{"id":1332,"date":"2013-06-26T19:26:12","date_gmt":"2013-06-26T19:26:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nikwax.wordpress.com\/?p=1332"},"modified":"2024-10-24T09:49:57","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T08:49:57","slug":"four-steps-to-finding-the-perfect-running-gear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nikwax.com\/en-us\/posts\/four-steps-to-finding-the-perfect-running-gear\/","title":{"rendered":"Four steps to finding the perfect running gear"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/nikwax.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/06\/trail-run.jpg?w=611\" alt=\"Trail Run\" class=\"wp-image-1333\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve logged many an asphalt mile since the long-ago day I first stumbled through my first 10K race in rural Illinois.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And by race, I mean \u201crun-walk\u201d for 6.2 miles with a determined grimace on my face. By the time the finish line came into view, I was limping from one telephone pole to the next, hobbled by blisters and longing for the shade of a nearby cornfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back then, my go-to running gear was a primitive pair of polyester shorts topped by a cotton tee. Socks were 100% cotton, and shoes were all-purpose \u201ctennis shoes.\u201d For warm-ups, I\u2019d pull on a bulky blue sweatshirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ta-dah!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No wonder the only runners I outpaced that race day were two pre-pubescent kids\u2014the sole competition in my under-represented age group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Running clothes and shoes have also come a long way. Wondering where to start? If you\u2019re new to the sport, learn from my mistakes. Or, if you\u2019re a seasoned veteran, take note and see if you agree (feel free to add your own tips in the comments below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without further ado, here are four tips to find the best running shoes and clothing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>Cotton = misery.<\/b> Cotton socks, with their tendency to soak up sweat and turn soggy, are almost guaranteed to breed blisters. Give yourself a break and choose socks with a high synthetic or wool content. I&#8217;m a fan of \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wigwam.com\/Products\/CategoryLanding.aspx?CategoryId=A\">Wigwam<\/a> brand\u2014and not just because it\u2019s made in Wisconsin (though I do love Wisconsin). A good friend won&#8217;t wear anything but <a href=\"http:\/\/us.icebreaker.com\/on\/demandware.store\/Sites-IB-US-Site\/default\/Home-Show\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Icebreaker<\/a>. It really doesn&#8217;t matter what sock you wear so long as it isn&#8217;t cotton..<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Plant your feet in reality. <\/b>Minimalist running shoes aren\u2019t for everyone. Look past the labels and get to know your feet before you make a purchase. Over-pronator? Supinator? Get educated about your gait with help from a running shop. Or, use this fun <a href=\"http:\/\/www.myprecisionfit.com\/test\/welcome?lang=en_US&amp;noAnswerSelected=&amp;noMobile=\">online tool<\/a> from Mizuno.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Consider a compromise. <\/b>Found the supportive, workaday shoe you need, but still pining for a sleeker, sportier model? Try this tip: Train in a shoe with medium-to-high cushion, such as the venerable <a href=\"http:\/\/www.asicsamerica.com\/Shop\/Footwear\/Running\/Mens\/GT-2000%C2%99-G-TX\/p\/0010127295.9701\">Asics GT-2000<\/a> or its cousin, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.brooksrunning.com\/Adrenaline-GTS-13\/110129,default,pd.html\">Brooks Adrenaline<\/a>. On race day, switch to a lighter shoe for an extra burst of speed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Layers, layers, layers. <\/b>Leave the hoodie at home and choose synthetic running clothing that wicks away sweat. Underwear is optional. (Really.) And don\u2019t over-dress: you\u2019ll heat up faster than you think, even in winter. Then, when those layers start <a href=\"http:\/\/nikwax.wordpress.com\/2013\/06\/24\/tales-of-olifactory-madness-or-fear-and-loathing-of-your-baselayer\/\">stinking<\/a>, reach for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nikwax-usa.com\/en-us\/products\/productdetail.php?productid=473&amp;itemid=-1&amp;fabricid=-1\">Nikwax BaseWash\u00ae<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nikwax-usa.com\/en-us\/products\/productdetail.php?productid=722\">BaseFresh\u00ae.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Trust me\u2014these tips will put you on the road to happier runs and better performance. (And fewer blisters.) Now take this advice and run with it! &nbsp;\u2014Kelly Huffman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve logged many an asphalt mile since the long-ago day I first stumbled through my first 10K race in rural Illinois. And by race, I mean \u201crun-walk\u201d for 6.2 miles with a determined grimace on my face. By the time the finish line came into view, I was limping from one telephone pole to the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"iawp_total_views":5,"footnotes":""},"categories":[101,2376],"tags":[2648,323,105,787],"class_list":["post-1332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gear-care","category-stories","tag-base-fresh","tag-basewash","tag-nikwax","tag-running"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Four steps to finding the perfect running gear - Nikwax NA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nikwax.com\/en-us\/posts\/four-steps-to-finding-the-perfect-running-gear\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Four steps to finding the perfect running gear - Nikwax NA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I\u2019ve logged many an asphalt mile since the long-ago day I first stumbled through my first 10K race in rural Illinois. And by race, I mean \u201crun-walk\u201d for 6.2 miles with a determined grimace on my face. 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