If you're surprised by that statement, you really must not know many runners. Runners obsess about races, shoes, paces, food, routes, miles, ... pretty much anything associated with running calls for some degree of preoccupation.
A conversation with another #runteacherrun friend brought this to mind this week. (Yes, I've always know we were all a bit OCD...or maybe it's just me?!...but this convo reminded me and made me want to make a list!)
So, maybe you're not obsessive over everything running related, but I'll bet you do have a few "things".
Here are two of mine:
1. Shoes
Running shoes are easily the most important "thing" to have as a runner. I am completely brand loyal to Brooks Glycerins. In my 3 years as a runner, I've only purchased this particular brand and style except for a brief weak moment where I purchased Brooks Ghosts (they were cheaper!) and then returned them after a painful 6 mile run. (Thank you Finish Line for having that 15 run day guarantee!). I love my Brooks Glycerins. For me, they're the perfect shoe. Have I tried on other brands? Yes, I have but for me nothing even comes close to my Brooks for running comfort.
(& the new HOT PINK & GRAY 11s pictured below? AWESOME! My absolute favorite colors! Can't wait to lace these babies up later this week!)
2. Tracking Mileage
Tracking mileage is the ultimate in running OCD. Some runners keep spreadsheets, others use handy apps and online programs to keep track of their daily miles. I'm a Nike+ gal. I know, I know...sometimes it can be unreliable, but I'm loyal. I started with them in the beginning of my running journey with a Nike+ shoe sensor and the app on my iTouch. Then I moved on to using the sensor with a SportBand. After I got my iphone, I loved running using the Nike+ app with GPS for outside running. Now I alternate between a Nike+ SportWatch GPS for outside runs and my trusty SportBand for treadmill runs. I got the watch for Christmas. I contemplated other brands, but I have so many MILES sitting in my Nike account! They know my history. I can easily look at EVERY RUN and compare time, pace, etc. I also love how easy it is to share your runs on twitter and facebook. (Love my #runteacherrun community!)
Check out the cool chart at the bottom of their products page which compares/contrasts the many Nike+ accessories.
I used my SportWatch when I ran my first marathon in January of 2013. It stopped after 13 miles. Completely dead. Whoops! I didn't realize after traveling that I needed to charge it. (Amateur mistake, for sure.) Know what's cool? I tweeted about it and NikeSupport immediately tweeted back AND they updated my account to reflect my 26.2 miles and my race time. Today, a friend on Twitter asked me about tracking treadmill miles with the app. I expressed my dislike of just the app on the treadmill because of the unreliability. NikeSupport tweeted me back with suggestions of how to make it better. I love a company that is all about customer support and uses social media to reach customers in a good way. Thanks Nike!
So....what running related things do you obsess over? My list will continue, but I'd love to hear from you! Respond with a comment, or even better...if you'd like to write a post, email me at sngick {at} gmail {dot} com.
Now go out there and #runteacherrun!
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