. . . and their uses for running
I love to try stuff. Follow this blog for any length of time, and you’ll quickly learn that. But sometimes you need a low tech solution to runner problems, and over the years, I’ve found a few.
Today I am joining up with the Friday Five 2.0 from Fairytales & Fitness and Rachel @ Running on Happy and sharing with you some of my alternative uses for every day things you might find in your home.
Packit Bag
The Packit Bag has sides inside that are essentially ice packs. You put it in the freezer, and then you pack it with your cold stuff and it will stay cold for hours. I often double bag it into another insulated bag, too.
I will put a small water bottle filled with cold water into it before my run, then stash that into my mailbox. That way when I either drop off or pick up Bandit, I can refill my water bottle with lovely cold water. No ice cubes or freezing the water bottle. And I only have to carry one water bottle with me at a time.
Lip Balm
I actually now have a little lip-balm sized tube of anti chafing cream. But I’ve read that lip balm can actually be used for for that, and it’s small and relatively easy to carry.
Just in case you get that burning feeling on the run.
A Shoelace
My hydration pack doesn’t stay on one shoulder — it’s a known problem (although wasn’t known to me when I bought it) for us smaller boned gals with this pack. I can run that way, but it’s annoying. Not a problem during hiking, by the way!
So my very low tech solution was to tie a shoelace from one shoulder to the other. It worked during Utah Valley Half Marathon! It looks dorky, but it works. I love the pack and didn’t pay big $$ for it, so I’m willing to look dorky.
Socks
They can replace gloves, in a pinch. And of course, there’s always the DIY arm warmers (see this post here).
I know, I know, it’s summer, and arm warmers are the last things on our minds. But before you know it . . .
Cookies
I use cookies as fuel for my long runs — my long runs are not too long (yet), so I haven’t been eating anything on the run (yet). They’re beginning to inch up towards where I need to have some fuel with me, though.
I make my own, as I’ve written about here. I know some runners like fig bars (cut them into small pieces).
So let me know in the comments:
Have you ever tried cookies on the run?
What low tech solutions to running problems have you come up with?
Chocolaterunsjudy 
I used to take fig newtons on long runs. Now I don’t run long enough to need food but they’re still great for long bike rides.
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I usually will take some sort of fuel for anything over about 8 miles — but remember, I’m slow & that takes me almost 2 hours! Especially in the summer.
I have 8 tomorrow, but I actually don’t anticipate eating anything during. Now after . . .
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I can’t eat anything, much less drink on those longer runs. I get so nauseous. I just stick to my Tailwind.
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Ok, here’s what I don’t understand about Tailwind — it’s basically sugar. A LOT of sugar. And I thought that that was a common culprit with GI issues.
Now, I know you’re not the only one that loves the stuff, but I just don’t understand why it works when other things don’t.
So far, knock on wood, I have a pretty strong stomach. Like, eating a bean burrito for lunch yesterday a couple of hours before my run (which was only 3 miles anyway),
I swear it’s only the really fast people that suffer with GI issues (only I know that’s not actually true).
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I never thought about using lipbalm as an anti chafer! Makes sense though!
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I read it somewhere. 🙂
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Just all those cheap knee socks used for arm warmers when it is chilly.
I have eaten fig bars before a run. But I usually eat a banana before I run. If it is a very long run, I’ll bring a GU.
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I’ve never done the fig bar thing myself, other than my home made ones, which reminds me I wanted to defrost some for tomorrow night . . .
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Well cookies on a run sounds like a fabulous idea!
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I like it. 🙂 They’re not toll house cookies, they’re much plainer — I don’t like sweet stuff on the run, at least not on a longer run. Go figure.
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Hello there Judy! Your posts are always so entertaining and useful! I am not a runner but some of these will perhaps work well for my hiking trips too. And the word ‘cookies’ leaped at me! 🙂
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Seems cookies got the attention of several people.
They’re a different kind of cookie, though, less sweet easier to digest. I use a cookbook called Rocket Fuel — it’s full of all sorts of ideas!
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I never knew that about lip balm!!!
Jodi
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Who knew, right?
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The clip on my headphones snapped off a couple years ago, so I’m using a safety pin to clip the cord to my shirt. Absolutely not fancy, but the headphones are still working.
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Lipbalm to handle chafing on the run is a great idea! I do carry lip balm in my spibelt for my lips but I have room to carry another one for a “body glide” substitute!
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Thankfully (knocks on wood) there hasn’t been a lot of chafing lately — but just once is too much!
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Ooo, great advice, im going to try fig bars on Sunday, see how they work as I’m trying to figure out my fuel. I like the shoestring! It’s whatever works and gets us through. I actually carry Aquaphor with me… anti-chafe and for lips. It saved me in Missoula when I started to get raw underneath my arms… go figure, 1 of 2 times I’ve been raw there.
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Did they work for you?
When I do chafe, which thankfully isn’t often, that’s where it gets me.
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I never made it to the store to get some, but I’ll get there before next week’s long run. I tried a bite of a banana instead… and no, that didn’t go off well. 😕
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