1. Running shoes
The most important thing you need. They should be comfortable and fit the shape of your feet and your running style. You might be surprised to know that running puts three to five times your body weight onto your feet, joints and muscles every time you strike the ground. So, you'll want to take your body frame into account when choosing the cushioning that's right for you. If your on the taller or heavier side you need more cushioning than if you're shorter or thinner. Don't run with old and worn sneakers, or converses.In general, a pair of running shoes should last between 400 to 500 miles of running (3 or 4 months for regular runners). Take a look at your shoes and check if the midsoles and outsoles are compressed or worn. If they are, it may be time for a new pair. Shoe lasts (which determine shoe sizes) vary by manufacturer and even from one shoe model to another. You may need a half-size or even a full size smaller or larger than you think. If you're unsure, have your feet measured.Try on shoes at the end of the day. Your feet normally swell a bit during the day's activities and will be at their largest then. This helps you avoid buying shoes that are too small.Aim for a thumbnail's length of extra space in the toebox. The width should be snug but allow a bit of room for your foot to move without rubbing. Laces should be snug but not tight. Barefoot shoes are an exception: Heel and toes should “fit like a glove” without any extra space in the toes. If you wear orthotics, bring them along. They impact the fit of a shoe. You don't have to wear a shoe of your gender. Men: Try a women's shoe if you have a narrow foot. Women: Try a men's shoe if you have a larger or wider foot.Consider aftermarket insoles (a.k.a. footbeds). Insoles come in models that can enhance comfort, support or fit—or all 3. The easier route is to go to a shop that specialise on athletic gear and let them help you pick a pair of running shoes, or use the shoe advisor
https://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/content/choosing-running-shoes/
If you are interested in more details, read on.
Foot types
The three main foot types are neutral, flat and high arches. . Flat feet tend to have fallen arches, making them flexible and prone to overpronation, an inward rolling motion. Neutral feet are the most biomechanically sound variety, putting them somewhere in the middle.Basic (neutral) pronation helps absorb impact, relieving pressure on knees and joints. High-arched feet are the polar opposite of flat feet. When the arches are particularly defined, the feet end up being rigid, leading to supination, or landing on the outside edges of the feet. Flat-footed harriers tend to gravitate to a higher stability shoe, as they help prevent overpronation. Neutral runners can often run in many types of footwear, but most commonly go for a moderate stability shoe. Runners with high arches are best suited for a cushioned shoe, providing midsole padding with flexibility.
(Neutral-flat- high arched foot type, from left to right)
If you own a well-used pair of running shoes, check the wear pattern on the soles, to help determine your running mechanics. Basic (neutral) pronation, is identified by wear patterns in the middle of the ball of the foot and the outer sides of your heel. Overpronation is identified by wear patterns along the inside edge of your shoe. Overpronation is a common trait that affects the majority of runners, leaving them at risk of knee pain and injury. Overpronators need stability or motion control shoes.Supination (also called under-pronation) is marked by wear along the outer edge of your shoe. It is an outward rolling of the foot resulting in insufficient impact reduction at landing. Relatively few runners supinate, but those who do need shoes with plenty of cushioning and flexibility.
Types of Running Shoes
Road-running shoes are designed for pavement and occasional forays onto packed surfaces with slight irregularities. Light and flexible, they're made to cushion or stabilize feet during repetitive strides on hard, even surfaces.Trail-running shoes are designed for off-road routes with rocks, mud, roots or other obstacles. They are enhanced with aggressive tread for solid traction and fortified to offer stability, support and underfoot protection.Cross-training shoes are designed for gym or Crossfit workouts or any balance activity where having more contact with the ground is preferred over a thick platform sole.
Cushioning shoes: Best for mild pronators, supinators or neutral runners for off-pavement runs. Provide increased shock absorption and some medial (arch-side) support. Some super-cushioned shoes provide as much as 50% more cushioning than traditional shoes for even greater shock absorption and stability.
Stability shoes: Good for neutral runners or those who exhibit mild to moderate overpronation. They often include a firm "post” to reinforce the arch side of each midsole, an area highly impacted by overpronation.
Motion control shoes: Best for runners who exhibit moderate to severe overpronation. Offer features such as stiffer heels or a design built on straighter lasts to counter overpronation.
Barefoot shoes: Soles provide the bare minimum in protection from potential hazards on the ground. Many have no cushion in the heel pad and a very thin layer—as little as 3–4mm—of shoe between your skin and the ground. All barefoot shoes feature a “zero drop” from heel to toe. (“Drop” is the difference between the height of the heel and the height of the toe.) This encourages a mid-foot or forefoot strike. Traditional running shoes, by contrast, feature a 10–12mm drop from the heel to the toe, which encourages heel striking.
Minimalist shoes: These feature extremely lightweight construction, little to no arch support and a heel drop of about 4–8mm to encourage a natural running motion and a midfoot strike, yet still offer cushioning and flex. Some minimalist styles may offer stability posting to help the overpronating runner transition to a barefoot running motion.
Running Shoe Features
Running Shoe Uppers
Synthetic leather is a supple, durable, abrasion-resistant material derived principally from nylon and polyester. It's lighter, quicker drying and more breathable than real leather. Plus, it requires no (or very little) break-in time.
Nylon and nylon mesh are durable materials most commonly used to reduce weight and boost breathability.
TPU (thermoplastic urethane) overlays are positioned over the breathable shoe panels (such as in the arch and the heel). These small, abrasion-resisting additions help enhance stability and durability.
Waterproof/breathable uppers use a membrane bonded to the interior of the linings. This membrane blocks moisture from entering while allowing feet to breathe. Shoes with these membranes keep feet dry in wet environments with a slight trade-off in breathability.
Running Shoe Midsoles
The midsole is the cushioning and stability layer between the upper and the outsole.
EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) is a type of foam commonly used for running-shoe midsoles. Cushioning shoes often use a single layer of EVA. Some will insert multiple densities of EVA to force a particular flex pattern.
Posts are areas of firmer EVA (dual-density, quad-density, multi-density, compression-molded) added to create harder-to-compress sections in the midsole. Often found in stability shoes, posts are used to decelerate pronation or boost durability. Medial posts reinforce the arch side of each midsole, an area highly impacted by overpronation.
Plates are made of thin, somewhat flexible material (often nylon or TPU) that stiffens the forefoot of the shoe. Plates, often used in trail runners, protect the bottom of your foot when the shoe impacts rocks and roots.
Shanks stiffen the midsole and protect the heel and arch. They boost a shoe's firmness when traveling on rocky terrain. Ultralight backpackers often wear lightweight trail runners with plates for protection and shanks for protection and support.
TPU (thermoplastic urethane) is a flexible plastic used in some midsoles as a stabilization device.
Running Shoe Outsoles
Most road shoes are made with rugged carbon rubber in the heel. Blown rubber—which provides more cushioning—is often used in the forefoot. Trail runners tend to have all carbon rubber outsoles to better withstand trail wear, while road-racing shoes are frequently all blown rubber to reduce weight.
Heel-to-Toe Drop
The drop of a shoe represents the difference between the height of the heel and the height of the toe. This primarily affects how your foot strikes the ground when you land. A low or medium heel-to-toe drop (zero to 8mm) promotes a forefoot or mid-foot strike, while a high-drop shoe (10–12mm) promotes heel striking.
Note: Heel drop and cushioning are independent of each other. It is possible to find ultra-cushioned shoes that still have a zero or low heel-to-toe drop, for example.
Heel Counter
This refers to the rigid structure around the heel. It provides motion control and is sometimes supplemented with a heel wedge, which adds support and cushioning to the heel. It can help those runners who are bothered by Achilles tendonitis.
Medial Post or Torsion Bar
These are located on the sides of shoes to help control excessive inward or outward motion. They are designed for the over-pronator or supinator.
2. Sports bra
It's necessary for a woman, to keep her bust in place while running and avoid sagging. Because breasts are made of soft tissue, not muscle, what holds them up is the surrounding skin and the internal Cooper's ligaments, a web of springy coils that are built to rebound until jumping, genetics, and gravity catch up with them.
A sports bra should fit like a regular one, meaning it sould have a snug band and cups big enough for your bust. Replace the bra if the ends of the spandex fibers start showing or the fabric no longer snaps back into shape.
Compression (shelf) bra styles work for smaller cup sizes (A and B) or for low- to moderate-impact workouts. Encapsulation sports bras (with individual cups) are better for larger-breasted women than compression-style ones.
Racerback bras provide more support. Because they cinch in back, the straps anchor the bra closer to the body.Bras with wide shoulder straps help distribute weight (key for bigger cups) and are more likely to be adjustable and padded.
Tank styles typically cover the back more than clasps, but those with allover stretch lack the rigid front straps, adjustability, and support to anchor large chests. Bras with back clasps let you tighten the band, from which 70 percent of the bra's support comes. This is especially vital for larger breasts, which place more demand on the band.
What to Do Before You Buy a Sports Bra
You try it on and see if it provides enough support, by checking the straps cups, band and side panels.
Straps: Hold the top of one strap and the center of the corresponding cup, then pull. Whether they're adjustable or not, the less stretchy the front straps, the more motion control they'll provide.
Cups: Repeat a similar stretch test by tugging the top and bottom of each cup; the less give, the more motion control. Then put on the bra. Whether it's a compression or an encapsulation style, the cup should hold the whole breast — no spillage. If it doesn't, choose the next larger cup size.
Band and side panels: Slide a finger under the band between your breasts; you should not be able to pull it more than an inch from your chest. (For an adjustable band style, set the clasp on the first eyelet; if you have to use the last eyelet to get a snug fit, you're better off with a smaller band.) Next, reach your arms overhead; if the band creeps up, it's too big. In both cases, pick a smaller size.
3. Clothes
When you start running you don't need anything fancy, just be careful not to overdress, because you 'll start getting warmer while you run. Clothes should be loose, neither tight nor baggy, for comfort and to avoid overheating. If you start getting more serious about running, you may want to start to invest in some technical running clothes. Unlike cotton clothing, synthetic fabrics, such as CoolMax, Dri-Fit,Thinsulate, Thermax, polypropolene, or silk,, wick moisture away from your skin, thus they keep you cooler in summer and warmer in winter and you avoid looking bad, with sweaty clothes sticking on your skin. Similarly, go for synthetic or wool socks, to avoid feet problems.Wearing cotton socks in the winter will make your feet feel cold and clammy. And they'll cause blisters in the summer. In very cold temperatures, go for clothes made of thermal materials.
For very hot weather, wear synthetic-blend clothing, dress lightly, wear shades and use sunscreen.
For very cold weather, wear a fleece or wool hat, a nech gaiter or a ski mask, chapstick and gloves.The layer closest to your body should be made from a synthetic wicking material. Your second or middle layer, which is needed for very cold weather (below 10 degrees F), should be an insulating material, such as fleece. The final layer should be a wind and water-proof jacket to protect you against wind and moisture (rain, sleet, snow), but at the same time allow both heat and moisture to escape to prevent both overheating and chilling. If the weather is below 10 degrees F (temperature or wind chill), you may want to consider two layers on your lower body: a wicking layer of tights, and a wind-proof layer such as track pants.
That's all! I hope you 'll find this myTake useful!
Sources:
https://running.about.com/od/shoesapparelandgear/ss/Running-Essentials.htm
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/running-shoes.html
https://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/content/choosing-running-shoes/
https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/gear/sports-bras/how-to-choose-a-sports-bra/
https://running.about.com/od/shoesapparelandgear/a/runningclothing.htm
https://running.about.com/od/hotweatherrunning/tp/hotweatherrunningclothes.htm
https://running.about.com/od/coldweatherrunning/a/wintergear.htm
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