A few of my favorite things

Sweatbands and short shorts and sneakers with laces,
Sports bras that keep you from bouncing in races,
Shirts that wick sweating, an iPod that sings,
These are a few of my favorite things!

As I've mentioned before, I'm a sports accessory junkie. I love the gear that goes along with sports. I blame this addiction on Girl Scouts. There are so many cool camp accessories - does it get much better than a mess kit, which has a plate, bowl, cup, and fry pan all in one little package? But I digress.

Running has its own set of accessories. Yes, I know the saying that all you need is a pair of shoes (and I say for women a good sports bra) but even if that's all that you NEED, there are some great things that help (or are at least a lot of fun.) Here are a few of my favorites (so far).

Shoes
Running shoes are a very personal thing. Of course the most important thing is fit, so what one person recommends might be a disaster. But for what it's worth, these days I'm running in the New Balance WR 760. I'm really happy with the shoe, and will probably get it again. A close runner up was the Nike Pegasus, which I might also try in the future.

Sports Bra
Yes, I know I wrote a whole post on these, but it's a subject near to my heart. (Get it? Near to my heart?) Anyway, much like shoes, fit is everything. But my favorite by far is the Jockey C-Cup and Up Bounce Minimizer. It only comes in black and white, which is too bad, but it's a great bra for high-impact sports (if you're a c cup or up).

(No, that's not me in the picture)

Shorts

Sure, you can run in anything, but running shorts really are more comfortable. I prefer the type with the brief lining, which keeps them from riding up when you run. I'm struggling to find the perfect pair. Many that are too short ride up in the legs and cause that nasty chafing. I have one pair that a love, made by Duofold, but I can't find them anywhere now. I suspect that they aren't making them anymore, which makes me sad. They're great shorts, and I would love to buy a few more. I may try compression-style running shorts next. While I hate the way they look, I'm not finding the traditional style to fit me right now.

Shirts

Yes, you can run in any T-shirt. And I often do. But when it's really hot, it's nice to have something that wicks away moisture. No favorite brands for this one, but look for something that proclaims that it wicks on the label. I'm cheap and bought my most recent running tops from Wal-Mart. Shhh, don't tell.

GPS

This is one way that modern technology has really helped the runner. Much like GPS for your car, you can get small GPS units for running and biking. I can thank my husband for this - he already owned one and I get to use it. It's great for keeping track of time, mileage, speed, and even how to get back home (more or less). When the battery on ours died mid-run this weekend, I was really bummed. Now that I'm used to it, I can't imagine running without one.

We have a Garmin Forerunner, which has been great for us. It's a few years old, so I'm sure that the newer models have more bells and whistles and I know that they are much smaller - like a big wristwatch. I really just care about the time and distance, so I'm fine with ours.

iPod

You know that this is already. I find running (especially on a treadmill) to get a little boring, so bringing along my favorite tunes really helps. I'm sure that the tiny nanos and shuffles are great for running, but I just strap my big old classic to my arm and go for it. I suppose you could also use another brand of MP3 player. Does anyone actually have another brand of MP3 player?

So there you have it - a few of my favorite running things. Be sure to stop back when the weather turns cooler, as I'll be reviewing my running in cold weather favorites (once I have some).

Oh, and my updates - I had a crazy early morning at work yesterday and today, so I skipped running. And I have an appointment after work, so I can't go tonight. Tomorrow, I promise!