Getting into Gear

So I was out on a 12-mile run this afternoon and it occurred to me that I had a lot of, for lack of a better term, "crap" attached to my body. So I thought I'd use the opportunity to simultaneously write about my favorite running gear and hone my design skills. Just click on the image and it should open in a new window. Click on it again to enlarge it.

(By the way, my wife reluctantly took this photo. "You're so gross after you run," she said. "And I look like a freak taking your picture in the middle of the driveway." Thanks for being a good sport, hon. Love you!)

Oh, and look below the photo for a few more of my faves.



Other items:
Adhesive tape: "Sir, you've got blood on your shirt." I was on the treadmill at the gym a few years ago when a lady next to me made the observation. Sure enough, I saw the embarrassing blood and the underlying cause - runner's nipple, a relatively common ailment that occurs when your shirt chafes your skin. The solution? Simple pieces of clear adhesive tape. Not pretty, but certainly prettier than scabby chest parts. Price: $1 per roll at the Dollar Store.

Vaseline: Sure, stores will convince you that Body Glide is the way to go to keep that chafing at bay. Not for this frugal guy. Good ol' Vaseline works just as well for a fraction of the cost. Price: A couple of bucks at Walmart.

Timex Ironman watch: Mine's pretty basic - it keeps up to 10 split times and that's about it - but it's a good device for a lot of reasons. One, it helps me to set my pace on some of the predetermined routes I run. Two, it makes sure I get home in time for my wife to go to work in the morning. What else do you really need? Price: $25 at Amazon.com.

Cheap sunglasses: ZZ Top was right, you don't need to spend a lot of money on fancy eyewear. The ones I wear are just Oakley-style knockoffs from Kohl's. I like the way they fit, they do a good job of keeping the rays off my eyeballs and I think they look okay. If I break them (which I'm prone to do), then I can just get a new pair. No harm done. Price: $15 at Kohl's.