Over the past 18 months Ashlie has developed a love for running. With a few races under her belt she has entered her first Marathon – Paris, April 2016. With a new job and new commute route, she is regularly running stretches of the Thames Path clocking up miles as part of her training. With this in mind, Ashlie’s put together a very handy Christmas wish list for runners.
I hate being uncomfortable, too hot or too cold when working out. So having the right gear, for me, is key to a successful training session. Last winter I moved my workouts inside and worked on strength building, so my winter running wardrobe is rather minimal. As I pile on the layers with the current cold weather, my running gear is on a tight laundry schedule and so I’m hoping some of the following fitness clothing will be under the tree for me!
1.
In winter I have to run wearing gloves, however I reach a point in the run when I’m suddenly too hot and whilst I know I should keep them on, I always take them off! These luxury Merino wool blend Ronhill gloves are naturally odour wicking – wicking fabric pulls moisture from the body to the exterior of the material where it can evaporate more easily. So hopefully I can leave these on for the full run.
2.
Hilly Marathon Fresh Anklet, £10.99
The right socks can mean the difference between a blissful run and weeks of pain from blisters. My last race was Spartan Beast (24km+ with 25 obstacles), I ended the race covered in cuts and bruises, yet the injury which took the longest to heal was a blister and stopped me running for weeks. These Hilly marathon women’s running socks have under toe seamless construction, reducing the potential for chafing.
3.
Brooks Ravenna 6 Ladies Running Shoes – Pink, £59.95
Research shows you should change your trainers approximately every 500 miles. With four months of marathon training ahead of me, I’m going to be spending a lot of time in my trainers, so I need a second pair. Finding the right trainer is crucial, but not always the easiest. Luckily I know the Brooks Ravenna range fit me perfectly and I’m ready for an upgrade. The RRP is £109.99, yet I managed to find the latest version online at Start Fitness with 45% off!
4.
Back to my ongoing wardrobe conundrum of being too hot or too cold and the search for clothing which hopefully helps – I really want a quilted shell vest. The PrimaLoft® lining and open-knit ventilation panels on the back of this vest allow for temperature regulation. So I think this layered over a long-sleeve shirt and leggings would be the perfect winter running outfit.
5.
Wearing compression socks really help me with post exercise soreness, so I am keen to own some compression running tights. These Salomon endurance tights are compressive and also have two handy gel pockets – pockets are a must for me on running tights.
6.
“Runners who are consistent with good habits have the most success,” says Tom Holland, an exercise physiologist, sports nutritionist, coach, and author of The Marathon Method. Bedtime reading is a routine I want to stick with in 2016, and reading running books before bed has motivated me in the past to get up for those early morning runs in the dark. I really enjoyed reading Adharanand Finn’s Running with Kenyans, so The Way of the Runner is definitely next on my reading list.
Do you have any runner friends? Think they’d like some Christmas gift inspiration? Then share this post below. Or let us know what would be on your health and fitness Christmas wish list this year.
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