In my quest to run Disney, I’ve learned quite a bit, both about running and about myself.  Mostly by trial and error.  Make that mostly by error!  The longer my training runs get, the more I learn!  I’ve been officially training through 3 seasons here in New England.  As I am less than a mile (in training) away from my half-marathon goal, the cold winds of autumn are blowing, heralding the news winter is not far off.  Daylight is becoming scarce in the early mornings and early evenings, meaning running with little or no natural light is becoming unavoidable.  I find that the weather certainly can impact the choices I make in terms of getting motivated and preparing to run, as well as recovering.  The right clothing and gear is really becoming important on so many levels.

Part 2 of my running essentials thread is inspired by the gadgets and gear that keep us runners going. This includes the fluid and food we need to consider and how to keep ourselves safe on the road. Certainly the anticipation of running at Disney is a driving force, but we need to be ready when we get there!  I’ve compiled a list of things I’ve found to be most helpful or even must-haves for a successful run and recovery.  Perhaps you have other ideas or items you love or hate.  I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

So here goes!

Music:

 I, like most people, need the distraction and motivation of music when I run. It’s easy to listen to music or podcasts on an mp 3 player or via your phone.  Music can motivate you and make an otherwise long and challenging run seem shorter and more enjoyable.  Choose music with a speed close to the speed at which you run or want to run.  Putting thought into your playlist or radio station choice is important.  Having a song at 180 beats per minute may make you run faster for the duration of that song, but it may also zap precious energy!

Changing your playlist around or having different playlists can keep your music from getting boring.  I like to design my playlists with slower tunes for my warm up (or waiting times pre-race or in corrals) and cool down and place songs I know will lift me up emotionally and physically where I tend to get tired or have a daunting hill or distance to cover.  I also have themed playlists for different moods I might be in and different times of the year.  Around Christmas time, I listen to a variety of holiday music.  In March, it’s Irish jigs and reels.  When feeling stressed or when I need to ground and clear my head, it’s chanting or new age music. Or sometimes, it’s no music at all!  When I want to connect emotionally with running Disney, you guessed it, Disney tunes!  My personal favorite is the Main Street Electrical Parade theme song closely followed by the soundtrack for Wishes, with a few Lion King, Tinker Bell, and Little Mermaid tunes thrown in there.  I recently created a Disney half-marathon training playlist.  I used it for my most recent 12.5 mile run.  I even factored in the waiting time between race start and when my corral is likely to finally get to the start line.  Slower music at the beginning to remind me not to go out too fast was deliberate.  Placing my favorite Disney tunes between mile 5 and 7 helped me imagine the energy boost of running through the Magic Kingdom and it really helped!  I put my most upbeat, favorite, dance tunes for that long road back to EPCOT from the MK. Now, I need to add a few EPCOT songs for the finish!  Suggestions?  Anyone have any good gospel recommendations?  😉

 It may seem like common sense, but make sure you have fully charged batteries for your phone or mp 3 player that will last the duration of your run.  Especially for a Run Disney event.  If you are using your phone, having a portable charging device or an extra, fully charged battery may be essential for training and especially for race days. Especially if you are running apps and using your phone for pictures, texting and calling while you run during a race.

 Pockets, belts and arm bands:

 If you are going to run, and you don’t have a personal Sherpa, you need somewhere to put all your gadgets and gear you need/want while you are on the raod.  If you are fortunate enough to have some running attire with secret pockets like the Skirt Sport or Sparkle Skirts running skorts and tanks mentioned in part 1 of this post, that may be all you need.  In order to determine which gadget holder is best for you, make a list of all the stuff you need to have on your person when you run.  Then, figure out what you need to hold it all! This may be different for training runs vs. race days.  Whatever you have, you want to have an option that is waterproof, in case of rain or snow, at least for your electronic devices.

 Often the time of day, weather and distance being run contributes to what you need to carry on your person.  Many Disney and other distance races, especially in the winter months, start while it is still dark outside but finish after the sun comes up. Making for many an overdressed runner and sunglasses or visors something people forget when they head out to the race in the dark!

Things people often need to have on their person (and you should make a list for yourself) include but are not limited to:

•  ID
• Money (cash) and credit card
• Hotel room key
• Phone
• Car key
• Inhaler/epi-pens/medications if potential to need them pre/during/post race exists
• Energy snacks (gels, bars, beans or snack of choice)
• Pepper spray (more on this later)
• mp 3 player
• Head gear (sunglasses, visor, hat or ear warmer, headbands)
• Water/energy drinks or camelback
• Interval timer
• Watch/Fitbit

Now where the heck do you put these things?  Aside from the aforementioned pocketed running attire, there are a variety of running belts from the very small and thin to a full blown fanny pack!  Some people run with string bags, although I don’t recommend it, especially for distances greater than 5K.  The size of the belt you need really depends on what you need to carry and where else you can distribute these things (like pockets).  Many belts double as hydration belts that also hold small bottles you can fill with water or an electrolyte beverage of choice.  Some also have bib holders for your race bib so you don’t have to fuss with safety pins and pinning the bib on your shirt.  I personally use the iFitness hydration belt.  Fuelbelt and Nathan are also companies that make similar products.  I put my phone in the pocket which I run my running app and music through.  There is room for my ID and money.  I use the pockets in my skort or tank top to hold my car key and energy snacks.

Many people use arm bands instead for their phone or mp 3 players.  There are also water bottles that slide onto your hand or some long distance runners use a camel back, especially in hot weather.

Apps:

There are several good running apps.  Many of them are free and are more than sufficient for tracking your runs, splits and progress toward goals. You can find others in your area if you want or share information with friends for some healthy competition. You can, of course, pay more, and get more information and tracking.  The most popular seem to be:  Nike+, RunKeeper and MapmyRun.

Interval Timer: 

You can use a dedicated interval timer like the Gym Boss or an app that lets you program intervals.  These can be difficult to change ‘on the fly’ if you want to.  These are mostly used by runners who follow Jeff Galloway’s run-walk-run interval training program.  They are also handy for cross training circuits.

Watch: 

Yeah.  So many choices.  Most phones these days can provide all the functionality of a running watch and more.  The advantage to the running watch is that it’s real time and easy to see at a glance.  They are more durable and usually at a minimum water resistant, so a sports/running watch is definitely what you need, not your everyday girly watch.

If you want to have instant info on pace, splits, elapsed time and even heart rate, you might fall into the running watch camp. Running watches run the gamut from about $50 to $500 for a high end GPS, heart rate monitor style watch that has a myriad of modes, tracks mileage and elevation and essentially does everything but the dishes.  Many runners seem to favor Garmin watches.  Of course the more it does, generally the more bulky and expensive it is.  This can be a turn off to women who often have small wrists.  Watches also need batteries and forgetting to put in a fresh one or fully charge a rechargeable watch before a long training run or race can spell disaster for an information junkie! Watches are really a matter of personal preference, much like a phone is.  Most people do well enough with the basics.

Fitbit!

I do love my Fitbit. A pedometer on steroids, it tells the time and can track number of steps, calories burned, number of flights of stairs climbed, and number of miles walked.  The app or Web dashboard allows you to track caloric intake and foods eaten (including nutrient information if you input it), hydration, other exercise, calories burned, your weight and measurements and sleep efficiency and duration.  You can compete with friends and many companies are giving them to their employees now to upload their info to get a discount on their health insurance for being active!  There are a few different styles http://www.fitbit.com/home

Hydration Belt:

Hydration is important, in fact, essential.  Dehydration can be a serious problem, especially during and after a race and sometimes, you don’t realize it until you are really quite ill.  It’s a common misconception that you don’t need to worry about dehydration in cooler weather.   Hydrating for a race should begin days before, not at the start of the race!  The same is true for fueling/nutrition.  Be mindful of what you eat and drink in preparation for training runs and races.

There are a lot of articles out there on hydrating.  Jeff Galloway recommends 1-2 ounces every 2 miles.  Sipping regularly while you run, rather than waiting until you feel thirsty is a more sensible way to hydrate.  Water stops are often not plentiful enough, especially in hot weather, and not available at all on training runs!  Dehydration can lead to headaches, muscle injury, cramps, dizziness and in warm weather, contribute to heat related illness which can lead to shock and even in extreme cases, heat stroke and death.  By the same token, it’s important not to over-hydrate, which can impair electrolyte balance.

Sun protection!

Runners are outside a lot.  Be sure to use sunscreen, even in cooler weather.  Do be careful about using non-toxic brands.  A side-effect of sunscreen is that it may sting if it runs into your eyes when you sweat.  A headband or visor can help.   Getting a sunburn can further dehydrate you and add insult to injury so to speak.

Energy snacks

Runs longer than 5K require some nutritional planning.  The longer the run, the more planning you need to do.  Eating before you run, having energy snacks during your run (maybe 20-40 calories every mile or two) and eating within 30-60 minutes after your run are all very important to your ability to sustain your run and recover quickly while keeping injury at bay. If you don’t take good care with fueling your body, you can end up not being able to finish, not being able to maintain your desired pace, or even end up sidelined with an injury.  Your muscles need to be fed and cared for for optimal performance!

There are many different energy snacks out there.  They come in a variety of flavors and consistencies.  They can take some getting used to and a lot of trials to find just the right fit for you.  Gels, wafers, jelly beans or gummies and combination energy drinks are the most popular.   There is also good old fruit, peanut butter and candy like life savers and peppermint discs.  They are not all created equal.  Read the ingredients and know what you are getting.  Keep track of what you ate/drank and how you felt on your runs and use it to help you find the ideal combination for you.  Some people simply eat sugar cubes while they run as they are pure and cheap!  It’s important that you know your body and it’s nutritional/nutrient requirements so you don’t over or under-do it when it comes to calories, electrolytes and fluids.  There are many great resources for running nutrition out there however if you read enough, you’ll find they often conflict.  I highly recommend you do your own research, talk to your doctor if you haven’t recently and try a few different things to see what works best for you.  I’m still refining my ‘system’, but it’s made all the difference to realize when and what I eat literally makes or breaks not only how I feel during a run, but afterwards, too.

Reflective Gear

With shorter daylight hours, it’s important now more than ever that you consciously think about how visible you are to oncoming drivers when you run.  Ideally, brightly colored clothing should be worn during the day.  It’s not about looking good, it’s about being visible!  During dawn, dusk, in the dark and on cloudy, rainy, snowy or foggy days, bright colors PLUS reflective gear is a must.  Running against traffic on a wide shoulder or sidewalk is also key for safety.   You may need to consider a different route if the road running conditions are not safe.  Reflective gear must be more than a stripe on your clothing.  A fully reflective vest, a head lamp or blinky lights on a vest make you much more visible and less likely to become a victim of being hit by an oncoming car.

Running Journal:

Journaling about your runs can be insightful.  Not only helpful for tracking purposes, but you can look back and see trends and progress.  I use Jeff Galloway’s Personal Running Journal.  You could also just keep track on your own or via an app.  I always write anecdotes about the weather, how I felt before, during and after a run and anything particularly challenging or good about a run.

Disney themed informative Websites, Podcasts and Blogs

While there are probably far more out there than I am aware of my favorite podcasts, blogs and Websites are:  The Mickey Miles Podcast (iTunes), The Extra Mile Podcast (iTunes), Running at Disney Blog and of course, the Run Disney Web Site.  They all have Facebook and Twitter presence, too.  What are your favorites?

A note about safety for women:

Female runners have all of the same challenges of male runners plus one.  Women runners are often victims of crimes.   Many women state their biggest fear about running is being abducted, attacked or raped.  There are enough news stories about this that it should heighten our awareness. None of the women who were victims thought they would be.  Neither should we.

These crimes are more common in urban areas and when women run alone on deserted roads/paths and are caught off guard by not paying attention to their surroundings, but they can happen anywhere, even in rural sleepy-town USA or on a well traveled main road.  There is a lot we can do to keep ourselves safe. Being pro-active is the key.

Women must be vigilant when they run, no matter where you run or what time of day or year.  Don’t ever assume you can’t or won’t be a victim for an reason.  You have to be aware of your surroundings at all times.  You need to know how to and be able to defend yourself.  Here are some things you can do to keep yourself safe:

•  Keep ID on yourself at all times. Road ID, your driver’s license or an ID card of some kind on your person.
• Run with your phone and be able to access it quickly
• Be aware.  If you run with music, only wear one ear bud and keep the volume low.  Scan your surroundings and look behind you periodically.  Don’t text or otherwise be distracted while walking or running!
• Pay attention to vehicles when running on the road.  Make note of any unfamiliar vehicles or ones going far slower than the speed limit, especially if you see them pass more than once.
• Avoid running at night or early in the morning when there is not a lot of light.  If you must, run in a well lighted area, indoors on a treadmill, or with a buddy.
• Never run on a trail or long stretch of road with no homes or businesses alone, even in broad daylight.
• Run with a buddy whenever possible.
• Run in a safe place.  If you must run on the road, choose one with a sidewalk or wide breakdown lane.  Run against traffic so oncoming cars can see you and you can see them and avoid them if needed.
• Wear brightly colored and reflective clothing so you are visible.
• Vary your route and days/times you run if possible.  Be careful about posting your running routes publicly, you can be stalked.
• Let someone know when you go out to run, where you are running and when you expect to return.  Have them check up on you to be sure you return when you said you would.
• Consider visibly carrying pepper spray.  This usually requires applying for a Firearms ID card at your local police station, being fingerprinted and having your photo on file.  There is a small fee. Check with your local police for the requirements where you live.
• Take a self defense course.  RadWomen is a fantastic course for self defense
• Wear a rape whistle
• Use a run:walk: run strategy or never run so hard that you cannot summon the energy to zig zag run quickly to outrun a dangerous situation.  You are much more likely to be a ‘good’ victim if you look exhausted.
• Don’t feel obligated to stop and talk to anyone, especially someone you don’t know, especially in a vehicle.
• Trust your intuition.  If a situation feels uncomfortable or unsafe (or a person you see raises your radar), get out of the area or situation immediately and call 911
• Report any suspicious people or vehicles to the police immediately.
• Run with confidence.  Criminals tend to choose women they think are too weak or shy to fight back.  If you look strong and confident and look any potential danger directly in the eye (and therefore can identify them or their vehicle) you are likely not worth the ‘trouble’ to them.

Wow, I guess there is a lot I’ve learned!  I hope it’s been helpful to you on some level to benefit from my mistakes!  I can’t wait to tell you how my Disney Half-Marathon goes.  January is coming fast!

May the wind be at your back and the sunshine warm on your face.  Keep on running!