(This is an Amazon.com affiliate link)
Everyone has their favorite things. People have their favorite cars, foods, places, music, and even people. And runners aren't any different. In fact from my experience us runners can be very particular about what we like or must run in. Our running kits often have come together after many years and many, many miles of trying out different shoes, t-shirts, shorts, hats, and more.
What we end up using isn't so much a statement of our style (though for some it is) as it is of our desire for our clothes to aid us in the accomplishment of our running goals. There's a reason that on race day you don't see many of the most experienced runners wearing that years race shirt at the starting line, they have found what works for them and they stick to it (in addition to the superstition that is associated with wearing a race's shirt before you've finished the race).
As my goals have developed as I become a more experienced runner so have my preferences in gear choices. Also, the the fact that I live in Marrakech, Morocco and there is a very distinct climate here has played a big role in my choices.
I get many questions from people asking what I run in here in Morocco so, Ive decided to share with our readers here on the blog what my kit looks like. This is not meant to tell you what is the only acceptable clothing choices for runners here just to give you an idea of what I run in.
(Please note that all the links below will take you to Amazon.com where if you end up making any purchases Amazon will help us out by allowing runninginmorocco.com to earn a little bit in advertising fees.)
My Running Kit
Shoes
Maybe the most important part of anyone's running kit are shoes. I am currently running in Saucony Ride 6 and Saucony Ride 7 shoes. When I first got into running Saucony was the kind of shoe I started out with and even after trying other brands I always end up coming back to. One of the reasons I've come to like these shoes is that while they are marketed as road shoes I've logged many mile on trails with them, including an 50K ultra race and even a hike up Mount Toubkal (a 13,000 foot mountain) here in Morocco. They are tough shoes.
You can buy Saucony Ride 7 Shoes here (This is an Amazon.com affiliate link).
Shorts
For the last three years I have only run in Nike 2-in-1 running shorts. I originally found these in a store here in Morocco but have had trouble finding them in stores here or in the US. So, when I do find them I stock up. These are great light and breathable shorts which are must for running in the heat that we can get here in Marrakech during the Summer. But also for my longer runs its nice having the compression shorts built right in.
You can buy Nike 2-in-1 Shorts here (This is an Amazon.com affiliate link).
Shirts
This is one area I'm not really picky about. The only thing I want in a shirt is that it be really thin and lightweight. This means that I end up buying technical t-shirts made for runners. Currently I'm running in some very cheap shirts I found in a Decathlon in Spain. They are thin, light, and retain very little sweat.
Watch
I log many hours of running a week. between my personal training for marathons, running with clients, running tours, and the occasional hike in the mountains the main thing I looked for when I made my last GPS watch purchase was battery life. I'm horrible about remembering to charge anything, my phone, running watch, and blue tooth headphones. Also, I have run several ultras that require a longer battery life. So, when I went looking for my current watch I saw that the Garmin 310xt had a battery life up to 20 hours I was sold.
This watch has lived up to its advertising and has gone with me on my first attempt at a 50 mile race, up an overnight mountain hiking trip, and much more.
You can buy the Garmin 310xt here (This is an Amazon.com affiliate link).
Hats and Socks
I used to be very particular about socks but recently I've learned to love any thin sock that won't give me a blister. For races and really long runs, +16 miles, I wear an Injinji Toe Socks. This is a trick I've learned that really helps me not to have to worry about my feet on race days. I put Vaseline between my toes slip on my toe socks and up till now I've not had any of the same issues I used to have.
You can buy Injini socks here (This is an Amazon.com affiliate link).
For hats I wear a generic light weight running cap. Notice my love for thin shirts, shorts, socks? This is a direct result of the local weather. It keeps the intense sun off my head and face.
That's it for my day to day running kit. It's light and practical. I wear my running clothes until they are pretty much unwearable and my wife insists I buy new ones. What about you? Do you have any clothing or gear that is a must have for you runs? If so share them with us know in the comments below.
Then get out and go for a run.
