Stay Confident: Mastering Summer Runs & Gear Guide for Half Marathons and Beyond

Ready to conquer your summer runs and stay cool while doing it? Join Coach Christine as she chats with Shelly Rose, who’s gearing up for her first half marathon. Shelly shares her favorite summer training gear and hydration strategies, inspiring you to elevate your running game. From hydration products like Liquid IV and Nuun to overcoming self-consciousness with the right running apparel, this episode is packed with insights to keep you comfortable and confident on the trails.

Ever wondered how to manage running in humid conditions, especially when bouncing back from illness? We’ve got you covered. Shelly discusses her smart hydration routine and the importance of a consistent schedule, swapping coffee for water by 10 AM and maintaining hydration all day. We also dive into practical gear tips, like using body glide to prevent chafing and the benefits of starting your day with water to ensure your runs are smooth and enjoyable.

Discover the pros and cons of various running gadgets and outfits that can make or break your training and race day experiences. We compare tools like the Gymboss interval timer and Garmin smartwatches and share community favorites for summer running gear, including sports bras and cooling towels. 

Plus, don't miss out on our book club picks for August, perfect to keep you motivated and entertained as you log those summer miles. Whether you're new to running or a seasoned pro, this episode promises to keep you cool, hydrated, and inspired all season long.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hey friends, welcome to Extraordinary Strides, where we celebrate the incredible journeys of runners and fitness enthusiasts, because today we have a very special episode dedicated to summer running gear and tips. We'll be joined by Shelly Rose, who's training for her first half marathon. We're going to hear from her on some of her favorite summer training gear, but we also crowdsource the amazing Stride Collective community. So you guys are definitely ready to make your notes, because we've got some great gear tips hydration, fueling, all of that coming on up. But before we dive in, I want to remind you about an exciting opportunity coming up in August. If you aren't well aware, I am officially in my running and reading era. That's right, swifties. I know you guys are all about that eras tour and for me it's all about logging those miles and listening to some incredible audiobooks at the same time. And we actually have a running book club. We meet online through messenger chat and then we meet once a month through Zoom calls. We took a little hiatus and kept things easy peasy for summer, but come August we are bringing it back. This time we are creating it as choose your own adventure with two fantastic reads so you can choose Adventure One.

Speaker 1: 1:21

Not Too Late. The Power of Pushing Limits at Any Age. It tells the inspiring story of a midlife transformation from an unathletic office worker to a competitive obstacle course racer. That definitely sounds familiar, except for the OCR, but we all know how running is transformational. But this journey highlights the potential for change and growth at any age. Blending personal experiences from the author with expert discussions. Growth at any age. Blending personal experiences from the author with expert discussions via our chat. A reading schedule to keep everyone on track, in a final discussion at the end of month via Zoom. So this will be a much structured option in terms of. I'll provide you with the suggested reading schedule. You follow along, we'll get into those weekly discussions and we'll deep dive as to how truly age is just a number and we're all just getting older and bolder every single passing year. Now, if that doesn't sound up your alley, maybe you're thinking I don't want structure just yet. I'm not ready to get rid of those summer easy peasy feeling vibes. Well, we've got adventure too, where you can dive into.

Speaker 1: 2:24

My Latest Obsession, a book by Frida McFadden. This book is going to be the Inmate and it introduces us to nurse practitioner Brooke Sullivan, who starts work at a maximum security prison, hiding her past relationship with dangerous inmate Shane Nelson. Once he was her high school sweetheart, but Shane is now serving a life sentence for murders, convicted with Brooks testimony. Now this is not going to be a structured read. I'm just going to ask you to not give away any of the spoilers, because one of the reasons why I have fallen in love with Freda McFadden's books is because they have these great plot twists that keep me lacing up and keep me entertained as I'm logging in those sexy and flexi paces on all of those summer miles. So we will be discussing this book at the end of the month, also during our monthly Zoom chat, and I am so excited to read this one. It'll be the fourth book I've read of hers. I will not start reading it until August because I want to read it alongside you. You can, of course, choose both adventures, but I'm going to suggest that you stick with one to give yourself the opportunity to dive into it fully.

Speaker 1: 3:43

Now, my friends, let's talk about summer Again. I just mentioned that one of the ways that I'm convincing myself to get laced up and get out that door is with reading and listening to audio books and podcasts, because we are officially in the dog days of summer, and the term dog days of summer refers to the hottest and most oppressive period of the year. Traditionally, it falls between July and August. For runners, this means dealing with extreme heat and humidity, which can pose significant challenges to training and performance. So I'm asking you to give yourself a bit of grace during this time. But with the right gear and strategies, you can at the very least stay cool, look cool, stay hydrated and continue to be motivated. So let's dive into some of the tips from the Stride Collective, because I asked and you guys delivered so right out of the gate.

Speaker 1: 4:39

We're going to talk about hydration and electrolytes, and I have Mary Beth Frisbee and Jennifer Jackson both emphasizing the importance of staying hydrated, and they love products like Liquid IV, scratch, elementi and Noon. Mary Beth notes that waking up early to run at 4.30 to 5 am helps to beat the heat, even though it can be tough to adjust to. As a coach, I can't stress enough the importance of staying hydrated and choosing the cooler parts of the day to run. So early morning runs can be a game changer during the hot summer months. I also want to remind you that maybe, if that's not in your cards. Those evening runs are also just as good. They have a little bit less humidity. Generally. In the evening, however, it may be a little harder to kind of jigsaw puzzle your time. So keep that in mind and then, if you can't do either, definitely try to locate those shadier routes when at all possible. So researching through trail links online, maybe some of your local trails to hit those up. Trail links online maybe some of your local trails to hit those up.

Speaker 1: 5:49

Michelle she finds that she likes cure hydration powders to be effective. She loves the ingredients and she also carries a sweat wicking towel from all those great race expos that she's cleared on up. And actually, michelle, I've been doing that recently as well. I like to have that extra little bit of being able to wipe off the sweat from my brow, the extra sparkle and shimmer. She also cuts those sweat wicking towels from Race Expos into smaller pieces, so she doesn't need to necessarily carry a huge towel along with her. This helps her to keep cool with practical tools and helps her to maintain that comfort and, of course, nail those sexy paces as well.

Speaker 1: 6:28

Now Ellie Shriner and Megan Avis they prefer noon for their daily electrolytes, but they switched to tailwind and base salts for runs. Ellie also recommends hammer nutrition and enduro lights and salt stick tabs, while Megan suggests prepping a cold noon drink for post run recovery. I love that idea. There are so many times that the way that I convince myself to finish my run is thinking of that delicious cold drink I have waiting for me afterwards. So I love that little bit of a slushy feel. Or smoothie. I know we've got an athlete, michelle, who's doing a little post-run recovery smoothie. That's a great one to have in mind. And, of course, both of these ladies hail from Florida Megan's out of Florida and Ellie's out of Texas, so I think they know their stuff.

Speaker 1: 7:21

My friends Trust me on this. Now, nikki and Sue both rely on liquid IV, with Sue particularly enjoying the grapefruit flavor. I don't know how I feel about that, sue Grapefruit Hmm, I'm going to have to try it. Sue also highlights the importance of using sunblock. Thank you, sue, for reminding us. And she is all about CeraVe or Super Goop and wearing prescription sunglasses for knock around to protect her eyes from the sun. And yes, my friends, we need to lather up Now. Do know that with your SPF and your sunscreen, you need to probably take a bit more with you for those longer runs, as it's going to sweat off. However, it also does sit a little heavier on the skin, so take that into account. It may impact your skin's breathability a little bit, so it takes a little getting used to, but it's still incredibly important to use that SPF.

Speaker 1: 8:18

Okay, I have more tips from the Stride Collective. We talked about their favorite hydration, but we've got tons of gear tips coming on the other side. First, let's bring Shelly on in. Catch up with Shelly a little bit as to how her training is going, and Shelly and I worked through the Back to Basics program, so she has a great handle on her training gear. She's going to give us some of her favorites as well, and I can't wait to have you guys catch up with her a little bit. So welcome on in, shelly. And how are you doing, friend? Hi, I'm good, I'm doing pretty good, so we should let folks know that at this point when we're recording this, you're kind of you've been base building, so we haven't gotten into the nitty gritty of half marathon training yet, but you are a great planner and you've started to plan for what you were going to need for your half marathon training, actually months ago at this point. So how do you feel about your training so far and how prepared you are for kickoff?

Speaker 2: 9:18

I'm feeling pretty good. I feel like I had. I think the time for base building was really important because I wasn't super confident in where I was yet, so spending that time really doing like a back to basics and building. I feel more confident going into the official start of the training. So I'm feeling pretty solid, pretty strong.

Speaker 1: 9:40

Okay, and last time we checked you were thinking that I am ready to get back into. You miss the running community and the racing community and you're a big, avid fan of Track Shock. So you were going to do the Watermelon 5k but unfortunately a few days beforehand you tested positive for COVID.

Speaker 2: 9:59

Yeah, I had to take like a week ish off because covid got me. Um it was. I was lucky that it never actually got into my chest and it was just kind of a really bad head cold. So I felt I felt bad, but I didn't feel as bad as I have in the past when I had covid. Yeah, so I did the responsible thing and tested and made sure I stayed away from my running people because they don't need to be down with COVID, and chose to miss out on the watermelon 5k, which made me very sad and very uh. Yeah, just looking at all the people's results and people posting and track track keeps sending me thank you for participating email. This is just killing my, killing me, but I mean you can do a virtual.

Speaker 1: 10:43

You can do a virtual. Essentially you've got a virtual. Essentially You've got the, you've got the super cute watermelon 5k tank, so just get in a virtual and we can make that happen. Now, how do you feel in terms of last week was your official return back and we did have you come back in terms of kind of getting into some nice and easy runs again and getting that structure? How did it feel coming back into it?

Speaker 2: 11:09

I think it felt good. I was missing it, you know, because I really wanted to get back out there, but I also wanted to make sure that it didn't show up in my lungs and then make it worse and not be down for longer. So I felt really good. Saturday was not my best, but I was really tired and just kind of off my game and it was so humid that I ended up skipping the last part of the run doing the strides because I just was not. I ran out of gas entirely and just couldn't do it. But you know other ones. I felt pretty good. That's the first time I've ever cut a run short, so it felt a little icky, but I know I did the right thing.

Speaker 1: 11:50

So you absolutely did the right thing and I actually think you should applaud yourself for really honing in, listening to your body, giving yourself that rest time. And, for the record, if you do look at your runs before you got sick and afterwards, they look very comparable Again, your cadence is super strong and gorgeous, friends. So Shelly has spent a lot of time, even before we started working together, on really honing in on the drills. Um and I have to be honest, I don't think anybody loves the drills usually, but she has spent quite a bit of time doing the drills, so her cadence has absolutely translates to being nice and strong. She gets it up there pretty quickly. She transitions from run to walk in a beautiful fashion to where it's not so jilted as some folks that come to run walk tend to have, and that really does help.

Speaker 1: 12:41

If you're a run walker, you want to practice those acceleration gliders because it helps with a smoother transition and it's less impact on our joints. So again, shelly, congratulations, because I see you picked up exactly where you left off and it looks super strong on my side of things. Now I'm curious, though you also did come back. Well, we've been training in some heat and humidity, but it feels like in the last couple of weeks humidity has come in with like a one to knockout punch and coming back from recovering from COVID, I feel like it was probably even a little bit more in your face. So tell me how you have set yourself up for success with some of your training gear to help you with these hot weather runs.

Speaker 2: 13:22

So I always have my water bottle with me, my little handheld.

Speaker 2: 13:27

I live with that thing. I'm not going without it, even if it's a super short run. Sometimes in the morning, steering like earlier in the year and the end of last year I would sound like, oh, it's only 40 minutes, it's not a big deal, but I'm not leaving the house without that water bottle. It's just not happening and I've been trying to hydrate throughout the day more. I'm really bad at that, so I'll just get in front of my computer at work or whatever and just zone out and the only thing I'm drinking is coffee. But I've been trying to make a real effort to drink, but year-wise I would say my water bottle's like I'm not leaving without it.

Speaker 2: 14:02

And I'm not going anywhere without body glide. I will not be leaving the house, even in my day to day when I'm not running. I'm not leaving the house without body glide on if I'm wearing shorts, yeah.

Speaker 1: 14:12

I mean true story. I think I did leave the house a couple of weeks ago and was wearing a summer dress and I'm like I really should have just put those thick thighs rest. I use a different anti-tape cream, but I was like I need this around the clock this time of year. So good to hear that you're staying hydrated. I'm curious when you talk about we talk about it often as staying hydrated off the run as well as being super important to going into it. There's a lot of benefits of staying hydrated, mainly in the fact that it helps our blood plasma to stay nice and able for our heart to truly move it, instead of it getting too thick and sluggish. But how do you find it helps you to stay on track with your hydration? Like, what do you use? Cause, you're right, a lot of us get into our work computer and we start drinking our for me iced coffee, and maybe eight shots of iced coffee later I'm finally ready to switch to water. So what if something works for you?

Speaker 2: 15:05

So I give myself like a schedule of when I need to have a certain amount of water by. So I re, I make myself a switch from coffee to water no later than 10 o'clock and then. So anything I'm drinking after 10 needs to be water. I don't really drink sodas or any other stuff like that. So if I'm not drinking coffee and drinking water anyway, um cause it just doesn't appeal to me. And so, and then by lunchtime I need to have had cause I, my favorite water bottle was like about a 16 or somewhere between 16 and 20 ounce, so I have to. I make sure I have at least two of those before I finish, before I get to my lunch, and then I need to have one bottle with my actual lunch. And then I just try to keep going throughout the day of having at least this much by here and at least this much by here, and I always finish drinking by nine, or else I'm going to be up all night peeing.

Speaker 1: 15:54

So yeah, I was gonna ask that next.

Speaker 2: 15:58

When did?

Speaker 1: 15:58

you cut it off, okay, okay. So it goes back to that old adage of how to eat an elephant one bite at a time. And instead of trying to wait until 6 PM to get in our full gallon and planning accordingly with kicking it off, I actually start my day with water before I actually drink coffee, just because, again, it's very easy for me to just get into iced coffee and think that's sufficient. So love that you do that and I. I find it interesting you don't find plain water boring. You don't ever put any pizzazzy stuff in it.

Speaker 2: 16:29

No, I don't usually like a lot of those things, because a lot of them tend to be like no sugar and that stuff tastes bad to me. Okay, it's funny because I don't use sugar in my coffee. I use an alternative sweetener, but that doesn't bother me, I don't know. Okay, okay, but that doesn't bother me, I don't know.

Speaker 1: 16:50

Okay, okay, that's okay, I'll drink tea every now and then, but it's usually a special occasion Like Ooh, we went out to dinner, maybe I'll have some. Okay, I love it. So water and coffee are your jam for the most part. Um, so I love that you've got a schedule for staying hydrated to help set yourself up for success. Again, you've got your handheld water bottle. I'm going to likely ask you for which one you use, so that I can drop it into episode notes for folks. And what I want to know next is tell me what you're wearing gear wise and I'm going to preface this by I have very different training gear in Florida summers than I do in Florida winters and I'm using I mean, granted, I know winter is it's a very loose phrase but in our cooler weather pattern, I have different gear that I wear. Do you find that you're doing the same thing so far?

Speaker 2: 17:33

I pretty much wear the same thing all the time, except for when it's colder, I have a little zippy jacket that I'll put with it. My legs don't usually get cold, so I'm always wearing either shorts or a skirt. It could be very cold, and I'm still doing that. I almost always wear a tank top and either one of my run skirts or very long shorts, at least five inches in seam, at least, preferably seven, because my thighs are hungry and it's the only way for me to get through a run.

Speaker 1: 18:07

Okay, so biker shorts are like the compression running shorts, basically, Absolutely, and we have a little bit of a longer inseam to also provide us with those awesome runner tan lines that you know.

Speaker 2: 18:19

Oh yeah, I have great runner tan lines.

Speaker 1: 18:21

It's fabulous. Those are awesome for sure. Okay, you also just recently joined officially the sports bra squad. How did that feel?

Speaker 2: 18:32

Oh, that was special. I've never run in just a bra Like that's. I'm usually pretty conservative and I'm not very confident in myself. But I tried out a new run outfit on Saturday and it had like a little crop top shirt and I usually wear like razorback tank so like nothing's ever touching my neck. And this kept touching my neck and it also had like meshy sleeves and I just felt like I was gonna die of heat if I kept this shirt on. So I was kind of forced into it. So I was like I'm doing it, I'm taking it off, and it felt so good, like I felt so confident. It was like one of those I have these moments where I'm like I'm a real runner, like look at me out here doing the thing, so, yeah, you are a real runner happening.

Speaker 2: 19:16

I got a phone call from a granny, um for which was, which was great. She did this thing with her mouth that my granny used to do whenever she didn't like something I was doing, and I was like, oh, I know what that means. You're disgusted, but I'm tired, I'm going to do it anyway.

Speaker 1: 19:28

So or she was just thinking how do I score this awesome outfit, cause I want to wear it too. That's how I'm going to reframe it in my mind. Okay, so let's talk about joining the sports bar squad, because I think this time of year it because I think this time of year it is tough. First and foremost, no pressure to join it. If that's not your comfort zone, don't do it. Like I would never pressure anyone into doing it, but I do think one of the easier ways of getting into it is a long line sports bra. Is the one that you were wearing more of a long line, where it has, or was it?

Speaker 2: 19:56

Ooh, you just went all in my regular, my Lululemon Energy high support one. But my shorts came up very high. Okay, so they were very high waisted bottoms, which is why I felt a little more comfortable.

Speaker 1: 20:08

Okay, got you. I'm a big fan of the high waist, everything as well. That's actually one of my particular requirements, for sure. Okay, so we've got our outfits down. You're wearing some awesome, fabulous. You're a big fan of dopamine dressing, which we talked about last time, which is kind of make sure you feel good going into the run enjoying what you're wearing. Super cute outfit that you had this past Saturday as well. But tell us about your running shoes and, first and foremost, we're going to preface this by saying our favorite running shoes do not mean that they are going to work for you. We're going to advocate, both Shelly and I, for you to get fitted at your local running store. We're a big fan of truck shack and they do virtuals as well, if you need to email them. But what are your favorite running shoes?

Speaker 2: 20:53

So my favorite are the Brooks Ghost. Those are the only ones I've ever worn the first time I got fitted.

Speaker 2: 20:59

They brought out Brooks Ghost for me and a couple of other ones, but I the ghost. And then the second time I went in, I didn't tell them which one I had before, just to see if it had changed and they weren't influenced by my previous decision, because I'm manipulative like that and they brought out the same pair, the same thing. So clearly that's the shoe for me. Um, I did try on a few others and but they were just too much cushion. I need to feel my foot on the ground. I can't feel like I'm walking on clouds because I'm clumsy and I will eat it if I don't feel my feet touching the ground. So the brooks ghost is enough cushion, but enough that I can, like feel myself hitting the ground when I'm running. So I love the ghost, and in an obnoxious color, the most obnoxious color you have. That's the one that I want, which the guy who was helping me was like are you sure everybody wants like neutral? I'm like no, what do you have that's irritating to the eye. I'll take that one.

Speaker 1: 21:52

Okay, so we can easily pick you out in a crowd. Okay, so what obnoxious color are you rocking right now?

Speaker 2: 22:01

I have two pairs that I'm switching between. That is a combination of pink and purple and black, and I think it's even got some blue in there, kind of all mixed in. And then the second pair is last year's Pride shoe. So it's really just lots of fun colors and like design, like it was specially designed. It's got drawings and stuff all over it. So those are my two right now.

Speaker 1: 22:28

Okay, those were fabulous For the record, friends. We, so those are my two right now. Okay, those were fabulous for the record, friends. We are going to mention this right here.

Speaker 1: 22:33

If you are newer to running or you're starting to gear up for your um, more of an endurance 10 K half marathon or beyond we are going to definitely advocate for having two pairs of shoes to switch in between your runs. For a myriad of reasons. Especially summer, they may get super sweaty and you need a second pair. The others is because you want to be able to provide that longevity and also have the shoe that you're training in be something you could actually wear for race day. This minimizes the wear and tear depending on your mileage as well.

Speaker 1: 23:00

So I love that you're doing that, and we talked a little bit once before about should I have different types of shoes for different styles of run, and a lot of folks swear by that, but it's not necessary for like this point at where we're at, and if you feel great spending $300 on a racing flat, feel free. But for the most part, we just need two really good pair of shoes that provide us with comfort and obviously that feel good and you know, if it has that bright extra color that makes you feel bold. Bonus points. Okay, we touched on your hydration. You're not leaving anywhere with your your hydration, but I want to know, do what are you using for your electrolytes?

Speaker 2: 23:40

So this is newer to me, adding in, because my, uh, my running hadn't really been long enough or, you know, intense enough that I really needed that. So I'm trying to figure that out right now. So I just tried the Salt Stick Fast Chews, the watermelon flavor, because I ordered a whole bunch of stuff from the feed like sample packs of all sorts of things and that was in there and watermelon's wonderful. So I'm going to try that first. So I tried that out. I'm trying to, I'm trying to get kind of the handle on it because the it's this fast chew, so you think you should chew it, but if you read the instructions, it actually tells you to let it dissolve in your mouth and that takes a really long time. So I think that's wrong, I don't know. So, figuring it out, it didn't upset my stomach, which was the main thing I needed to know, uh, but but other than that, that's what I've tried so far and looking forward to trying maybe some other options and see what works.

Speaker 1: 24:47

What I love, though, is that you're trying it already, because I think what happens is a lot of runners don't start getting into trying these things out until maybe they're in the last section or last phase of their training before their race, and they they aren't able to actually find either a strategy, a product that they like and it settles well, or they're not really sure as to how to actually how often, they should consume it and how it should work for them for race day. So, starting it early and I personally am all about watermelon flavors, all the things this particular season, for some reason so my electrolyte replacement is watermelon flavor as well. If it's like a Jolly Rancher from the nineties, why wouldn't we want it Like that's? That's how I feel, okay, so I also love a shout out to the feed. We're not sponsored by any of these people.

Speaker 1: 25:20

We're really truly just talking about products that we love, but for folks that are trying to figure out what they want to do, the feed does have a lot of variety of samples, and that's a great place to check it out, online or again, supporting. Your local run store likely has the sample sizes as well. Now I'm curious on what you're trying your Salt Stick Fast Choose. It's the little pouches correct, so it's something you could easily take with you for your half marathon.

Speaker 2: 25:44

Yeah, with a small like postcard size maybe a little smaller than that pouch?

Speaker 1: 25:50

Okay, perfect, All right, because we're going to definitely want to take that into account. So, friends, if you're getting something for your training that is in a big value pack, you have to be able to figure out how you're translating that to race day, or you're going to have to figure out what you're going to use that race. Your race is going to actually provide for you. So, with that, we also haven't really gotten as much into fueling strategies quite as much. But how do you feel like that's coming along? Or do you have you already ordered some, tasted some?

Speaker 2: 26:20

Yeah, so I ordered a sample pack of those because I wasn't sure if I was going to like the chews or if I was going to like the gel. So I ordered samples of both, because I just overdo everything. That's how I roll. So I have tried so far only one of the fruit chews Exact, I think, is how you pronounce it. Brand Apricot flavor Delicious. It was delicious. I really liked it. The texture wasn't too weird. I was worried it was going to be super funky, but it was good. And I read that it's kind of close, because I'm used to eating real food like dates and dried apricots and raisins. So I read it was digestive wise it was closer to real food. So I tried that one first, because I do have sensitive stomach and it didn't upset my stomach at all and it was delicious. So, um, I've tried that and I have a whole bunch of other stuff my run this coming saturday. I think I'm going to try one of the gels, some of the gels that are in the pack, so we'll see how that goes.

Speaker 1: 27:15

Okay, sounds good, I feel like. First of all, xact is something that they're a newer brand that a lot more of folks are gravitating towards, and I think it's because it does answer that niche that is needed, where folks want something that's a bit more portable than real foods or easier to like, carry, but still has more of those natural ingredients. And, of course, this will continue to get honed in as you do more of the longer runs as to what works, settles good in your stomach and also gives you that boost so you're not feeling like you're hitting the wall. Okay, so we're getting all these things down. You're rocking and rolling. What would you say are some of the gadgets or maybe apps or other auxiliary type items that you cannot live without, for half marathon training or for where you're at right now, the two things that I would say I can't live without is that gym boss interval timer.

Speaker 2: 28:06

That's the best thing I think I've bought since we started working together. That is, it's just a game changer because I don't have to deal with my watch getting the intervals right. Or I used to use Runkeeper and mine for some reason would just spaz out and like pause itself randomly in the middle of like the street and you're like I can't fix this thing. So that gym boss interval timer has been total game changer and has been really easy to use and just take with me. I don't even feel it, except when it's buzzing at me and then I have to do the thing. So that's been one of the things, and the others my Garmin watch. I won't leave the house without it. I feel completely naked without my watch.

Speaker 1: 28:46

And they go hand in hand. I mean like truly, they really do go hand in hand. So a lot of folks that are doing run, walk, you can use your watch, you can preset those intervals on there as well. I do find that it's a little clunky if you need to change the interval mid run or anything of that sort. I love the gym boss interval timer allows you to choose a countdown as that works best for you in terms of do you want one beat to let you know that you need to change your interval? Do you want three? I think it goes up to maybe five or seven has a vibrate setting.

Speaker 1: 29:16

I think this is a wonderful product for everyone to have in mind for race days specifically. So training with it makes a lot of sense. I think both you and I clip it usually to our like TikTok band or sports broadband, so it kind of sits on our shoulder. I think it's truly. It is a game changer in a lot of ways and plus, it doesn't drain your cell phone battery. So from an app standpoint, I think that going this old school it looks like a little pager is a better way of going. And then, of course, your Garmin. Tell me, which Garmin do you have and why do you love it?

Speaker 2: 29:46

I have one of the forerunners I don't remember which one Okay, but I love it because it is well one. It's not super weird and bulky and it's pretty easy to use. I used to have Fitbit and sometimes that would get a little wonky on me. I really like the Garmin better and I think it does a better job of actually tracking your run, like the GPS in it is, I think, way better because it's not going off of your phone. I have the one that actually has the GPS in it itself, so I love that about it. And then I love the kind of data you can get into in the app, so really being able to hone in on certain things to see how, how, how it's going, and, yeah, I just really love that about it.

Speaker 1: 30:26

Garmin Connect is incredibly robust, especially with some of the later model watches where you could really get into some super duper, nitty gritty stuff. Even there's some stuff that can kind of make it overly complicated as well, but for the most part it is fun, especially if you know yourself and you are a more metric focused individual. I think that having that and spending that investment for anybody who's listening If you're at all ever thinking you want to work with a coach and that coach uses final surge, you're going to want Garmin, because they can push the workout directly to you, which just basically means you hit start on your workout and you're able to go. But I do know a lot of folks are gravitating now towards Kuros and Apple has made some really great updates where they interface a little bit, they play a little nicer with other third-party apps, so they're all wonderful.

Speaker 1: 31:16

I feel like there's some staunch supporters of whatever they have and it's like a super divisionary kind of conversation. So, friends, if you aren't team Garmin, we're okay with it. We're still going to love you. Just letting you know that it's what Shelly and I use and we both like it, okay. So let's, let's keep moving and grooving here. My friend, what are you thinking? Are you thinking this far ahead as to what you think your run gear is going to look like for your actual race?

Speaker 2: 31:40

I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that out. I'm waiting to get longer runs to figure out if my little handheld water thing is going to be enough, if I'm going to have to try to figure out maybe a vest or something else. I know I can't wear the belts because I'm shaped funny and they don't like me. So I'm still trying to figure that out. But yeah, I'm not not too sure what I'm looking for yet with gear.

Speaker 1: 32:06

So, as of right now, where are you carrying all of your stuff?

Speaker 2: 32:09

Pockets oh my gosh, I have so many pockets. Okay, I live for all my pockets that are nice and deep.

Speaker 1: 32:17

Do you think that we have an affinity for pockets? Because of our Polly Pocket days maybe, or it allows us to like. I personally don't like handbags, I'd rather put things in pockets any day of the week. But yes, I, I I feel like I'm a like a pack horse or a camel and I want to pack everything onto my pockets and I don't care if it makes my shape look weird. It just feels much more comfortable for me in that regard too. Okay, so we're, we're carrying all of our fuel, Um, any extra, like the salt sticks. Any of that was just going in our pockets.

Speaker 2: 32:49

Yep, I've got pockets, even like on the. I look a little crazy because I have to lift up my the skirt part that goes around the shorts on my run to pull stuff out of the pocket. So people are probably like, what are you doing? Oh wait, they're short. Um, I yeah. So everything goes in the pockets, like you said. Like I look like a pack horse. I'm like shaped yeah, it's a lumpy um.

Speaker 1: 33:08

So yeah, okay, so I I think that that's what's also beautiful about starting our training early, staying disciplined and trying these different things and trying out different strategies, trying out different gear for folks that are training in summer and then they're going to have very different weather come fall and or winter. It's kind of you just need to take into consideration that your base layer is something that you want to have, that you feel very comfortable with, so it may come in to play. The OUC ends up having some crazy cold snap and, of course, we're going to just want to make sure that your base layer is something you're comfortable with, because you're going to have to pack and layer over that Now, as you prepare for or you see and you get ready to actually kick off very soon, right around the corner is your official new season of the Track Shack Fanatic Series. What are some things that you're thinking that you want to either experiment with, try, or any questions that you have about some gear.

Speaker 2: 34:02

I think my main experiments right now are going to be with the electrolytes and the fuel, because that's just not something I'm confident with at all. I think my biggest question around that is, like what I know, I'm checking to see if, like, if it's upsetting my stomach, is it sitting okay, Do I feel icky? But like, what other clues should I be looking for to know if this particular you know product or whatever is going to actually work for me? Like the feels I know I'm not supposed to like feel like I hit a wall, but I don't know what that wall feels like yet, so I'm not sure. Oh, you will.

Speaker 1: 34:34

Do you know how you felt at the end of your long run? Were you like I'm not doing strides, I'm skipping them, and I've never skipped a portion of my run before, but today I'm doing it. Okay, that's the wall, or it's very similar to that. So you feel very sluggish and you have very little pep to your step, and somebody was to come down right there and say, hey, I have a hundred dollars for you to keep going. You're like, nah, it's okay, you keep your a hundred dollars. That's another great way of describing the wall.

Speaker 1: 34:59

So we want our fueling and electrolyte sources, or anything that we're actually ingesting, to at least keep our energy steady. We may not necessarily feel as peppy as when we first started. If you do have something that keeps you peppy from start to finish, then you definitely need to reach out to us and let us know. I personally find that, because I have such a high caffeine tolerance, I do use caffeinated products for my fueling source, because that's pretty much gonna be the only thing that's gonna keep me feeling peppy. But yes, the wall does feel like an intense lack of energy to continue pushing forward. Does that sound scary?

Speaker 2: 35:34

Well, yeah, so I'm gonna make sure I get this fuel thing right, because I don't feel that that sounds awful.

Speaker 1: 35:40

It's something that's to be experienced by all and it's not that scary as long as we continue to fuel very well. So this is another great time for me to like just remind folks. I know a lot of us want to, potentially a lot of us that go into running potentially want to maybe lose a few pounds during our first race or so. Um, eating at a deficit, friends, just like it's really important to hydrate off the run, it's also really important to make sure that your nutrition is on point off the run. So eating at a deficit is likely going to create that feeling of sluggishness from the very get go. So, wanting to make sure that we're staying fueled going into it and I know that you have a really good strategy with your pre-run fueling and post-run fueling. So I feel confident that you have set yourself up for a really strong training season with all of that. But we'll hone it down.

Speaker 1: 36:33

I can't wait for you to report back as to what ends up being like the fuel that wins your heart for this training season, Because I'm thinking those salt sticks probably are going to be your go-to electrolytes. Okay, so we've got that. Now your runs are starting to get a little longer coming around the bend. What's the longest distance that you've run so far?

Speaker 2: 36:55

Ever, including warm-up and cool-down, was almost eight miles Okay For when I did my 10K training.

Speaker 1: 37:04

And what are you most excited, distance wise, to actually hit during your training?

Speaker 2: 37:09

Right over that, so I can say this is my longest run. No, this is my longest run.

Speaker 1: 37:15

All of those really fun PRs where our guardman tells us hey, you said a PR of your furthest run. Yeah, okay, okay, very cool. All right, my friend, you're doing absolutely awesome and I so appreciate that you're willing to share your wisdom and your training along the way, because it's so much fun. If you had words of wisdom to share with folks that are listening, specifically about the gear that you wear or any of the things that you utilize to get you ready to go out on the run, what would you suggest that they bring or purchase or add into their cart?

Speaker 2: 37:48

I would say well, 100%, some sort of anti-chafe. And then I recently started using some different socks that are just like heaven the Balega anti-blister socks. They feel thicker than all my other socks but never had a problem. My feet feel dry when I'm done. So if you're going to get a pair of socks because you're struggling, those were a friend recommended to me and they're my favorite pair now.

Speaker 1: 38:14

I'm highlighting that so I can share that, because I know that a lot of folks are blister prone and that's kind of a really good one to go to, all right, well, with that said, friends, you heard it here you want to stay as dry as possible and as smooth as possible so you don't chafe, and, of course, hydrated and fueled as well. So thank you so much. I can't wait to have you back as we continue to explore your training. Yep, excited, keep talking about it. I love having Shelly on. I just it's so much fun to hear all of the excitement of training for your first big endurance race. And she does it with such an extra pep in her step, always shows up with a smile on her face and really willing to ask all of the questions so that she can be as prepared as possible. I also think it's quite extraordinary that she has already met up and done some group runs, because I know that that can be really scary out of the gate for folks that are newer to the running world, but it's always a pleasure to have her along. Now, again, she mentioned how she's joined the sports bra squad and we're going to talk a lot about sports bra and gears. Again, we crowdsource the stride collective. So with some gear and apparel recommendations, we've got Michelle and Megan both loving Wazelle gear. Michelle favors the Roga shorts and the fly out bra for their comfort and functionality. Megan appreciates shorts with pockets. Who doesn't love pockets? So she loves the Zoot Pulse shorts and Wazelle pocket joggers. Again, proper gear can significantly enhance your running experience, providing that comfort and utility.

Speaker 1: 39:53

You guys know that I was on a mission to personally find the running skirt that would work for summer. And let me caveat that and say I have lots of running skirts that work for winter. But the difference between summer and winter running and let me caveat that and say I have lots of running skirts that work for winter, but the difference between summer and winter running is that I sweat so much more this time of year I absolutely need something that's a little bit lighter and a little free flowing and for me, without a doubt, out of all the skirts I tried, I loved the Athleta Ace High Rise because I was looking for that high rise, my friends. I love the pockets and I personally love the 13 and a half inch inseam. It gives me just enough of that lightness that I was looking for. But it is a tennis skort and I have found that it's great for running. Have not had an issue with it quite yet. They also have a little bit of a longer length. If you're looking for that as well so the 15 and a half and if you're looking to save some dollars, I would check out Poshmark. A lot of folks seem to buy them on sale there and then sell them and they're brand new with tags.

Speaker 1: 40:56

But again, the Stride Collective has some incredible, incredible suggestions. So Ellie enjoys her Zaya Active leggings and tanks, along with Belega socks and Brooks Ghost shoes. She is now transitioning to Topos, but it'll be interesting to hear how she likes her transition. She also recommends a men's hydration vest for larger chested female runners. I love this tip, ellie, because I think that is something that a lot of female running athletes especially Ellie, for you guys that don't know completed her first 50K. She's been doing the ultra world for quite some time now and she recommended a men's hydration vest because it offers that better fit and support for you more well-endowed ladies. So she has found that finding that gear that fits well and meets her needs is essential for making her long runs. And her long runs are long, comfortable and effective. And then we had Cool Running Joe, who suggests planning your routes near water fountains and convenience stores for easy access to hydration. I think it's a great tip. I love as well using my car as my aid station. You guys know that I've talked about that before. But Joe also mentions running with a partner can help to monitor each other's condition and ensure safety during this time of year.

Speaker 1: 42:20

And for friends that are wondering, let's talk about those sports bras. So I'm a big fan of Handful Sports Bras. It's a woman-owned business and they have a longer line sports bra. So again, as we talked to Shelly, I find that folks that are starting to be curious about running in just a sports bra. That longer line seems to provide a bit more of that comfort zone for folks that are starting to transition into just the sports bra squad. But Handful is a favorite of mine. I love Brooks and I find that they are really wonderful for this high impact sport that we have come to love.

Speaker 1: 42:59

Little friendly reminder is sports bras do not last forever. Just like we have to get in some new pairs of shoes about every 500 miles, you need to also budget for and bring in some new sports bras for your running activity. You could retire them into lighter impact sports, for sure, or maybe for your stretching or walking or jogging. But I would say, every six months, look at bringing in a new sports bra, at the very least once a year. Now we talked a little bit about gear and we're going to talk about a few more cooling and comfort tips, because Vicky swears by the Ergodyne Chill Out Cooling Towel. You guys are making me Google a lot of these to see if I'm pronouncing them correctly, fingers crossed. Cooling towel you guys are making me Google a lot of these to see if I'm pronouncing them correctly, fingers crossed. So Ergodyne Chill cooling towel, which is her lifesaver for summer training. And Jennifer big shout out I love this idea Talks about adding ice cubes in her hat because it's incredibly refreshing as she gets in those longer hot, humid runs.

Speaker 1: 44:03

And, friends, if you're not familiar with the brand Sprints, they actually have created a hat that has pockets. You can use those as inserts for ice cubes. Even freeze it before you go out for your run. I know that's another popular option. It may feel a little cold at first, but it definitely does work out as you get into those hotter points of your run. So Julie recommends gold bond anti -friction with aloe to prevent chafing.

Speaker 1: 44:31

Chafing is a huge issue this time of year, my friends, so I want you to lube up everything your feet, your inner thighs, around your bra line, around any point of contact that your skin has with fabric. Please do not be too conservative with any of those anti-chafing products. Use them, use them well, apply them generously and maybe even pack some or get some of the travel-sized options for your run. Now you could probably get runners to talk about all the different options, of which ones they like the most. I've heard a lot of folks talking about like a Destin that is generally perceived as more of a diaper rash cream, but I've heard that's a great one. Folks like Vaseline, which is cheap and expensive and easier to use. Whatever it is that you find make yourself very comfortable with using it and using it. Often I'm using the Mega Babe Thick Thigh Anti-Chafe product. I'm loving it, because nothing like just reminding myself that thick thighs save lives.

Speaker 1: 45:34

Okay, and as we're going into this conversation, let's not forget nutrition and some of the favorite nutritions from the Stride Collective. Rose emphasized the importance of pre-hydrating, which we've talked about, but she also does want to remind everyone that we have to hydrate and take in that pre-run, intra-run and post-run fuel to help prevent headaches and maintain those energy levels. You may also find this time of year that you may be hitting the wall a little bit quicker, as we talked earlier with Shelly, and that's because you are burning more energy because of the heat of the run in your body really trying to regulate and cool it down. So you may have to bump up your frequency of your intra run fueling from 45 minutes to 30 minutes. If you usually feel every 60 to 40, you may want to go to 45. So, playing with that as your sweet spot of anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes I find 45 minutes works really well for me, but if you're finding that you're hitting the wall a little earlier, then maybe bump it up a bit more to that 30. And knowing that you could also play with the different nutrition types it doesn't have to be a gel, it doesn't have to be goo or any of those gummies.

Speaker 1: 46:43

There's so many different options, including regular food, that you would find at your grocery store. Denise and Jessica highlight the benefits of coconut water for rehydration after the run and I will say I love coconut water after the run as well. However, it does not have as much sodium as we need to help replenish, so take that into account. I would personally use my coconut water inside of my smoothie, but I would still utilize another product that will help to reformulate and bring back the electrolytes that I may have lost through sweating on the run. This is such a great point, though, that I want to bring forward, because we had our one and only Carolyn, letting us know that this is also a really important time of year to balance your hydration levels, because over hydrating can lead to common issues, hyponatremia, and basically you have replaced your hydration level without replacing your electrolytes, so taking care to definitely balance those both.

Speaker 1: 47:49

Now, I didn't hear from anyone and I don't know how that's possible, but something that is very popular in the Stride Collective and I'm shocked that nobody actually wrote it into the comments is that they all love pickle juice for their long runs this time of year. So pickle pops and pickle juice that's right. Just drinking it straight out of the jar is absolutely perfect. It has a lot of sodium, it helps to replenish, it's actually if you're saying ew, trust me, it's not an ew, it's actually really good. Try the pickle pop. If nothing else, what do you have to lose? Kimba also talks about getting in that summer nutrition fun by eating lots of watermelon. I once heard a great tip that we think of always drinking our water, but sometimes eating our water in terms of watermelon or really really hydration-filled fruit and produce is a great way to keep us packed with nutrients and also give us a little energy in our step and keep that hydration boost.

Speaker 1: 48:46

And then I want to give a shout out to Lisa and to Carrie for calling out the treadmill. That can be your best friend this time of year If you have access to a treadmill. I know there are a lot of folks that do not love the treadmill, but if it's between getting a run on the treadmill or skipping it due to the weather, I would rather you jump on that treadmill and really make it your bestie to help you stay cool, get in those training miles. I'm just going to give you a little reminder to bring it up to a 1% incline to help mimic the outdoors. And if you have access to a fan, I would throw that on as well, because sometimes what really hinders folks from using the treadmill is they feel like it's a little too stagnant for them. So the fan may help you to kind of replicate a little bit of that breeze that you may be running against in the summer months.

Speaker 1: 49:38

All right, my friends, I want to hear from you with some of your favorite gear. What are you using as your tips to stay cool during these dog days of summer? And I want to remind you all that the Get Literati Club is coming back in August so you could have that structured, exciting adventure with not too late, or you can do a little bit of mystery and thriller, having fun and a whole lot of oh no, she didn't. That's what I say after I listen to her books with Freda McFadden's the Inmate. Either way, I can't wait to have you joining along in the adventure. Don't forget we also have our final summer virtual fun run. The podcast will be dropping next week and you're going to definitely want to join the newsletter list to get all the details of the playlist and the fun games that come along with it.

Speaker 1: 50:29

With that said, I want to thank Shelly again. I want to thank all of you of the Stride Collective who shared your insight, your experience and all of your favorite recommendations. And if you were listening in and you thought, man, I really would love to get more of these kind of tips and connect with my fellow runners, maybe my fellow runners and readers then join the community. We've got the link in episode notes. If you do nothing else, do that. You don't need to be on your own. We have an incredible community that's willing to encourage you, support you and can't wait to celebrate all of your highs and lows of running in the dog days of summer. All right, my friends. With that said, I want to thank you so much for tuning in and until next time, keep running, keep shining and keep making those strides extraordinary.