By D.C. Lucchesi
’Tis the season to pop that big question. No, not that one. The other one: what to get the runner who has everything? Despite the sport’s simplicity, there are innumerable gadgets and gizmos that purport to make running and runners faster, safer, more comfortable, and so on. The team at Charlotte’s Run For Your Life stores gets first dibs on most all of the latest and greatest, and they have a few choice words about some of goodies most any runners would like to see in their stocking!
Tom Tom Runner Cardio: $269.99
This here’s the whole enchilada. Real-time pace and distance, calories burned, and heart rate info with a huge display that lets you get all the info in a glance. Easy-peasy to set up and use, and yes, it works with all of your favorite downloadable apps, so number-crunching and social sharing is a snap! Run For Your Life team member Darius Moore digs it for lots of reasons: “I love that it has the heart rate monitor built right in – that means no chest strap, no chafing, and just one piece of technology to get all the info! The side-loaded GPS sensor helps it link up even faster than the competition. And it comes in red … that’s like the cherry on top for me!”
Fuel Belt Northern Lights Headlamp: $24.95
“I’ve used this light at the Blue Ridge Relay, doing 400-meter speed workouts, and every Tuesday and Thursday morning run with the Run Far training group,” says Run For Your Life manager and coach Justin Keziah. This headlamp gets five stars from our crew thanks to its balanced, lightweight design that keeps it from bouncing around no matter how far or fast you’re running. Battery swaps are a snap, since this one takes AAA batteries. Plus, the price point for a headlamp of this quality makes it practically untouchable. A durable, comfortable, bright light at the right price. Practically perfect in every way!
Saucony Omni Full Zip Hoodie: $95
The warm, stretchy, fleecy fabric in this hoodie is just the ticket to extending your running season into the colder weather. Run For Your Life team member Alicia Catalfumo loves this one for layering. “It makes it so easy, and this piece is really versatile,” she says, “plus, the thumbholes mean you’re covered if you forget your gloves.” Perfect as a lifestyle piece or a running piece, you’ll find more than just a few opportunities to shoulder this sweet-looking hoodie. There’s reflective stitching and a ponytail port, plus zippered hand pockets and chest pocket. It’s not just a guy’s hoodie in girlie colors. This one’s cut to fit the female form – and it looks good doing it, too!
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 15: $130
Interestingly enough, this stability trainer seems not to have been influenced by the trend to lighten up at all costs. Once discovered, loyalists and converts alike are unlikely to go searching for something better. “Brooks nailed it,” says Run For Your Life – University owner Chris Elkins. The consistent fit and performance, slip-in feel, and shape … why mess with a good thing? Elkins says to expect a more consistent feel from heel to toe thanks to more DNA cushioning in the midsole. Plus, deeper flex grooves on the bottom will give you out-of-the box flexibility, and an upper with less stitching means fewer potential pinch points.
Orb 5” Massage Ball: $19.95
This little number is like a tool kit full of recovery and performance-enhancing awesomeness rolled into one 5-inch ball. With access to nearly every device on the market, Run For Your Life’s Chase Eckard says he can sum up Orb’s benefits in one word: portability. “You’re getting your foam roller, trigger point roller, Y-roller, and all spun into one product,” he says. The Orb can pinpoint those trouble spots and get the kind of lateral and vertical connection you can’t get with rollers or sticks. With the Orb, you really know when you’ve hit that spot. Eckard says one try and users feel the effects of the Orb. Add ease of use and accuracy to that portability factor, and you’ve got no reason to be any farther than arm’s length from relief.
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D.C. Lucchesi runs, rides, and writes from Charlotte. When he isn’t planning or participating in his own “next adventure,” the award-winning writer and former television producer can be found freelancing and waxing poetic on subjects ranging from health and endurance to schools and politics. When he’s not volunteering or coaching in some capacity with school-aged kids, he still enjoys interacting with grown-ups. Find him at dclucchesi@gmail.com.
