Since I have been training for the Race for Life I have been slowly progressing and my 5k time has come down bit by bit. For someone who was a complete beginner I am really pleased with myself and hope to beat my latest time on Sunday! I thought I would share with you my running essentials. These are the things I cannot be without when I’m training!
Music/iPod
I have been doing some last minute interval training sessions to get myself ready for the race! I find interval training very boring but it’s the best way for me to increase my heart rate. When I was contacted by a company that provides running songs that incorporate interval training I really wanted to try them out. As a beginner I went for the 3 minute interval training and the whole album sets you up to include warmups and cooldowns. The songs are upbeat and narrated with a friendly voice which tells you when it’s time for a walk or a jog. I felt motivated listening to these songs and they’re interesting enough to make you want to keep going faster and not stop. I listening to them through my phone with my beats headphones but these songs can also be added to your iPod if you buy the album on iTunes.
If you have Spotify you can listen to the 3 minute interval training here, or the 4 minute here or pyramid interval training here. Unless you have premium membership you can only listen to these on ‘shuffle’ which means they are in the wrong order so I’d recommend only listening in if you have a premium Spotify account.
Workout Clothes
I cannot workout without the correct attire. Getting a new gym outfit motivates me to want to go out! I wear a variation of tshirts and leggings but my essentials stay the same. I always wear a sports bra and mine came from H&M and is really comfy. I also always wear my Nike trainers, although they have seen better days and I am in need of a new pair. I usually have a towel to hand too for those hot and sweaty runs.
Water and Snacks
I always bring snacks with me for after my run. I have usually eaten before but after I need to replenish my energy stores so usually go for something like a banana. I recently tried this popcorn too and it's delicious! It is important to stay hydrated when running and I feel a lot more comfortable knowing I have a drink nearby. I always have water with me when I am running and can easily get through a whole bottle during a 5k! This may seem extreme to some but starting out I got a very dry mouth and it helped to have a bottle to hand!
Fitness Accessories
I always take the essential accessories when going for a run. My apple watch has a running app and is also linked with Strava so I like to use either of those apps to track my run as well as my heart rate. I also own a Fitbit Flex (I bought the floral band from eBay) and this counts my steps for me. I am often challenging work colleagues so going out without this on would be a waste of time with regards to a competition!
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hope you enjoyed this post, what are your running essentials?
*I received no financial reward or incentives for this blog post.
