Need to carry things?
Almost all of us need to carry a variety of things during training sessions. We all carry the essentials (phone, keys, identification) and some of us (I'm totally guilty) carry much more (kleenex, lip gloss, gum, money), but how can we do that and still get a good training session in. The solution may be as simple as one of these nifty gadgets.
The SPI (small personal items) is an adjustable belt that is super small but expands based on the cargo and can carry many fairly large and bulky items. They come in a wide variety of colors and patterns to reflect your personality and to add extra motivation to get you out the door. What makes this a real treasure for runners and walkers alike is that it doesn't bounce up and down - it remains flat and stays put. For more information about SPI belts, visit their website: http://www.spibelt.com/
One of my newest favorite gadgets is small and sassy from Roo Sports. The Roo pouch is flat and held in place with a magnetic flap - so cool! It has a zipper compartment for things you don't want to lose while your out and about like cards, money, and a key. It also has a quick access pouch for things like your phone which you may want to look at during your run. This pouch is kept closed by a piece of velcro so it stays closed but is easily opened while walking/running. Check them out at:
http://www.theroosport.com/
Identification -
Whether you lose your phone, are training alone, or are with a group who may not know your contact information - having identification with you while you train is essential. Having something like a RoadID is always a great idea! These inconspicuous identification tags can be placed on your shoe, wrist, or around your neck. Let's hope you never need it, but having the reassurance that your loved ones can be contacted in the event of an emergency is one less thing to worry about. As a side note, I've known people to use these as luggage tags as well. As a bonus side note, at $20 they make awesome gifts for anyone who walks or runs (college students, athletes, walking partners, neighbors, parents, travelers, etc).
Pacing Devices -
Whether you want to get faster, change up the pace, or just break up the miles into intervals to burn more calories - a pacing device might just be the thing to help you achieve your goals.
Here are two types of pacing devices that I REALLY like -
Countdown timer: Gymboss. Click HERE to go to their website.
This timer lets you set up 2 different intervals. You can walk for 2 minutes and run for 1 minute or you can power walk for 30 sections and regular walk for 5 minutes. You can set up a specific number of these intervals or just set it to be repeated until you turn it off. For $19.99, this small lightweight pager like device easily clips to your waistband, hydration belt, or bra strap. I did ALL of my races as a run/walk. My favorite interval was 2 minutes run, 2 minutes walk - but the walk/run guru leads groups at the Disney Marathon doing 30 seconds run and 30 seconds walk and they finish in under 6 hours.
Metronome: Click HERE to see an example of one that is easy to take with you during runs/walks. When it comes to getting faster - the key is to increase your cadence (or strides per minute). The optimal cadence for running is 160 beats per minutes. For walking there are a number of "optimal" paces depending on the goal of your walk. For a medatative calm walk, 55-60 strides per minute usually works best. For an aerobic, hilly, or focused "with a purpose" walk, 65-70 strides per minute is typical. A cardio or race walk goal typically yields a cadence of 70-80 strides per minute. No matter what, though, a great way to help you "pick up the pace" is to set a metronome to give you auditory cues about how quickly to take a step. I strongly suggest that if increasing your speed is your goal that you start by doing so in short intervals during your normal walk. Start by adding a couple (2-5) quicker paced intervals in your normal 30 minute walk. Work your way up over the next few months to adding more intervals and lengthening those intervals. When increasing pace, there are some biomechanical changes that need to be made as well (shorter strides, maintaining excellent posture, etc).
Calming
or Meditation walk, your cadence should fall between 55-65 spm. For an
Aerobic, Hilly, Energizing, or Focusing walk, your cadence should be
60-70 spm. An Upper-Body walk is best done within a slightly narrower
range of 55-60 spm, while a Cardio or Race walk moves along briskly at
70-80 steps per minute. - See more at:
http://www.chiwalking.com/blog/entry/walking-with-a-metronome#sthash.BAxTqnlz.dpuf
Calming
or Meditation walk, your cadence should fall between 55-65 spm. For an
Aerobic, Hilly, Energizing, or Focusing walk, your cadence should be
60-70 spm. An Upper-Body walk is best done within a slightly narrower
range of 55-60 spm, while a Cardio or Race walk moves along briskly at
70-80 steps per minute. - See more at:
http://www.chiwalking.com/blog/entry/walking-with-a-metronome#sthash.BAxTqnlz.dpuf
Calming
or Meditation walk, your cadence should fall between 55-65 spm. For an
Aerobic, Hilly, Energizing, or Focusing walk, your cadence should be
60-70 spm. An Upper-Body walk is best done within a slightly narrower
range of 55-60 spm, while a Cardio or Race walk moves along briskly at
70-80 steps per minute. - See more at:
http://www.chiwalking.com/blog/entry/walking-with-a-metronome#sthash.BAxTqnlz.dpuf
Hydration/Fuel Belts -
HERE is a great article comparing the different types of systems including handhelds, waist belts, backpacks, and more.
This is one of the most critical and individualized decisions a dedicated walker/runner can make. When considering a hydration/fuel belt, it is important to consider the following things:
1. Know yourself- do you mind carrying a bottle (personally, I could NOT do this, but my running partner was awesome at it). If you don't mind carrying a bottle then look for a handheld carrier. If you don't like to carry things, then consider a backpack or a waist belt.
2. What other features would be beneficial? For example, would having a pocket to carry small items such as lip gloss, phone, id, Kleenex, gum, carbohydrate fuel packs, etc be helpful? If so, think about all of the things that you want to carry. Sometimes you may want two different systems - one for shorter walk/runs and a different one to hold more "stuff" on longer walks/runs. Some people cope just fine without all the "stuff" - I, on the other hand, needed a LOT of "stuff".
3. What is your water bottle preference? Are you the kind of person who doesn't mind cleaning and refilling bottles or do you prefer just to have per-packaged bottled water. I personally was not good at remembering to get the bottles out of the car, fill them the night before, put them in the fridge and then grab them before the run. I was significantly more compliant with taking water with me on my runs when I had a hydration system that accommodated a store bought bottle of water. Backpack systems, like the Camel, require consider time and effort to clean.
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