Running Gear Guide: Happy Global Running Day!

Happy Global Running Day to those who celebrate!

Millions of runners around the world will hit the streets today to celebrate all things running, Whether you’re a world marathoner or someone just looking to clear your head and do something healthy with friends, it’s a day to be happy and give thanks for the ability to run.

As for me, I’ll be braving the hot streets of New York City tonight for a sweaty run with my neighborhood team, followed by a celebratory beer or two at our local brewery. The heat has me taking it easy this week, but I do have a 10K race on Saturday to gear up for.

Summer racing is tough for me. I’ll take a sub-zero windchill and sleet over temperatures in the 70s any day of the week. But fall marathons are fast approaching and I’ll start the long build to 26.2 miles for the TCS New York City Marathon in just a couple weeks.

Whatever your goals are, the right gear is going to be essential as the weather heats up. Lighter clothes that will protect you from the sun will be a must, but you also need to start thinking more about hydration and nutrition, especially for those long runs. Most of all, if you start to feel unwell, play it safe and slow down or stop if you need to.

Here’s a look at some of my favorite running gear for spring and summer. 

Happy Global Running Day!

Runners love socks

Runners don’t cut corners when it comes to socks. They can make the difference between finishing a race happy and limping to the end with bloody feet.

Whether it be for the biggest races of the year or just a jog around the block, many of the runners on my team almost always reach for Feetures, as do I. For about $18 a pair, Feetures’ colorful and long-lasting socks are my go-to for training and racing. Specifically, the “Elite” versions of the socks offer targeted compression that helps protect and support your feet as you run without feeling too heavy.

But if it’s cold and wet outside, or if you’re like me and prone to stepping in spring mud puddles, you might want to stick with wool socks for a little longer. While you might associate Smartwool and its socks with winter, their summer versions are great, too. 

This time of year I’m a big fan of their Run Low Ankle Socks. You just can’t beat these when it comes to keeping your feet dry in any temperature. These got me throigh a 9-mile run up the Las Vegas Strip last August. Starting at $19, they’re worth the money. Like the other Smartwool products I’ve used, they’ve managed to survive several wash cycles without shrinking the way wool socks can be prone to do.

For great shoes, leave it to the professionals 

I’ve tried on countless running shoes from many of the top brands. With the TCS London Marathon now behind me, I’m in the market for something new that’s light, springy and offers the speed I want for races shorter than a half marathon, when I don’t need as much support or comfort. Like Goldilocks, I’m looking for a pair that’s just right.

So what did I end up wearing for London? After much debate, I went with my trusty pair of the Brooks Glycerin 22. No, they’re not designed for speed, but they are some of the most comfortable running shoes I’ve ever worn. I ran last year’s TCS New York City Marathon in pair of running shoes with carbon plates. They were fancier, faster and more expensive, but my feet were really hurting at the end of that race.

For London, I wanted comfort, and that’s what the Glycerines gave me. At the end of the race, my feet were swollen but not screaming, and I still had all of my toenails the next day. While I subsequently retired them after the race, I did wear them to walk countless miles as my family and I explored the streets of London and Paris for the next week.

All of that aside, comfort isn’t as big of a deal for me with shorter distances so I’m going to be testing out some super shoes ahead of my 10K races. I’m shooting for a new personal record, and am going to need something zippy on my feet to do that. 

But when you get down to it, the best shoe for you will depend on your feet and needs. A size 9 in one brand may fit entirely differently than in another. Shoes that your best friend, or even a world-class marathoner, thinks are amazing may feel torturous for you to walk in. Well-fitting shoes can make the difference between having happy feet at the end of a race or one of those dreaded black toenails.

If you’re shopping for yourself, head to your local running store and get expert advice. The fitting technology used by many stores has come a long way. In 2023, I got an up-close look at the system used by Fleet Feet, a national chain of running stores. It uses artificial intelligence to compare a 3D scan of your feet to those of millions of other customers, along with the store’s inventory. Combine that tech with suggestions from a store employee, and you’re bound to walk away with a pair of shoes you love.

If you’re looking for gifts for your favorite runner, I’ve got a better idea than running shoes.

Even if you wear the right sneakers, your feet will take a beating over 26.2 miles. The first thing I do after I cross any finish line is slip on a pair of Kane recovery shoes. Yes — these look a lot like Crocs. And starting at $80 a pair, they’re a lot more expensive than Crocs, but I think they’re well worth the money. They’ve even earned a permanent spot in my post-race bag.

After last fall’s TCS New York City Marathon, they gave my screaming and swollen feet the post-race room they needed to breathe, while the little nodes of the relatively firm footbed massaged them as I made my way home from Central Park. The shoes slipped on and off easily, and thankfully, they didn’t rub raw marks on my feet through the journey home. I took them all the way to London with me, too.

The shoes are available in a variety of fun colors and patterns, including licensed versions for alumni and fans of two dozen colleges and universities. Each pair also comes with a handy carabiner that you can use to clip them to the outside of a bag. And for those cold and wet days where a shoe with holes for breathability is less than appealing, the company has a new “all conditions” version that is enclosed and waterproof with a sewn-in thermal cuff designed to keep out the rain. These have served me well in muddy spring conditions.   

Interestingly, Kanes have also become the footwear of choice for many of the kids on my 10-year-old son’s travel hockey team. As a former ice hockey player myself, I know well how much your feet can swell inside tightly laced skates during a game. Comfortable but supportive footwear that comes on and off easily is the best thing to wear to and from the rink. The kids love the fun designs and colors, too. 

Light bright

While we’re getting more daylight here in the Northeast, somehow I still end up running in the dark. Lights and reflective gear remain a must, both to make sure that cars can see you and that you can see all those cracks in the sidewalk, including those unfortunately placed piles of dog poop.

I’ve got a few sets of lights, but my favorite remains the Tracer2 light-up vest from Noxgear. Its rechargeable LED lights flash in a rainbow of fun colors. They can be seen a quarter mile away and last up to 20 hours on a single charge.

At $70 (though frequently on sale) it’s not cheap, and I’d recommend adding on the optional Tracer Lamp ($40) that clips on the front. It’s super bright and can be aimed down to help you spot cracks in the sidewalk and avoid blinding fellow runners who might try to look directly at you.

The vest, which includes reflective straps, fits me perfectly and doesn’t slide around like a less expensive vest I used to wear that was made by another company. 

My teammates would be upset if I didn’t mention Noxgear’s 39G wearable Bluetooth speaker ($100). It kicks out a surprising amount of sound for its size. Instead of using headphones or earbuds that could block the sound of an approaching car or another threat, you can use the speaker to listen to your tunes while staying aware of what’s going on around you.

Fashionable and functional

If you’re marathon training, compression shorts with lots of storage are a must. I ran last year’s New York City Marathon in my team singlet and a trusty pair of compression shorts from Flipbelt, even though it was 38 degrees outside when I started the race. And I wore the same shorts in London. If you’re more about running tights, my best budget buy in that area remains the Flipbelt Air Mid-Weight Leggings.  

Flipbelt made its name by producing stretchy running belts designed to hold everything you might need for a long run. Its shorts and leggings build in that same storage. They offer enough space to keep your phone, keys, water flask and all the fuel you need to get through a long race without making you feel weighed down.

For everyday training in the heat, I am really loving the Chaser Short 3″ 2.0 from Brooks. They’re so light you’ll think you forgot to put them on. They also feature a super-soft wide waistband that prevents chafing.

The heat also has me reaching for my favorite tank from Oiselle. The LIght Lux Boxy Tank ($54) is super soft and stretchy. I wore one during some of my hotter, longer training runs ahead of London. It kept me cool and didn’t cause any nasty chafing like other tops I’ve tried. It’s going to get a lot of use this summer.       

Shades for every budget

I’ve recently become a fan of the reflective, wraparound style of shades, despite the fact that they kind of make me look like a Stormtrooper.

If you’re on a budget, Tifosi Optics makes a variety of running sunglasses that range between $25 and $80. I particularly like the Vogel SL model ($40), which features wraparound reflective lenses and comes in a variety of colors. They’re lightweight yet durable, and manage to stay put on my nose when I run.

A slightly more expensive, but more compact, offering is Knockaround’s Kinetics ($70). These are one of my new favorite pairs for running and what I chose to wear during the NYC Half (though they didn’t get much use due to the fog and clouds). Their rubber nose pads are very comfortable but keep them firmly in place, and I like how the superclear lenses aren’t huge but still cover my entire field of vision, almost like swim goggles, thanks to their close-to-face design.   

And if you’re looking to go upscale and look very cool doing it, the new versions of the Adidas Dunamis Evo and Evo S are great. They feature a similar style but with crystal-clear, reflective, wraparound lenses that are light as a feather and will make you feel like a professional athlete. What I like most about them is how well they’re vented. Even on super-cold days when I pulled a neck gaiter up over my nose, they didn’t fog up like other pairs I have. 

I’ve liked past versions of the Dunamis glasses but also found them just too big for my face. The new Evo S style is a bit smaller and fits my face perfectly. After much debate, they were the pair I chose for London, and they worked out great. 

Staying hydrated

More sun and warmth means you need more hydration. For long runs, a hydration vest with a refillable bladder is the way to go. In addition to holding more than a liter of water, these vests offer tons of storage and can generally take the place of a running belt.

To train for London, I used the Nathan Pinnacle Pro 12-liter women’s hydration race vest It’s an investment, but it’s worth it. Hydration packs that I’ve used in the past have leaked, were made out of material that made me sweat or worse, chafed and rubbed raw marks on me when I ran. Admittedly, it’s still not that hot outside, but I’ve yet to experience those problems with this vest.

The women’s version comes in different sizes. Consult the company’s chart, and when in doubt, go for a bigger size. Assuming you get the right one, they’re easy to put on and adjust to fit you just right — they should hug your body when you run. They don’t bounce around or chafe, even when the included 1.6-liter bladder is completely full. The vest is made of a soft material that keeps you cool and wicks away sweat. Best of all, you can throw it in the wash when you get home.

For shorter runs, I go with Nathan’s Pinnacle soft insulated 18-ounce flask. It’s a soft flask that’s held in a fabric case. There’s an adjustable strap that goes around your hand, so you don’t really have to cling to it while you run. It’s easy to squeeze and drink from. It doesn’t leak, and you can throw it in the dishwasher.