If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how passionate I am about running. I’ve run several half marathons, and one full marathon (the BMW Dallas Marathon!) right before we got pregnant with Shiloh. [Scroll through old posts in my “fitness” category and you will find tons of blog posts about running & training for races!]. The moment I crossed the finish line of my marathon, I KNEW I wanted to do another one someday. We got pregnant about 2 months later, then I was pregnant for 9 months…and just now getting to a point where I feel ready to train for another race. My little brother is an absolute beast of a runner and we always talked about how fun it would be to do a destination race together! I am SO excited to share with you guys that we are running the Honolulu marathon in December!!! Not gonna lie – I am also slightly terrified haha. This race looks pretty hilly, not to mention the jet lag that will factor in. Regardless though, I think it will be an amazing experience that I’m really excited to share with my brother!
ANYWAY. A few weeks ago on stories I shared that I am doing another marathon and got countless DM’s from you guys requesting for me to do some posts on marathon training! There is SO much content to cover when it comes to training for a race and I’m so passionate about running…so I thought it would be fun to do a marathon training series on here. I want to answer ALL of your questions and be as helpful as I can for those of you who are also training, or trying to get into running. I will be training for the next 16 weeks and during that time I want to cover everything from training plans to playlists to nutrition and more.
Today, I want to share with you guys my absolute MUST-haves when it comes to running clothes and shoes.
My ride or die running clothes essentials:
Running shorts
I have two favorite pairs of running shorts: the hotty hot shorts [long] and the tracker shorts, both from lululemon. [BTW – I wear a size 4 in both of these shorts]. These shorts are similar in the sense that they aren’t tight at all and provide a decent amount of length. They are both lined and don’t ride up at all which I love. The tracker shorts have a bit of a wider waistband and are slightly roomier IMO. The hotty hot shorts aren’t tight by any means but are slightly more fitted. I LOVE both of these shorts though and they are now the only style of shorts I will run in – I don’t wear leggings while running half or full marathons. They are extremely breathable, don’t ride up, and have a very flattering fit.
Running tops
When it comes to tops – I’m not extremely picky. However, I recently discovered the swiftly line of tops at lululemon and I’m obsessed. The tank I’m wearing in these photos is a swiftly racerback tank and it is insane how breathable it is. I was honestly questionable of the label “anti-stink” until I bought this tank. This might sound gross to you lol but I can legit wear this same tank for probably 3 workouts and it doesn’t stink at ALL, no matter how much I sweat. All of the swiftly tops at lululemon have anti-stink technology which inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria on the garment. The swiftly tank is especially great if you’re running somewhere warm. But lululemon also makes tees and long sleeve tops with this same incredible fabric. Linking a few of my other favorite workout tanks below that are great for running or any other workout! For reference I’m a size 4 in lululemon tanks!
Sports bras and hair accessories
For sports bras – I am VERY picky when it comes to sports bras for running. I want something that provides really good support but doesn’t feel restrictive. I’ve tried countless different bras and have two that are my absolute favorite for running, or any high impact workout: the energy bra and the enlite bra. I like the enlite bra because it comes in normal bra sizes (ie: 32D as opposed to size s). It fits SO well and provides the perfect amount of support for running or high impact workouts. The energy bra is one I have worn for years and years and continue to buy in more colors. It’s super comfortable and extremely supportive for running. I also like the strappy back detail! I wear this bra too for Orange Theory type workouts, HIIT, etc.
When it comes to hair accessories, I need something that keeps my hair out of my face and that I won’t need to readjust in the middle of a run. I am obsessed with teleties hair ties and always keep a few of these handy. I also love lululemon’s fringe fighter headbands or a good old fashioned baseball cap.
PIN IT
for more marathon training updates, drop your email here!
Ride or die running shoes and socks [long distance]
Now I want to share my favorite running shoes with y’all. Just FYI though – if you are training for a race or trying to get more into running, I highly recommend going to a store like Run On or Luke’s Locker. Let an associate there watch you run and then they can make recommendations based off of your stride / foot. Personally, I am a neutral runner (meaning I don’t really pronate or supinate) and don’t necessarily need a lot of support. For long distance running, I have been an ASICS girl for forever. I ran my marathon and all of my halfs in the ASICS dynaflyte or gel kayano’s + these adidas no show socks!
After I got pregnant with Shiloh though, I took a hiatus from super long distance running. I ran throughout my pregnancy but never went further than 5 or 6 miles. During this time, I tried out a few different brand of shoes to see how I liked them for running. I really fell in love with a few pair of Nikes and Adidas during that time that I am now considering training in! For long distance running, I love the Nike Air Zoom pegasus, Nike epic react, and the Adidas Ultraboost. I would also consider these 3 for super long-distance training now that i’m running over 6 miles again. I also started running in Hokas about a year ago and like them a lot. I’m not sure though if i’m sold on them enough yet though so actually do a race in them. Time will tell!
more marathon training updates to come!
I’m really excited to share lots of running + marathon training content with you guys over the next few months! It’s a topic I’m really passionate about and I’m excited to be a helpful resource for y’all in any way possible. Fellow runners – do you have ride or die running clothes or shoes? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below! Thanks for reading!
Marathon Training Series
- My Training Plan & Workout Routine
- Favorite Podcasts to Listen to While Running
- Marathon Training Nutrition
- My Shoe For Race Day & Cold Weather Running Clothes
xo Lauren
