We asked experienced runners: What’s something you can’t live without?
Whether you’re a new runner or a seasoned veteran, you probably know what you need to be comfortable on your run. But over time, many runners discover a gadget, tip or training exercise that changes everything and makes running even more enjoyable. For some, a new pair of shoes can make all the difference, while others might need a change in habits.
The following six runners, from amateur marathoners to Olympians, shared their tips on the items or habits that keep them on the road.
1. A logbook
Olympian Kara Goucher, 44, has one running routine she has done every day for 30 years: She writes in her logbook. It’s a Mary Engelbreit weekly calendar, and she makes notes about anything running related that she did that day. The entries include workout details and sometimes Goucher will jot down how she felt.
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Last year, Goucher was diagnosed with dystonia, a neurological movement disorder, and she no longer trains competitively for races. But she still keeps the logbook.
“I started because I wanted to get better and I wanted to be able to keep track of what I was doing,” Goucher said in a text message. “And then it just became such a routine. It’s the last thing I do before I go to bed every night. I’ve taken my logbook with me all over the world. It’s just a part of who I am, like brushing my teeth.”
End of carousel2. A running belt
Chris Farley, the owner and president of the Pacers Running stores in the D.C. area, often multitasks while running. The 47-year-old Arlington resident runs about eight miles a day, six days a week, tallying around 50 miles a week. This year, he is training for the D.C. Half Marathon in September and the New York City Marathon in the fall.
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To get work done while he runs, Farley keeps his phone on him, tucked away in a Nathan Zipster Lite waist belt. He listens to podcasts, audiobooks or makes work calls with his headphones on. Before he bought the belt five years ago, Farley would hold his phone in his hand or in an arm band.
With the belt “the phone doesn’t bounce around,” he said. “I don’t even notice it.”
3. A hydration vest
Martinus Evans, a running coach and marathon runner, likes to make sure he has everything he needs with him when he goes for a run, including water, gels, and his phone. To do that, he wears an Osprey Duro hydration vest.
The vest comes in handy especially during races and runs in unfamiliar places, Evans said. The 36-year-old Brooklyn resident is traveling around the country to promote his new book, “Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run.” With the vest, Evans said, he doesn’t have to rely on hydration stations while running for long periods of time.
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“I know I might run out of water because I’m slow, or the [race] volunteers may be gone,” he said. “It’s part of my race strategy.”
4. GPS watch
For Olympian Carrie Tollefson, wearing a digital watch is part of her identity. She can only remember a few occasions outside of track races where she hasn’t worn it: “giving birth, surgery, prom, and my wedding,” Tollefson said. “Maybe a couple of other times, but I can’t tell you the last time I took it off.”
In the days before GPS watches, she wore a Timex watch to measure how long she ran. Tollefson, 46, now has a Garmin Forerunner 265S and finds it helpful to track metrics such as her heart rate and sleep statistics.
“It’s kind of fun to learn about my body,” she said.
5. Strength training
Carolyn Su, a 39-year-old marathon runner in Boston and creator of the Diverse We Run Instagram account, said she’s learned to take a more holistic approach to running: “seeing it as something I can do for the rest of my life.” Strength training two to three times a week is key to that, said Su.
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Her routine includes squats, dead lifts, planks and push-ups.
“Strength training is for everybody, especially if you’re someone who wants to keep movement in your life as long as you can,” said Su, who is also co-host of the podcast “Making Strides” with professional ultrarunner Stefanie Flippin.
6. A running buddy
Amby Burfoot, the 1968 Boston Marathon champion and former Runner’s World executive editor, has had many training partners throughout the years. In college, he ran with Olympians Jeff Galloway and Bill Rodgers. While at Runner’s World, he ran with the magazine’s staffers. Now, the 76-year-old Burfoot, who writes a weekly running advice newsletter, typically does long runs with Gail Kislevitz, an author of several running books.
“Motivation is the biggest thing in running, and nothing motivates me like knowing I’ll be joining a favored training partner for a fun and always discussive run,” Burfoot said in an email.
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