Good morning!

Before heading to the gym to teach my final Yoga Sculpt class and do a bit of running, I started with a delicious bowl of berries, bananas, almond milk, a little bit of protein powder, cinnamon, and a teaspoon of peanut butter.  Seriously, this little bowl was so delicious, I wish it was bigger!  It was just the thing I needed to give me some fuel before my morning workouts.

Half Marathon

Recently, I mentioned that I was resuming my half marathon training.  I must say that I am a little bit nervous about this one because I had to take a break due to a lack of hours in the day, and I am coming back to training still searching for the time to run.  What I am trying to do is squeeze runs in anywhere I can, so I am going to do a short run at the gym before I teach today to focus a bit on speed, and I will complete my long run of 7 miles on Friday.

The race is September 28, and I know that if I stick with my plan and just keep logging miles I will be fine….but I am still nervous!

In the spirit of my half marathon training, I thought I would share some of my favorite running gadgets that help me plug through those 13.1 miles:

Garmin 305

I must say that I LOVE my Garmin Forerunner 305.  When I ran my last half marathon, I did not have a watch that logged miles for training and solely relied on pre-mapping my trails online.  With the Garmin, I feel that I have the freedom to explore somewhat new places, I love that I can keep track of my pace which allows me to be more competitive, and I can see my overall time as well.

All in all, I don’t know what I did without it!

Road ID Bracelet

Mom got me this Road ID bracelet for Christmas because I on the cruise ship, I would frequently go running when we stopped in various ports, and didn’t have a simple way to carry any sort of identification.  I love this bracelet because it is lightweight, simple, PINK, and it has my name, my parents information, and Brian’s information.  You can even put an inspirational saying on the bracelet 🙂  Needless to say, I no longer run without it.

Nathan Handheld Water Bottle

I love this little guy!  If it weren’t for this Nathan handheld water bottle, I would be dying of thirst on my runs over 5 miles.  It is great because it literally straps to your hand, does not leak, and is easy to just put to your lips and get some water out without making a mess or having to stop running.  Seriously, it is awesome and I highly recommend it…especially in the summer!

Spi Belt

My mom also got me this little gem.  I was having trouble when running because when I would go long distances, I didn’t have anywhere to put my phone, car key, or any other random little tid bit that may be floating around and need a place to go.  The Spi Belt is great because it easily fits my phone (which is a rather large iPhone in a big case), and even includes a waterproof pouch so that things don’t get ruined by the sweat.  It simply straps around the waist and can hold almost anything you need it to.

Body Glide

Last, but not least, the beloved Body Glide.  During the training for my first half marathon, I started to have some trouble with chafing during my longer runs right under my armpits and a little where my shorts would rub between my legs.   In order to prevent this, someone recommended that I use Body Glide.  It is honestly like chapstick that you put on your skin, and I was a little skeptical as to how well it would work…but believe me, it works wonders!  Now, I don’t even risk it and I always wear it!  And that little stick of body balm will last you forever.  Seriously, a great investment.

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Now, that you know some of my favorite running tools…I’ve gotta run!  Literally 😉  Have a happy Wednesday!

Question of the Morning:

• What are some of your favorite pieces of running gear?  Favorite shoes, running top, watches, headbands, anything?!