cover, but if there's more you want to do with it, Evan will help beyond what the site does. PLUS he'll help you make the pages fit your specific needs. Pretty awesome customer service!
DeleteMy iPod Nano finally bit the dust. I loved it because it was so small. My wife got one too (someone got us them for wedding gifts) but she prefers to use her phone for music, and I need to find it! I am using an old iPhone for my music in the meantime, and it's so bulky. I run with my phone, and the idea of carrying two phones really stinks.
ReplyDeleteFor GPS, I have had great success with my Suunto Ambit2R. My brother runs track and cross-country in college, and he recommended it to me. I had never heard of the brand before he recommended it, but I gave it a shot because I heard mixed reviews about other more popular devices. I absolutely love it! My watch connects very quickly to the satellite 98% of the time. The interface for uploading data to the computer is very easy to use. I really like it because it shows real-time pacing while I am running (my old device didn't do that). I don't think they make the Ambit2R anymore, but I would imagine that the other Suunto models work well. I got mine at Second Sole in Rocky River.