In part 1, I showed you how to select the right shoes for the job. In this section I will talk about the other gear you may want. All of this gear is optional, but highly recommended. It sure makes trail running a lot more comfortable.
Trail Running Gear
Technical t-shirt. If you're planning on running less than 3 miles on a partly-cloudy day with little wind and temperatures around 60F, then you can get away with a cotton t-shirt. Otherwise, you'll want a technical t-shirt. A technical shirt is typically made out of a poly-blend and has some kind of moisture-wicking technology such as Coolmax or Dri-FIT. It's a lot lighter than cotton, so it keeps you much more comfortable in the heat--it doesn't get wet & heavy like cotton. When its cool, its even more important to wear a technical tee as your lowest layer, as cotton will get wet from sweat and give you hypothermia when the temperature drops or the wind kicks up. When running in temperatures below 45F, you should use a tight long-sleeve shirt. This way, your arms don't get all wet inside your jacket. You don't need to pay an arm and a leg for these t-shirts. While Under Armour has some excellent and expensive products, you can find an Athletic Works t-shirt with Coolmax at your local Wal-mart for under $7.
Nylon-shell Running Jacket and Pants. For rainy and cool-weather running, a nylon-shell jacket and pants are a must. Try to get a jacket with a little vent in the back to release heat and moisture as you run. Also, it should zip all the way up your neck. The pants should have zippers at the bottom of each leg so you can get them on and off without taking off your shoes. Both the jacket and the pants should be light enough that if it gets hot, you can take them off, tie them around your waist, and forget that they're there. Once again, these things can get pricey, but Wal-mart is there to the rescue. An Athletic Works nylon jacket and pants run around $13-15 each.
Gloves. For cold weather running, gloves are a must. Make sure to get breathable ones or they will get completely wet inside.
Hat. A hat is recommended for all occasions. For cold weather, a lightweight (wool-blend or poly-blend) beanie or ski hat works best. No cotton or anything too heavy; its easy to overheat even when the temperature is well below freezing; and once you take off your hat to cool down your wet hair will freeze--a very bad thing. For cool or rainy weather, a baseball cap works pretty well, keeping your head slightly warmer than normal and the rain out of your eyes. For hot weather, use a white mesh hat with a long brim, which provides protection from the sun and keeps persperation out of your eyes.
Shorts/underwear. I highly recommend compression running shorts. They actually help keep your quads from getting tired. Also, they are acceptable to wear in public (in case you want to take off your pants), although people will certainly get more information than you may be willing to share. Otherwise, anything will do as long as it doesn't chafe. Avoid cotton for runs longer than 45 minutes or so, as they will get wet and uncomfortable. Also avoid baggy boxers, as they are just uncomfortable.
Lightweight jogging pants. When the weather is warm and dry, you will want some lightweight jogging pants. Once again, avoid cotton. Why not just wear shorts? I'll explain in part 3.
Socks. For cold or wet conditions (including water crossings), wool-blend socks are a must. Although almost any old athletic ankle socks will do for dry conditions, don't underestimate the comfort and injury prevention that the right socks can provide. Speaking of "right socks", I highly recommend the excellent WrightSock products for blister prevention.
Hydration System. A hydration system allows you to carry fluid without having to cramp your hands by holding water bottle(s) for the duration of your run. In my experience, you will need need at least 600 ml (20 oz) of fluid per hour of running, assuming you start fully hydrated; more if its a hot day or if you weigh more than 180 lbs.
There are two types of hydration systems: bottle carriers and bladder-based systems. The bladder-based systems are typically worn on the back and can provide a very large volume of fluid. The also typically provide lots of space for food and other supplies. Because of the difficulty in cleaning the bladder (you may run into issues if the fluid is anything other than water) and the tendency to "bounce", I don't use a bladder-based system.
Bottle carriers are much more convenient but can carry less fluid. The most convenient is the single-bottle waistpack. Such a pack will have small pockets, for a cellphone, car key, ID, and a gel shot. If the bottle position is upward-facing, the pack should be worn low on the waist, with the bottle holster at the side and resting against a hip. This position virtually eliminates bounce. Most sport-drink bottles are 20 oz, which will keep you hydrated for an hour (normal conditions, fully hydrated initial state), but you can find bottles that will hold as much as 28 oz and still fit into the standard bottle carrier.
Double-bottle waistpacks have bigger pockets, allowing you to carry larger things, like snacks, cameras, and gloves. Two bottles give you twice the range, but the positioning on the waist is a little trickier and in most cases, some bounce is unavoidable.
For longer ranges, step up to the 8-bottle Fuel Belt. The Fuel Belt is by far the most comfortable hydration system with the weight of the water evenly distributed around the waist. It comes standard with a 7 oz bottles, but 10 oz bottles will also fit, giving this system a possible capacity of 80 oz or 2.4 liters. That's enough for 4 hours on the trails! The downside to the Fuel Belt is that it is rather time consuming to fill all the bottles up. Also, the tiny pocket doesn't have much space for anything more than a key and some ID. Finally, with so many different bottles, you will find yourself spending a lot of mental energy managing bottle placement by shifting bottles around. It's a bit annoying, but still better than a Camelback.
Another option is the hand-bottle carrier. I haven't tried one, but it may be a promising option for those who don't like things against their hips.
I have a single-bottle pack, a double-bottle pack, and a Fuel Belt. I use all three regularly, depending on the length of my run.
Watch. Of course you will need a stop watch to track how long you've been out and to tell what time it is. But a watch can do so much more. Especially if it has GPS. After all, there is really no accurate way to tell how far you've run without a GPS-based device. (That is, unless you are running the exact path that has been previously marked by someone with some kind of distance-measuring device). Plus, the device can tell you useful information such as altitude, calories burned, current pace, and the path back to start if you get lost. I swear by Garmin's Forerunner 201. (Prices have dropped significantly since the 205 and 305 came out; the 201 is only $99 at Buy.com, can you believe it?)
Sunglasses. The sun can do some serious damage to your eyes. So can bugs, dust, mud, and other debris. It is recommended to have glasses with some kind of sun protection. They will, incidentally, protect your eyes from debris and flying insects as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment