Running Your First 5K? Here’s Your Running Must Haves

Running your first 5K?

So, you have decided to take up running and run your first 5K to get in shape and improve your fitness? Congratulations. Running is one of the simplest fitness activities to get involved in and the financial outlay is minimal too. In comparison to other sports that is. But wait a minute, slow down. Before you dart out of the front door and dive into running your first 5k there are just a few running must haves and accessories that are worth considering.

 Be The most important piece of equipment for any runner is most definitely their shoes. A well fitted shoe, which may include sports insoles or even orthotic insoles, will keep your feet well supported and lessen the risk of picking up injuries such as shin splints, blisters, plantar fasciitis or IT band soreness.

Whilst there is plenty of reference material on the internet about how to buy the perfect running shoe, the only way to ensure that you get the right shoe for you is to have them fitted by a professional. Be sure to inform them of the type of running you will be doing along with the surfaces you will most frequently be running on.

The right shoe will enable you to  train hard and push yourself without discomfort whilst avoiding injury. Be warned, they wont come cheap but the cost of your health is far more important than that displayed on the swing ticket price tag.

Whilst it is not necessary to take out a small mortgage for all the latest running apparel it is important to consider that you get what you pay for. Paying that little bit more for quality running clothes will ensure that you are comfortable whatever distance you run. Consider the following:

Running Jacket
We all know that the weather is completely unpredictable, so you will really benefit from a waterproof and wind proof running jacket. It will not only prevent you being caught short in a shower but will also deter you from putting off your run.

Make sure you opt for a high visibility too. This will ensure that you can be seen by drivers and dogs if you are running in the dark. If the weather isn’t fitting for a jacket opt for reflective bands or vests.

Shirts and Shorts
It is important to buy running apparel that is made from technical materials. These are those materials that keep you warm when it’s cold and cool when it is hot. They take moisture away from the skin which keeps you comfortable whilst running and prevents chafing, which can become very painful particularly when you are running long distances.

You might not think this is important for running your first 5k but it really won’t be long until that 5k is 10k or even 15k.

There are just a few accessories that you might like to consider investing in to help you track your progress, keep you comfortable and help you focus on your goals, although they are not essential if you are a beginner running your first 5k.

Hat
In the winter a woolly hat will keep your head and ears warm and in the summer a cap will keep the sun out of your eyes. It can be difficult to see sometimes.

Watch
As a beginner any watch will do just to be able to monitor how long you have been running. As you become more experienced you may need more from you watch like GPS tracking, pace and heart rate. That is when it is time to invest in a sports watch.

Water Bottle
It is very important to keep yourself hydrated during exercise, particularly running. Think of water as the oil for your engine, without it things won’t run as smoothly and your performance will be affected. There are many water bottles available that are ergonomically designed so they can be carried whilst running.

Aside from the positive safety aspects of running with a buddy, there are many other benefits. For a start the knowledge that your running buddy is waiting for you on those early morning runs will make sure that you get yourself out of bed instead of rolling right over and going back to sleep.

A running buddy will not only understand your addiction and running goals but will also provide good conversation which will make your run fly by. They can also help resolve issues with your running form and come up with alternative ideas if your routes become repetitive or boring. On top of that they can be a great pacesetter which could mean that running your first 5k could be much faster than you think.

Now all you have to do is make sure that you know how to choose the right one.