Over the first few weeks of my ultra running journey I’ve also been trying to feel out my running gear. From the looks of it there is a big potential to go crazy and spend tons of money — but since I already have a ton of backcountry hiking gear I also want to see what can carry over. This has been especially important since shops have been closed due to COVID restrictions for most of the last 6 weeks. Online shopping for shoes and trail gear has been less than ideal and I’ve been trying to make do as much as possible.
For the first 6 weeks of training, here’s what is working, working for now, and not working.
Working
Stunt Puppy Stunt Runner Dog Leash: I love this thing — we bought ours 3-4 years ago for hands-free hiking with the dogs and it is still going strong. It clips around your waist and has elastic to minimize pulling, plus a short traffic loop to keep the dog close when you are in busy areas. Thanks to this leash Max has been able to hit the trail and the road with me for most of my runs.
Nathan TrailMix 12 Race Pack: I got this pack for Christmas a couple of years ago when I first started doing some shorter distance trail running and it’s been getting a lot of mileage for both running and hiking. I tend to wear this pack even on shorter runs because the dog leash around my waist gets in the way of “normal” running waist belts. My favourite feature of this pack is that it has loops for stashing hiking poles, and it came with a hydration bladder that hasn’t failed me yet.
Icebreaker T-Shirts and long underwear: Merino is still my fabric of choice for shirts, and for long runs my merino layers have been every inch as good as my “tech gear” (if not better!)
Eddie Bauer Trail Tight Leggings: I love these leggings and have been happy to wear them for running as well as hiking. They’re thicker than your average Lululemon tights, they have pockets, and they have been very sturdy.
Leukotape: My go-to blister prevention method for hiking boots also seems to work well for running!
Working for now
Apple Watch Series 4: The only place where this device falls short is on battery power. For the last few years my apple watch has been everything I need for running, hiking, snowshoeing and my other outdoor shenanigans — except for trekking and backpacking trips, where the battery gives out after 5ish hours of activity tracking. It’s doing ok with my current weekend long runs, but I need to start looking at new watch options for this summer’s really long runs and for the Frontenac Challenge in October.
Black Diamond Trekking Poles: these poles have done well on a lot of trekking excursions and I’m keeping my fingers crossed they’ll continue to work for ultra racing. They take a bit of time to collapse and set up (unlike the Z poles) but I haven’t yet taken them out for a trial run to see if this poses a problem.
Eddie Bauer DWR windbreaker: This windbreaker is working well for cool spring summers, but it’s a temporary solution because it doesn’t meet the requirements of my race (namely, it’s missing a hood). Will need to decide closer to race day whether I need a specialized jacket, or whether my Fjällräven Keb Eco Shell will do the trick (it’s an excelllllent rain jacket, but potentially a bit bulky for my little 12L race pack
Not working
Lululemon Track That Mid-Rise shorts: This is a bit of a cheat because these were actually one of my running specific purchases over the past 6 weeks…and they were a bust. They’re light, they’re comfortable for gym workouts, but they ride up and I get leg chafing, so overall not working.
Food: Trying to figure out how to eat on the move during my long runs has been a challenge. When trekking we tend to eat breakfast, hike all day with a bit of beef jerky or some Larabars, and then stop early to have a proper warm meal. I know that for my ultra I will be on the move longer and that I will need to eat more frequently, but I’m having trouble getting excited about eating in small bites when I’m not very hungry.
New discoveries
Squirrel Nut Butter: This week for the first time, I had chafing from a bra strap while I was on the move and the Squirrel Nut Butter was a real saviour. I actually look forward to trying this on treks in the future!