One of the reasons I’d been so quiet on here lately is because, instead of sitting inside on my computer, I’ve been out achieving the goals I set out at the beginning of the year. In April, Luke and I decided that there’s no time like the present, and signed up for the Melbourne Half Marathon in October (our first ever half marathon!). And to keep us training for those 6 months, we also signed up to run a 10km in July.
Having these races to look forward to has reignited a passion for physical activity that I haven’t felt since competing on high school sports teams. And this time around, I’m performing better than I ever have, mostly because I actually practice and care about improving. But the most surprising result of this training is that I’ve come to love running so much. Not only because it gets me outside, but because it’s like meditation for me. Also, the improvement I see in my pace times week-on-week is extremely motivating.
Since I got into running a few years ago, I’ve had numerous conversations with non-runner friends about how they just don’t like running, they could never like it. I always tell them that this is normal, and that pretty much nobody likes running when they first start out. I mean, who would, when your brain is telling you that the average runner can crank out a 5k no worries, but you can’t even run 500m without dying? It’s disheartening, but that is totally normal. Nobody likes running when they first start.
The hardest part about beginning is the first few runs. You need to start small so as not to injure yourself (since it’s pretty high impact, smashing your legs into the pavement 5,000 times more than usual). And even small distances like 1-2km will seem hard. But after about 3 or 4 runs within the span of a week or two, you’ll really start to see a difference. And that improvement is addictive.
Even for seasoned runners, the motivation to get out and run for 30 minutes isn’t always there. It’s those times when you need something to help get you going, a little kick to help make it easier for you to do your time and get the results. For me, it goes beyond good quality shoes and weatherproof clothing. I have other tools, which are definitely not essentials in the truest sense of the word, but for me they are essential if I want to have an enjoyable run.
So if you’ve always wanted to run a 10K, or you’re looking for something to help motivate you to be a better runner, maybe some of my favourite motivators will help you too. Or maybe you’ve never thought about running, but you feel a bit aimless and lacking goals at the moment. Having a fitness goal, like running a 5k without stopping, can be super beneficial for mental health and general wellbeing.
And, well, if you turn out to hate running, the best part is that there are no lock-in contracts, no memberships you can’t get out of, no massive investment required to get started. All you need is 15 minutes and a pair of sneakers. And if you happen to start to love it, try out some of my running favourites, which are totally extra and admitted nice-to-haves, but I love them and for me they were worth the investment. Bring on the 21.1k!
A Fitness Tracker with a GPS
A few years ago, Luke bought me a Garmin fitness tracker for Christmas. I loved the daily step goals, and using it to monitor my heart rate while running. I also enjoyed trying to achieve a certain amount of activity minutes per week, which motivated me to get out at least 3x weekly. But as I started to get back into running, I missed the accuracy that a device with a GPS has – the Garmin Vivosmart HR only estimates your distance based on a pre-set stride length, multiplied by the number of steps you take.
I’ve since upgraded to an Apple Watch, but the Garmin Vivoactive HR is similar but slightly cheaper. Both have a GPS, so you can get all of your accurate run data, heart rate, paces, etc. in the one device. Yes, you can just take your phone with you, so yes, it’s a bit frivolous (and no, it’s not a cheap investment), but I don’t regret the purchase. Also, the engineer in me is obsessed with analysing my daily activity data in the Health app!
Edited to add: I just found out that the Garmin Vivomove HR exists, and it is so cool. It totally solves the problem re: sports watches looking, well… ugly. In a few years’ time when I’m looking to replace my Apple watch, I think I’d get this!
Wireless Headphones
This was another ‘treat yoself’ sort of purchase that I made in Japan (because why not buy tech in Tokyo?) this past Christmas. I always hold my phone in my hand while I’m running, and as my arms sway back and forth, it pulls my earbuds out of my ears, which was getting on my nerves. Luke raved about his wireless headphones, so I did my research and settled on the Jaybird Freedoms. I love these headphones; they never cut out, they make the whole recharging battery deal super easy (every time you turn them on it tells you how much battery is left), and they come not only with the standard rubber earbuds, but foam buds that just stay in your ear so well when you’re running.
Because the battery pack is a bit heavy, I use a bobby pin to pin the wire that goes around the back of my head into my hair, and it doesn’t bounce around one bit during my run. These are a game changer for me; no more adjusting my headphones every 300m!
Spotify Premium (and Optus)
Music is a must-have for most runners, but another game changer has been the combination of my phone provider and music streaming on my Spotify Premium membership (Luke and I have a family plan). If you’re in Australia, Optus allows unlimited music streaming for all pay-as-you-go customers, so music streaming doesn’t count toward my daily data allowance. This means I can make use of anybody’s running playlists, or my own curated lists, for any running distance without worrying about whether I’ll have enough data to watch Insta-stories later.
When you’re really feeling uninspired to work out, a new playlist can go a long way to getting you going. But who has time to put a brand new one together when you just want to smash out a run? All I do is find a pre-made playlist (there’s even a section of Spotify’s Browse tab for running playlists) and go. Bonus: you’ll likely find new songs you didn’t even know you’d love.
Nike+ Run Club App
When I signed up for the half marathon, I wanted to take the thinking/planning out of it so I could just worry about running, not so much about how far or what type of run to do. I looked at Strava, Runkeeper (the app I’d been using for the past 2 years), and a number of other apps to try to find one that had a good Training Plan feature. I wanted to be able to type in my race, and the date, and have the app plan out my training schedule for the next 3 months.
While all of the apps do have this feature, all except for Nike+ Run Club charge you for a premium membership in order to set it up. And some of those memberships are about $80/year! Nike+ Run Club is free to use, and keeps your life very interesting by not just giving you distances to run, but goal paces, and even sprints (I’ve got to do 8x800m this week as an example). I’ve never loved running so much, and I think this is why – it’s always different!
Awesome Leggings
Okay this one’s definitely frivolous. But sometimes an awesome outfit is enough to get you out, running through the streets, and feeling bomb because you think you look good. Never mind the frizzy, all-over-the-place hair or the tomato-red face; my leggings look sweet, and I feel like I’m in a Nike commercial.
My favourite leggings are from L’urv Sportswear (I bought 3 pairs… all on sale for less than $50 each though), because the fabric is thick and the fit is really flattering. My second faves are Tully Lou purely based on looks, however I don’t own any TLs yet because even their sale prices seem a bit steep for this cheapskate. But the reason I like these leggings, which is absolutely ridiculous, is because I think the linear designs look a bit robotic, so I feel like a powerful, athletic machine when I’m running. I know, absolutely asinine, but I just ran my fastest ever 10km (beating my personal best by 5 MINUTES) in a pair of L’urv leggings, so… money well spent if you ask me!
Images via The Fit Foodie, Nike
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