Gear Review-

My name is Kayse and I am a running gear junkie.  There I admit it.  My husband laughs when people say running is a cheap sport, not for me.  I love running gear.  I love reading about it, finding new gear, trying it out on runs and telling other people about it.  I definitely have some favorites so I wanted to take this time to tell you about some of my favorites as well as two new pieces of gear that I am ridiculously excited about.

I love running gear!

Gear Gear Gear!

Tried and True Favs
Brooks Adrenaline - Like many runners out there, for a long time the folks at Brooks have done me well.  I have run in many pairs of adrenalines GTS and Pureflows and really love the way they cup my foot.  You cant go wrong with adrenalines, but as you will see below I am not completely brand loyal and have found a possibly new shoe to fill my heart, it may be too soon to declare true love but I'm feeling tingly....

Pretty shoes!

Just a few pairs -its too hard to throw them away!

Studded Running Shoes - For six months of our year up here in Alaska it is either snowy, icy or both.  Running in the winter can be really fun, Ill admit I go through fazes with it.  But if your gonna run or even walk during some of our icy weather you need studs on your shoes.  They are super cheap and easy and I usually ski more in the winter so I take shoes that have seen their day on the pavement and stud them for the winter.  Because of the limited miles and the cush from the snow, these old shoes are able to live another winter after I stud them.  Its wonderful and absolutely essential!  We have a running store up here that will stud new shoes for free, old shoes for $10 and I think they stud senior citizen shoes for free or maybe $5.  There are other options you can wrap around your shoes to get traction, the benefit is you are able to take them off easily and use the shoes indoors, but I have never been a big fan of running in them. 

Studded running shoes - essential for 6 months of the year up here!

Under Armor Tights - These are just awesome, I didn't specify a type as I have had many pairs from heat gear capris to cold gear tights that I layer with my long johns when it gets below 0 in the winter. UA knows how to make quality tights that keep their shape and fit well around my rather round rear.  Pants that don't cup my goods can leave a very unpleasant chafe so I am a big fan of not having to use the body glide in awkward places!

The most fun UA pants I own!

Fit Bit - I know this isn't really running gear as I use my watch or Map My Run for distance but I love how Fit Bit encourages me to keep moving during the day even if I have already gone on a run.  I also love when it buzzes when I still have many miles to run, it makes me feel pretty awesome knowing how many steps that being an active runner gets me!

kicking it with my steps!

Garmin Watch - My Garmin and I have had a love hate along the way as I learned to use it correctly and it crapped out on my early.  But after Garmin sent me a new one and I learned some tricks it has been smooth sailing.  While my garmin is definitely my first choice, I also use Map My Run when I need a actual map to try to prevent me from getting lost...not that it always works!

Frantically charging my watch before my run

Sometimes I run loopy loops!

Aasics Visor - It may seem trivial, but this visor really makes my day.  I have never been a hat or a visor runner before but it keeps the sweat and rain out of my eyes and is so darn comfortable!

Love my visor!

 

I wear this thing everywhere!

Headphones - I have gone through so many pairs of head phones trying to find one that wrapped around my ear and actually fit because none of those silly ear buds would stay in.  That is until I found Yurbuds headphones.  The twist and lock ear buds are the real deal, they actually stay in.  I have no idea how people run without music, I am hopelessly addicted so these things are amazing!

These headphones are the best!

Nathan Belts - I am a bit of a music addict so I need a thin belt that doesn't move much to house my I phone while I run and this belt is working for me.  It works so well my husband borrows it on runs and returns it all sweaty, yuck!  *Note - my husband just came home with an amphipod running belt that looks really nice, I plan to steal it for my next run and try it out!

House key, Gu, and a phone fit perfect!

New Fun Finds
Camelbak Marathoner Vest - As I admitted before I am a bit of a gear junky so it shouldn't be surprising to see me on the trail with enough gear to complete an ultra even though my route is only 10 miles.  This vest makes me feel a bit silly sometimes but I love it!  I picked this up for an upcoming 16-17 mile mtn race in which I will hike quite a bit so Ill be on the trail for a long time.  It holds a lot of water and has extra pockets for my gu and phone.  I love that it has two clasps so it stays really stable on my body.  My husband wore it once when I was utilizing my awesome waist belt and he thought it constricted his breathing a bit, but I think that was because he used it for a fast 3 mile run.  I'm excited to use this vest for my marathon training next summer!

The Camelbak Marathoner Vest

Love it!

 Hokas - Oh the Hokas.  So I will admit I committed the all time running sin of trying something new on race day with these babies.  I found the Hokas during my 2 week total taper/IT rehab before my last half marathon and I loved them so much I decided to wear them for the first time on race day....without my normal insoles.  It was dumb and I paid for it.  After that I was worried I wouldn't like my new "magic" shoes, but after some breaking in and adding my normal insoles I think these shoes and I are going to get along just fine.  The Hokas have less of a heel drop than my normal stability shoes which keeps me from being such a heel striker but they don't sacrifice cush which is what other minimal shoes tend to do.  The cush of these shoes I think is what is saving my knee and hip, its wonderful.  I will have to save some judgement as I haven't broken the file mile mark in them yet, but so far so good!  *Why these photos keep coming up upside down is killing me!

Look at the cush!

Hokas!

I love Tris!

Other Gear - Since I am not just a runner I also have other gear that I am in love with.  Here are my Giro clip in bike shoes, my zoot tri suit, and just some fun local gear.  I got the Alaska jersey as a birthday gift and the swim cap from my favorite local tri - Tri the Kenai!