. . . I Haven’t Run In

I do wear masks:

• I wear them when I go grocery shopping or take Lola to the vet (even though I don’t actually go in with her).
• I wear a mask when I visit my mom (even though we’re outside at either end of a bench).
• I wear a mask when I get together with friends, even outside.
•  I often have a mask in my pocket on our daytrips (and wear it as needed).

I have yet to wear a mask on the run. When it was colder I wore a neck gaiter, which is how I run when transitioning from Winter to Spring anyway.

In the summer the neck gaiters annoy me. I run in my neighborhood or on the sides of the roads bordering my neighborhood. Sure, there’s a lot more people out there these days, but the roads are wide and most (but not all) people are respectful of your personal space.

Fairytales and Fitness

Here are four running masks I own (and one that’s not made for running):

 

1. Athleta. So far the Athleta masks are my favorites — although it’s neck and neck with the BOCO mask. They don’t come in a huge variety of colors, but it’s a pack of five for $30. Surprisingly affordable, which Athleta is not known for. There’s a bendable nosepiece and little circle thingies on the ear strings so that they’re adjustable. It took a very long time to get these; they might be shipping quicker now and they’ve come out with a slightly different design — but it still has the adjustable ear pieces. Buy them here (the link is sneaky — it’s not just the masks).
2. BOCO. BOCO is a close runner up. It’s cute, and it actually fits my face well. I have a small face, so I wonder if it might be too small for larger heads. Cute designs, but they sell out quickly. Shipping was quick. They are $11.99. You can also custom design one. Buy them here.
3. Pro Compression. I was ordering some socks recently and saw that they sell masks. Very plain jane. Kind of heavy for running. You can’t choose what color you want, you get what you get. Shipping was quick. They are $12.50. I had a coupon. Buy them here.
4. Zensah. I have to admit I haven’t worn this mask at all yet. I’m sure it will come in handy during the colder months. It’s also quite plain and seems even heavier than the Pro Compression mask. I bought the gaiter as well: both the mask and the gaiter have copper woven into them. Copper has anti bacterial properties. The gaiter is huge though! Regular masks are $16. They come in a variety of colors, US flag, and camo. The one I got goes behind your head & neck; they have newer masks with ear loops (same price), but in fewer colors. Buy them here. Ask Cari @ Travelingcari about them, I’m pretty sure she’s run in them.
5. April Marin. This mask isn’t for running, and it was not cheap at $24. It’s linen, and also a bit heavy. It has a bendable nose piece. They’ve come out with it in some really cute prints, and of course you know me, I’ve been tempted, but no. I can’t use it for running and I don’t want to pay that much for a mask. I’m pretty sure I had some kind of discount initially. I was getting so frustrated at masks that were too large for me that I had to constantly adjust, but this one stays put. I wore it on a hot walk with a friend, and yeah, it got kind of stifling in there. But so did my friend with a regular cloth mask — it was hot! I may wear it more when summer is over. Buy it here.

It’s a toss up between BOCO & Athleta. Athleta is actually a lot cheaper.

I am not going to lie: I don’t like wearing masks. I don’t like how they look. I don’t like that it makes it harder to breath — or even tell people’s facial expressions. The main reason I’ve bought so many:

• I prefer to wash my mask after wearing rather than throw it out (or see masks everywhere out walking or running — seriously, I do! how lazy are people?).
• The cheaper masks irritate my skin.
• Yes, a little vanity; just like I like cute running clothes, I like cute masks and somewhat matching my mask to my outfit.
• I said a while ago that I think mask wearing is going to be with us for a while — I’m sad I was right, but I don’t see mask wearing going away anytime soon.

It’s still important to wear your mask. It’s being kind to human kind. It’s a relatively small sacrifice to make to help bring this pandemic to a close. We all want that, right?

I wrote a post about where to get running masks a month ago. You can read it here. Now it seems everyone is making & selling masks!

Here are more options for you:

• Headsweats. They sell regular and small size masks, and they’re reversible. They are $13, but if you don’t care about the design and just want to be surprised, you can get one from their “grab bag” for $7. Find “elite” masks here, and grab bag masks here.
• Rabbit. A company I’d never heard of. They sell both regular and kids sized masks. They’re made from scraps from their clothing line and there are cute designs. They sell for $15. Buy them here.
• Addidas. A reusable face mask that apparently comes in black or blue. They sell for $20. Buy them here.
• Under Armour. A reusable face mask, apparently just in black, but in a variety of sizes. Glancing through the reviews, though, I wouldn’t plunk down $30 for it. For that amount of money it ought to be the most comfortable running mask! At the moment they’re on pre-order. Buy them here.
• Asics. Hey, you thought UA was expensive? How about $40? Yup, that’s what Asics will set you back. No, I don’t plan to be buying Rabbit, Addidas, or UA, (although the Rabbit masks are tempting . . . maybe). It’s an interesting design with adjustable ear pieces but seriously, for that amount of money I could be buying running clothes (well, on sale maybe). I’m just giving you options here. Oh, and it’s another pre-order. Buy it here.

I definitely do look forward to the day masks are a thing of the past. It’s coming. I don’t know when, but there will be a day when we can all breathe easy again.

Do you run in a mask?

Do you have a favorite mask?

If a race required you to run in a mask: would you do it?