Long Run Favorites - Summer 2020
As the northern hemisphere slides into summer, I thought it might be helpful to share what I am using during my long runs. It is interesting to me to find that I trend to a very similar kit for local long runs essentially every time. This will very somewhat if the weather is questionable or I am headed in to the alpine. Recently, in times of COVID, I have been doing all of my long runs close to home, or even from my front door. They have been ranging from four and half hours to six and half hours. Let’s dive in.
After the run, I went inside and rinsed off and put the kit I used on the table. Here is a shot of that kit. Here is a breakdown:
Patagonia Duckbill- this is my go to headwear. Super light and comfortable all day.
Zeal Optics Incline- Great looking and better fitting sunglasses from Zeal optics. They are made from castor beans and are biodegradable.
Patagonia Capilene Daily T- I do alternate between the capilene lightweight and daily. On very hot runs I have been leaning towards the daily since it does not dry as quickly and helps keep me a little cooler. When I am concerned about staying dry, capilene lightweight is the go to.
Patagonia Strider Pro 5” Short- This short is the standard for long distance shorts. It has 5 pockets to handle whatever you may want to carry. Has a very comfortable liner, and is just short enough to allow unrestricted mobility while running.
Patagonia Slope Runner Endurance Vest- This vest was the product of years of work and refinement done while we worked on the High Endurance Kit. It fits like clothing, carrying all I need for a long run or a full day running in the alpine. I carry two 500mL flasks in the front, and the rest of my kit in the back of the vest. There is no bouncing and no rubbing. It is amazing.
La Sportiva Jackal- The Jackal has become my go to shoe for very long runs. It fits slightly looser than my absolute favorite the Kaptiva, and also has a little more cushioning which comes in very handy when putting in the long miles. The shoe fits very well, and locks my foot in place even on rowdy downhills. The outsole is quite durable but still sticky enough for technical running. When I head to the alpine or am focusing on a very technical route with scrambling, or when I am running shorter runs I run in the Kaptiva.
Suunto 9- The watch didn’t make it in the picture because I never take it off. I wear it as my daily watch, for every training session and I even use it to track my sleep. It has incredible battery life, often lasting longer than a week without need to recharge. I love adding routes to the watch which makes it an incredible tool for navigation. The app it syncs to can be really useful to help find common routes for running, hiking, or biking when in a new area via a feature called Heatmaps. The App also makes it very easy to create a route then load on to the watch.
GU Energy Labs- On long runs I often start with two flasks of Roctane, Lemonberry is my favorite! Add in a couple of the energy gels, often a mix of roctane or normal, a stroopwafel or two, and some chews to keep the variety of fuel. I shoot for 150-200 calories an hour for top performance during long efforts.
Jaybird Vista- These wireless earbuds are used everyday for me. I love using just one bud, either in the right or left ear, to listen to books, podcasts or music. They have great sound, great battery life and never fall out!
Katadyn Be Free- This amazing little water filter fits the flasks that I usually carry and allows me to refill from streams along the way. It makes it way easier to stay hydrated without carrying a lot of water.
Inreach Mini- I often run where there is little or no cell service. I see this device as an essential tool. Not necessarily to call for rescue, but as a communication tool with my family. It has come in quite handy a couple of times when I have come upon injured hikers and bikers where the only way to get them out was with this device.
First Aid/Emergency Kit- After years of being in the mountains I have learned that having a few items in a kit is worth the weight. I carry an emergency bivy, some tape, whistle, fire starter, bandages, a few meds, Numask CPR shield, clot dressing and a voile strap that can work as a tourniquet. This little kit goes with me when I run, climb, ski, or whatever else I am doing in the backcountry.
Next time I head on a run to the Alpine I’ll snap some photos of my kit and share that here. I also plan on sharing some more about the new Patagonia High Endurance Kit and the process of developing the best kit for long alpine runs. Stay tuned!