My Workout Essentials: Running

Last year we went to Disney the weekend of the Princess Marathon. I got all inspired and decided I was going to run a half marathon this year, namely the Princess Half Marathon. So I started training. I was doing great. I got up to 5 miles. Hubby and I went to DC and went on a run down the reflecting pool and up the Lincoln Memorial steps in 35 degree weather. I felt amazing. 

A couple weeks later I caught a nasty cold, which turned into bronchitis. That left me with shortness of breath and a residual cough for a little over 2 months.  I stopped running, but decided to register for the run anyway, with the intention of resuming training once the weather got a little better. Well, the weather didn't get cooler until about 2 months ago. Whoops. I've been running, but not nearly enough to run an entire half marathon. I figure I will do some running and a whole lot of walking. I'm not going to stress it and I'm certainly not going to injure myself. Regardless of what I accomplish, it will be a big deal for me, coming from someone who couldn't even finish a mile in high school. 

But anyway, in the time I have been running, I have grown to really enjoy it. I don't feel like running is a chore, and it's nice to leave it all out on the pavement. I get why people are obsessive about running. It's therapeutic if you do it right. 

But I have discovered some great stuff out there that really works for me when it comes to running. Aside from a good pair of sneakers (which you should definitely go get your feet checked for before investing in them), these are the things I must have when I run! 
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1. An excellent sports bra - I have boobies that are on the larger side, and the first time I went for a run I wore a super thin sports bra with no support. HUGE mistake. My boobs were killing me for like three days, not to mention I was literally holding them down while I was running. So I have invested in a couple of sports bras with heavy support. This one is probably my favorite - I like racerback more than regular straps. 
2. A headband that stays in place - I have tried headbands from a bunch of different brands, and this one from Zella has been the best. I can throw my hair in a ponytail or top knot and put the headband on and it helps absorb sweat and keep baby hairs out of my face. 
3. Running socks - I quickly realized that I would get blisters from my skin rubbing against the sides of my sneakers if I didn't wear the right socks. These are my favorites. 
4. Techie stuff - I started running using my regular iPhone earbuds. They were awful. They would fall out and the cord bouncing everywhere would make me crazy. I started borrowing Eddie's wireless beats and they were perfect. He ended up gifting them to me and getting himself a new pair. I like to listen to music when I run, so my phone always comes with me. And my Apple Watch is a must. I use it to track my daily activity, but I also use it to track my time, my splits, and my distance on runs. 
5. Good pants - I have tried a lot of different brands. I used to swear by lululemon, but at $95+ a pair, that was a preference I felt awful feeding. I found these compression pants at Old Navy, and I am hooked! They hold me in as well as the lululemon pants, and are actually a more sturdy material. They don't budge. At all. I typically find myself pulling up my pants on a run. Not with these. They are perfect. I get the high rise because of my body type, but they have a mid rise as well. They run pretty true to size so don't size down, because you will feel like you are being squeezed. 

And there you have it! My running essentials! 

If you have any tips you'd like to share about running a half marathon when you haven't properly trained then feel free to share them in the comments below. lol Otherwise, pray for me next Sunday! haha

xoxo, 

​Jenise