951. Running clothes, gear, and accessories for race day.

If it’s one thing that rings true time and time again, it’s having the right gear can make or break how you feel throughout the day ammiright? 

Imagine being in the desert with no way to carry water… 

Or in a snowstorm with just a sweatshirt? 

What about if you get lost and run out of food or water?

Or have no light source at night time? 

The right gear can literally save your life. 

Some cases are life or death, others will just make you miserable like wearing a cotton shirt in the summer. 

All that being said, gear can be expensive. We don’t need everything right away, just a pair of shoes really.

Plus, that watch aint going to run the miles for us. 

Here’s an outline of what we’re going to cover:

• Shoes 
• Long and short sleeve shirts 
• Shorts 
• Socks 
• Undershirts 
• Underwear 
• Water bottles 
• Ponchos and rain gear 
• Night running 
• Hats
• Bandana / Ice bandanas
• Gaiters 
• Running vest 
• Running belts
• Strava 
• HR monitor 

Clothing and accessories for runners 

Here are some of my thoughts on running gear and accessories. Take what is useful, ignore what is useless, and add your own flare. I’ll try to keep this in the context of long runs and race day because you can make a short run work with really anything. 

Shoes

This is really the only thing you need to get started. 

I usually spend around 130 for each pair of running shoes and they last me 500 miles or so. The Hoka Clifton series has been my favorite. 

Long and Short sleeve Shirts

For long runs, I try to wear something that wicks away moisture so I’m not soaking wet the entire run. 

Long sleeve fishing shirts do a hell of a job in the summer too. 

Light colors don’t necessarily keep you cooler. Ask the desert people (they wear black)

Shorts

the shorter the better… or whatever is comfortable. Really length is a preference. 

Some shorts ride up, others don’t sit on the hips right. 

Use dark colors too so no one can see your ass sweat. 

Socks

Preserving our feet during ultras is so important. Feet issues put a lot of people out of a race. That’s a low blow with all the hours spent training ain’t it? Some socks absorb sweat, others wick sweat, some are single-layered and cause blisters, others are double-layered… 

See what I mean?

For long runs, I like to use darn tough socks. I like mine cushioned too, not that ultra-thin stuff. 

Others like injinji socks (the toe socks) 

Undershirts

I wear a tank top, aka “wife beater”,  to act as another layer between my skin and shirt (I always do, every day) . I have never had nipple chafing, the tank top acts as a second skin IMO and prevents rubbing 

Underwear 

If it ain’t tight it ain’t right, right? I like to feel secure and ethikas do a hell of a job, I wear these every day. 

Water bottles 

Water and staying hydrated is so important in life, especially during a run. 

Running water bottles actually strap onto your hand so you don’t even need to really hold it, it kind of just sits there.

Once I got the handheld, there was no going back. I started out with a small 10 oz Nathan quick shot, then upgraded to the 18oz Nathan speed draw, both lasted me for years and I highly recommend it. 

The running vest also lets you carry water bottles too. Usually 500 ml soft flasks, some of them hold a bladder on the back too. 

I try to drink about 1 liter per hour of fluids. 

Ponchos and rain gear

These do a hell of a lot of good. Not really to stay dry, we’re going to get wet even if it’s just from our own sweat and the humidity, but when you get wet and cold because your clothes are holding water? That’ll break you down. 

You can buy new ponchos for less than 5$ and just keep them on you, it’s better than nothing. A rain jacket would be best, but the poncho is the next best alternative without breaking the bank.

Night running

Reflective clothing is an option, but not stylish. Is stylish important? Belt lights and flashlights are my preferred nighttime gear. If you have a 500-lumen flashlight and give it a quick couple of flickers, it seems to do the trick in getting noticed. 

And remember to always pay attention, give cars the right of way, and stay out of the way. 

Hats 

Protect your face and eyes from the sun. The shade that is cast over our faces and eyes is the secret here. Sunglasses may trick our bodies into thinking it’s dark out, which doesn’t even sound fun (and causes a lot of problems in my opinion). I like hats that get cool when they’re wet. Winter time a hood or a beanie does the trick. 

Bandanas / Ice Bandanas

Bandanas have so. Many. uses. I mainly use it for a sweat rag. They could be used for bandages, tourniquets, wash rags, sweatbands, sun protectors, face masks, dog leashes, bow ties, ear warmers, belts, trail markers, bottle holders, gear tie downs, ass wipes, and fashion statements. Don’t leave home without one. If you get a chamois cloth and sew it to the inside of a bandana you just got yourself a high-quality ice bandana that you can’t get anywhere else. Plus they are a lot better than the gel pack ones because you can replenish the ice.  

Gaiters 

These are the things that go on top of your shoes to keep rocks, dirt, and debris out. I never needed them and never ran in them. But I hear they do get the job done in certain situations. Their main function is to keep dirt and debris out of your shoes. 

Running vest 

You only really need it if you are running for more than an hour without aid, even then you can get around with just using a handheld water bottle. Salomon has a great vest that stays tight to the body. The best part about vests is that you can pack stuff into them like food, gear, extra water, and go really far. Expect to pay 50$ up to a few hundred dollars. I got the Salomon 8 and it’s been a workhorse. 

Running belts 

This is how I carry my phone on every run, so I can track it on strava, and I guess more importantly, in case of emergencies. 

I’ve only had two running belts, and they’ve gone thousands of miles before breaking. I’ve currently been using the second one for over two years. Nathan Nspire 

Strava 

a phone app that tracks your runs, you can follow people and give them kudos. Seems to help the consistency. Great for looking at splits too. 

HR monitor 

One of the most important accessories you can buy, a lot more accurate than a hr wristwatch too. This helps you train in specific heart rate zones which is the #1 way to improve our performance. There’s a lot to this but for ultra running, most of my runs are in zone 2, and I’ll do speed work (zone 3-4) once or twice per week.

I appreciate your attention! 

Any questions, let me know, I’m always down to chat. 

Go get your miles, peace!!!!