Thursday, April 25, 2013

Gear inventory

With Race season pretty much here now, it's time to make sure everything is in order.
Yesterday I took a Mental Inventory and today is all about the gear. 
Best way to start the season is make sure you have everything you need, 
and everything is in working safe condition.
(This is my gear, in no way shape or form am I saying you need all of this, or any of this.
Nor was I sponsored by any of the brands, I simply love the stuff that I use and I don't mind telling you that.)

Electronics
I.pod (charger at the ready, headphones in working order, playlists updated)
Garmin 405 (Charger at the ready, clear out data so there is plenty of room)
Heart Rate strap (Make sure battery is replaced, make sure it's cleaned off regularly)
[For cleaning heart rate straps, it's recommended to remove module from strap, hand wash with cold water(with small amount mild soap), lay flat to dry]
Recommended to wash HR strap every 7 uses, lord knows that thing gets sweaty!
SHOES (MY FAVORITE THINGS...)

Okay, it's no secret I love +Saucony and particularly the Kinvara's. I talk about them all the time, and I truly believe they are an amazing shoe. They work great for me, and I haven't tried anything else since I started wearing these a few years ago. 7 pairs later, and I am still in love.

Guess who came home with me yesterday(a week early!)! Kinvara 4!
My new kicks, this is pair #7 of the +Saucony Kinvara's
Yes, I made sure they made it home safe,
& then wore them around the house all night. (Don't judge me!)

This is 5 of the 7 pairs I have owned of Kinvara's.
Orange and purple in back are Kinvara 2
Pink & purple in middle are Kinvara 3
Purple in front are my new Kinvara 4.
[The dearly departed..aka pairs 1&2 were blue,
they were retired to general use, and have since been laid to rest(RIP)]
 Okay, okay you get the point. I love my Kinvara's and I have an addiction to them. (good thing is, they don't make a Kinvara anonymous...yet.) 

Back to shoes in my gear line right now...this is my current rotation of sneakers...
 From top to bottom...


Kinvara 4 (current miles...0..that changes tonight!)
My hope is to get these broken in soon 
so I can have them ready to run in Cleveland in a few weeks.
Kinvara 3 Purple (current miles ~200)
I love these, but for some reason had a hard time 
feeling as comfy in these as my other pairs.
Currently using these for majority of my runs
Kinvara 3 Pink/Silver (current miles ~430)
Although they have high miles, 
I am having a REALLY hard time letting these ones go.
These have been my favorite sneakers by far.
And it doesn't hurt that I BQ'd in these.
Currently only using these for short runs, 
or when it's crappy outside.

Also in my gear line that I would like to point out,
are my Nike Comfort sandals. These are a staple in my race bag.
They're squishy memory foam so your foot gets cushion.
One of the first things I do after a race, is but these on.
They offer more support than a flip-flip, and help sore feet!

Yes I have other shoes for working out, some cross trainers for the gym and such, but I figure I'd focus on my running stuff since it's going into race season. If you're curious about what other ones I have just ask!


Cycling

My biggest piece of gear for cycling....clearly...my bike!
You all know how excited I was when I got my bike on Easter weekend, I'm still excited.

I have a Silver Felt ZW100 which I purchased at Towpath Bike (If you're in Rochester area, I highly recommend going there, superb!) This is a good time of year to go get a tune-up and fitting to make sure your bike is properly functioning for you.

Another piece of gear shown here is my bike rack. You can't see it well but its a black hunk of metal with some foam pieces (not to scratch the car) that holds the bike in place. This comes in handy getting my bike to places! (Without pedaling!) I also have a few small bungee cords to help hold the wheels in place while driving.


Bell bike pack, and Gel seat cover, both important!
In my bike pack is spare tubes, cash, tire levers, multi-tool etc.
I love my Bontrager helmet! Ponytail spot in the back is the best!
Also made sure to check my other cycling gear: gloves, extra tubes, tools, chain breaker, water bottle holder, water bottle, hand pump attached to my frame, bike shorts (padding in the bum, best.invention.ever)


Swim Gear
I don't have a ton of swim gear...yet.

Wet suit is in the works. (let me know if you have one that you love that I should look into!)
Goggles ( I have like 3 pairs, different brands...looking into getting a pair of open water ones)
Swimsuit (I have 2 speedos, that are older but in good shape)
Caps (I have a few, even a blue floral one for when I am feeling bubbly, people give me looks with this one.)
Lap counter (This is my favorite piece of swim gear)



Other Gear
My favorite Sunglasses in action
for my HM PR in 2012
Headbands: because seriously, it matters! (especially when you are like me and growing your hair out! I really like Sweatybands and BAMR bands, I have a few of each and they stay in place and look cute!)
Handheld water bottle: I have a Nathan Quickdraw handheld, and Camelback Quickgrip. Both are great and do their job. (both also have handy little pockets on them.
RoadID: Great safety gear, worth every penny.
Headlight: I have a princeton tech one, only used it a few times.
Belts: I have a Nathan belt, spibelt, and a race bib belt.
Sunglasses: These are important! I have a few pairs I am capable of running comfortably in. 1 is a gas station pair but they work fine. My favorite are my Ironman brand sport glasses from Target.

Compression gear: when training, this is important to have. I have Zensah calf sleeves, Smartwool compression socks, and Vitalsox.
Safety Pins: yes this is gear, yes this is very important gear. Have spares, never trust a race to have enough.
Sunblock: Because, sunburn sucks.
Epsom Salts: I never have less than a pound of this at a time. (don't eat them though, or you'll go cray cray)
"Vitamin I" aka Ibuprofen: ALWAYS have this on hand. (Hence why I refer to it as a vitamin. haha, it's not really one, I do know that.)
Bulk Fuel: I buy my Clifshot blocks and honeystingers in bulk. saves you moolah, and you're never gonna run into race day issue of not having it.
Don't come between me & my foam.
[And dude my hair is finally getting longer!]
Good socks: I never used to believe in this. But then I tried some amazing Saucony & Mizuno socks, and I stopped getting toe blisters. Haven't looked back since.
Foam Roller aka My best friend: I'm not sure how I survived without this before I got mine a few years ago. It's a cheapo Gold's Gym one but it does the job. I spend QT with it every night, I should probably name it. Hmm... Suggestions?
Body Glide: As a woman with no gap between my thighs, let me tell you...this is a necessity.
Massage Therapist: I have one I go see regularly. She rocks. Helps prevent problems before they happen.
A Back Cracker:  this is my Fiances job, he does it very well. I should pay him more. (paid with reeces and kisses)
A smart person: someone who knows more than you do about your event, someone you feel comfortable asking stupid questions to. This is important for people like me, who are more than stupid when it comes to this triathlon stuff.
Hat/Visor: My saucony running hats are my favorite, I have blue and purple. I also have a black Nike visor that works well for running.
Arm Sleeves: great for racing when you don't know what the weather is going to do. Easy to pull off/pass off if it warms up! I have a few different colors/material ones, some warmer than others.



I won't even get into my "workout clothes" because...that would take...FOREVER
Let's just say... I could clothe all of the athletes in the Olympics...twice.

As I get ready for race season, it was good to go through my gear.
See what I have, what I need, and what I want.
Also good time to clean everything and organize it all.
[I use tall sets of plastic drawers so everything is in one place]
Last thing you want to do is be unprepared on race day.
I've totally forgotten things before, 
and kicked myself for it multiple times!

Questions:

What gear do you HAVE TO HAVE?

Have you ever forgotten something big for a race?

Do you have any rituals for when race season starts?
(Inventories, gear checks, meals etc?)


9 comments:

  1. You got a lot o' stuff! Holy smokes! What's my one MUST HAVE...hmmm...as odd as this may sound, it's footie socks (and that's if I'm running in shoes)...otherwise, I don't know if there is anything that is a must have, but if I'm wearing running shoes, I can't stand wearing anything other than footie sock...anything above the ankle just irritates the heck out of me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I do have a lot of stuff, I wont deny it:)

      My socks are either really low or really high (like compression socks). I can't stand ankle ones!

      Delete
  2. I'm glad to read this and love to read what other people are stocking up on for races. I need to get my stuff together and pack for this weekend. It doesn't help I need to pack about half of my things to leave Oswego as well.

    Anywho-if you ever need swimming gear always check out swimoutlet.com...they have the best deals on stuff. I spent the last 8 years before running buying all of that.

    On another note, I see that FC just sent another email. ha ha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have gotten some stuff from swim outlet before and the prices are reasonable with quick shipping, can't beat it. Now if you can just tell me where I can buy skill?

      Don't even get me started on the FC emails!

      Delete
  3. I've been thinking about trying compression socks. Which ones do you like the best? I bought a wetsuit last summer. I recommend renting first. Lots of places will let you rent and then buy the suit you rented at a discount price if you like it. Bike shopping now! Excited to get one. And as for must haves, for me it's body glide, sunblock and a visor!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The compression socks I like best out of the ones I have depend on what I am using them for. If I am running in them I guess I'd say the Zensah's or Vitalsocks. Just for recovery the smartwool ones are great(but can get itchy, which is why I wont run in them).

      Delete
  4. From one running shoe lover to another - love the shoe shot! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I never used a foam roller until just recently, really does the job... but feels terrible. Just started running with a Garmin watch in January, and it's awesome. I have so many pairs of shoes, I'm not picky when it comes to the minimalist shoes - I try them all. I'm loving the Brooks puredrift right now for the road, and Merrel lithe glove for the trails. My pre-race ritual - up early, coffee, oatmeal and chia seeds!

    Race season is crazy and awesome - good luck and hope all your races go well!!

    ReplyDelete

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