Last weekend I ran one of my favorite local races, the Around the Crown 10K. This race is an iconic Charlotte Experience, the I-277 Loop that circles the city of Charlotte is shut down for the morning for the race. It's just a really cool thing to be able to run literally around the city like that and get views that would otherwise be impossible as a runner since pedestrians are strictly forbidden on the interstates. There's no other race quite like it here in Charlotte.
One way that I prepare for a race is to lay out all of my gear into a Flat Runner the night before in order to make sure that I have everything I need. This keeps me from rushing around in the morning and potentially forgetting a vital piece of gear. And of course, if I am going to go to the trouble of laying it all out, I'm gonna take a picture and post it. That's just fun.
Today I thought I would go through my Flat Runner layout from Around the Crown to show you my race day gear.
First off, I would like to mention that on occasion I receive items as BibRave Pro, Fleet Fleet employee and/or brand ambassador for no charge. Please note that items that I received at no charge previously have been marked with a *. No items in this posting were provided specifically to review for this posting and are all items that I purposefully chose to race in. With that out of the way, here's my racing kit.
Starting from the top to the bottom, here's what I personally race in. Again, these are my personal preferences and I am not specifically promoting any of these items beyond saying these are the items that work best for me. Every runner is different and what works for me may not work for you, but if you have any questions about any of these items, just ask in the comments below and I am happy to give more details. I have provided links for each item's official website as well.
- So my first item, I totally forgot to put into flat lay but I always race in a visor, and my brand of choice is Headsweats. This is because simply, my head sweats, a lot when I run. Wearing a Headsweats visor keeps the sweat from running down into my eyes while the lip of the visor gives my eyes a bit more shading for either the sun or rain depending on conditions. I prefer a visor to a hat because, not sure if you have noticed but I have A LOT of hair. My head gets pretty hot with all of that hair.
- Aftershokz Bone Conduction Headphones*. Music totally helps motivate my run, but it is never a good idea to not be able to hear your surroundings for a number of reasons, so that is why I am a HUGE fan of Aftershokz! The bone conduction technology allows you to hear your pump up jams while still being about to hear things like traffic, race instructions, your fellow runners, everything basically. Mine are the Aeroplex (now called Open Run) and they are super lightweight, comfortable and waterproof.
- Knockaround Sunglasses* Lightweight, affordable and cute as all get out, Knockarounds are my sunglasses of choice. I especially like their Sport model for running as they have rubberized nose pads to prevent slipping and bounce. I ended not wearing them during the race because it was extremally cloudy and overcast which made me a bit sad. Typically, I never run without a pair of Knockarounds (full disclosure, I have about 20 pair). I am a Knockaround Ambassador and you can read more about that here: https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2022/01/from-sunglasses-hoarder-to-knocksquad.html
- Muzino Racerback Tank Top. I am not even sure of the exact style nor if they even sell this exact item any longer as I bought this tank top from Fleet Feet Sports Fort Mill probably 5 years ago. It's super lightweight and comfy. I actually have 2 (the other is a different color). The reason I chose this tank top for this race for a rather silly one. This was my 3rd Around the Crown race (4th if you count the Virtual one in 2020) and well, I noticed in my Facebook Memories posts this past week that I apparently wore this same tank top to the last 2 live races, so why break tradition?
- Brooks Racer Bra and Shorts. Like the previous item, both of these Brooks items are no longer available for sale which is a shame as I love them. I have 2 pair of these shorts, they are the perfect length (5-inch tights) and have a back zipper pocket that fits my phone. I really wish they still made them. That said, I still buy Brooks apparel, they are some of my favortie things to run in. My advice for you would be to if you find something you like, buy multiple because they change out their apparel offerings frequently. Same with the Racer bra. Both items were bought at Fleet Feet Sports Fort Mill.
- Nathan Sports Speed Draw. Typically I do not carry water during races instead relying on the aid stations, however, Around the Crown is a race that focuses a lot on sustainability and does their water stations just a bit different from typical races (and from year to year). Not knowing exactly what to expect and with it being a pretty hot and super humid race, I carried my handheld to make sure I would have water when I wanted it. It was a good call too. The aid station was at mile 4 and I for sure needed water before then. The Speed Draw holds 18 oz and is comfortable to carry. I train with it regularly for runs over 4 miles.
- Another item not in the picture but clearly necessary for race day, my Garmin Forerunner. Prior to my Garmin, I used an Apple Watch and let me tell you, Garmin is by far the way to go for me. Apple Watches do lots of cool things and happen to track fitness as well. Garmin is designed to track fitness/running. There is no comparison when it comes to the GPS accuracy, stats you get and Garmin Connect Community. There is a reason that Garmin is the most popular running watch.
- Pro-Tec Patellar Tendon Strap. If you've read this blog before, you may have seen me mention several times about my crap knees and how I've had a few surgeries to fix them up. The left knee seems to have gotten on board with being a functional limb while the right is still taking it's sweet time. Recently I started using this patellar strap to give a bit of extra support to my right knee and honestly it's helped loads. I wish I had been running with it sooner tbh.
- Feetures Socks*. Not only did runners get some cute Recover shirts, but we also all got a pair of Feetures socks. I love Feetures. And while these were brand new socks I got at the expo the day before and the rule is never run in something new, I have run in these exact socks for years so I wore them with no hesitation. Feetures have targeted compression, have seamless toes, are moisture wicking and are super soft.
- Saucony Endorphin Speed 2*. These are my current go-to racing shoe. Light weight, responsive, comfortable and fast. I mean just look at the checkboard! A friend of mine referred to these as Ricky Bobby shoes and now that is just their name. They are bouncy and fast and best yet, hug my narrow feet in a way that makes them fit like a glove. These were my first pair of Saucony shoes and they will not be my last. They are used exclusively (almost) on race days.
- UCAN Energy Bar*. My pre-race snack to give myself a bit of an energy boost right before the race. I started using UCAN products when I was training for my first marathon back in 2018. They have no sugar which can cause spikes and crashes in energy and instead use a corn based starchy base that delivers a consistent source of energy. When I was doing super long runs, I would mix up some of the energy powder with 10 oz of water, drink before my run and be good to go for like 10-12 miles. I've used their Edge gels also mid-run and loved the results. In the past I have eaten random energy bars prior to a race or run so I figured why not try the UCAN Energy Bars since I clearly do well with their other products. Of course I tried a few before race day on longer runs, but was happy to find that these worked just as well for me as all other UCAN products. Cherry Berry Almond is my favorite flavor, but I ran out of these already (cause yum) so this one was the Salted Peanut Butter (they also have Chocolate Almond Butter).
Have any questions about the items I race in/with? Just ask. Do you have a go-to race day necessity that I didn't mention or might not know about? Tell me about it in the comments as well.
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