Your Running Kit — Crucial Clothes and Accessories for Getting More From Running

Our aim here is not to push ourselves but rather just to have a nice run. We’re aiming to enjoy this run and to make it gentle, sustainable and non-intimidating. We’re learning to run and not trying to burn off any fat for now. The attitude will help a lot but what you also need to do if this is going to work, is to make sure you have the right training gear. This can make a big difference to your comfort and therefore, to your ability to stick with it.

The first and most important piece of running kit is your running shoe. When you start running, you will invest in this shoe and it is going to become your best friend. If you think you can just head out and hit the tarmac right now in your old, threadbare shoes, then you’re not wrong per say, but you’ll quickly find that it hurts and that you don’t want to keep going very long.

Spend $100 on a set of shoes though and you’ll notice a massive difference. You will be faster, you will be less likely to injure yourself and it will be a lot more of a pleasant ‘ride’ (to use the same parlance as the shoe manufacturers!).
Just know that you need good shoes if you want any chance of sticking with your running!

Next up, you’re going to want to get some running clothes. Once again, you can go running in what you’re wearing right now but if you invest in some good clothes you’re going to find it much more comfortable and much more enjoyable. The right running clothes will be breathable but warming at the same time. You’ll find that you don’t get as cold when running outside in the dark but you also don’t sweat profusely either.

More importantly, you’ll greatly reduce chaffing. This is a big issue especially as you start to run long distances. Later on, we’ll discuss things like nipple tape, but for now you just need to worry about the itching and the rash that comes from wearing shorts as they move over your leg — or the nasty rash you can get under your armpit from a t-shirt.
What you’re looking for is an under layer.

This will be some form of compression gear — compression trousers and a compression top. These will cling tightly to your skin and provide that breathable warmth we were just talking about while also protecting your skin from the material of your clothes as they move around.

Other optional extras include some kind of portable water bottle (you can get ones that fit neatly into one hand while you’re running) and a sweatband if you struggle with sweat. Headphones can also be good if you want some music to spur you along — although these can get a little sweaty and it’s nice often to just listen to the sounds of nature.