Disney Park Runner

It’s been a minute since I started this series on running essentials, and we have a few items left to cover:

• Running Shoes
• GPS watch
• Music
• Headphones
• Anti-chafing cream
• Socks
• Sports bra
• Anti-chafing shorts or leggings
• Fuel for long runs
• Hydration
• Hydration belt or vest
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Hat or visor

If you want my take on running shoes, GPS watches, music, and headphones, you can check out my previous post. And I covered anti-chafing cream, socks, sports bras, and shorts and leggings in this post.

Today we’ll cover fuel, fluid and sun protection.

Fuel

No, we’re not talking about what you pump into your car gas tank. Running fuels are small energy (calorie) packed items that you can easily carry with you on long runs to keep your glycogen supplies up. They are meant to be quickly digested and converted to energy quickly.

There are a lot of options, and the choices are very personal. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another, so it’s a but of test-and-learn. It’s a really good idea to work consistently with you fuel during training so that you know how your body will respond on race day. Some items contain caffeine, so make sure you read the labels carefully if you’re sensitive.

There are a few types / categories:

• Bars / waffles: These are some of the more satisfying options, but not always easy to eat on the go. I do happen to like Honey Stinger waffles, which are my go-to prior to a long run. Lucky for me, these have been in the runDisney post-race goodie boxes for the past few cycles, so I always have one ready for the next race.
• Chews / jellybeans: These are a lot easier to manage while running. They are either like gummy bears or jelly beans and come in lots of flavors. The downside is that I find they leave my mouth really dry – not such a big deal as long as there’s hydration handy, but it can be a little annoying if you’re far from a water stop. I think the jelly beans have a bit of an edge over the chews in terms of not drying out my mouth quite as much. My faves are Sport Beans, made by Jelly Belly.
• Gels: I know plenty of runners who swear by these. They are thick, sweet, easily digestible slime. I personally can’t tolerate them. There’s something about the consistency and the sweetness that I literally have a hard time swallowing. That being said, I think I am probably in the minority here, so I encourage you to give them a shot. Gu is proabably the most well-known brand, and comes in zillions of flavors, so there’s a good chance there’s something to your liking.

Hydration

Don’t skip this one!! You need to make sure you have access to fluids on long runs, especially on hot & humid days. Nothing sinks a long run quicker than getting dehydrated.

In a lot of situations, plain water is just fine, but once you start sweating, you need to replace your electrolytes. There are lots of choices out there – like pre-mixed sports drinks Power Ade or Gatorade. Many runners prefer powders or tablets that can be dissolved in water. It seems like every sports nutrition company out there has a hydration opton. Nuun is one of the more popular brands, but I have to say the taste leaves a whole lot to be desired.

Hydration Belt or Vest

So what to do with all this liquid you need to cart around with you on a long run, you ask? Again, there are a lot of options out there, none of them perfect. Of course you can just carry a water bottle, but that’s just plain annoying. I’ve also seen some hand straps that allow you to carry the bottle in your hand without too much effort. But still, I imagine, kind of annoying.

The next option is a hydration belt. This is a belt that usually comes with 1-4 water bottles and a small pouch. This is better than carrying a water bottle in your hand, but usually the bottles that fit in these belts are very small. You might not be able to carry enough for a long marathon training run. The other downside is that it can be a little awkward to run with the belt. I find that I need to stick my arms out a bit wider than is natural for me to avoid hitting the bottles.

The other option is a hydration vest. This puts a water pouch on your back and a tube from the pouch runs around to the front of your body for a sip whenever you need it. The plus side is the high capacity which should generally be enough for a long run, and the convenience of not carrying anything in your hands. The downsides are: (1) extra sweatiness, and (2) my old enemy chafing. I wore one while wearing a tank top on a long run, and I’ll never do that again. All kinds of chafing on my neck and shoulders. Wear with caution!

Sunscreen

This should be a no-brainer, really. Just use caution on the top half of your face because it can really sting if it runs in to your eyes. Try a sports-specific sunscreen for better staying power.

Sunglasses

I don’t love running with sunglasses, but sometimes you have no choice. Of course the first thing that will happen when you start sweating is that they will fog up on you, rendering them pretty much useless. I went on a quest for a “fog-free” pair of sunglasses at my local running store. The sales clerks laughed at me. They recommended a brand called Tifosi, which has small holes in the lenses to try to mitigate the fogging. The pair I bought came with 3 sets of lenses in different colors. They work fairly well but definitely not completely fog-free. To my recollection they cost somewhere between $70-$80.

Hat / Visor

This should be fairly self-explanatory. If you don’t like the sunglasses option, this is another route you can take.