One of the things I like most about running is the lack of equipment requirements. You will be pressured to buy a lot of things, some that are valuable, some that are gimmicks, but to get started you really just need the basics. If you have tennis shoes that fit well and an outfit that lets you move, you can get started running today.
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Head
Hat: For longer runs, I like to wear a hat to help reduce the sun on my face. I stick with a basic baseball cap or a visor. Visors are nice because they let your head breathe better, but don’t offer as much coverage.
Sunglasses: If you have a place to safely run at night, you may not have too much to worry about with sunglasses, however if you’re going to be running while the sun is up, especially dawn or dusk, you will want sunglasses. For this I found basic sunglasses work fine. FEIDUSUN Sunglasses look similar to Ray Ban Wayfarer, they come in a number of colors and are much more inexpensive, so there is no heartache if they get damaged or lost.
Headphones: I used to use some over the ear headphones but found my ears get warm and sweaty. They are also not the best option if you’re going to be running on the side of the street or places you need to be more aware of your surroundings. More recently, I switched to SHOKZ OpenFit Bluetooth Earbuds which leave your ear open to better hear what is going on around you.
Cold Weather: Living in Arizona, I do not have to worry about much for cold weather so I cannot provide much for advice for running, though I did grow up in Minnesota so I’ve been through some cold weather. As long as it’s not too cold, I would recommend sticking with a headband, this will still let your head breathe while covering your ears, in my experience what gets cold first.
Top
Shirt: A lot of people swear off cotton and try to sell special tech materials that are mostly polyester. People say it holds sweat, it does, which can lead to chafing and bleeding nipples, etc. I have tried some of the high tech shirts and I don’t like them, they feel weird, I feel like I sweat more and there’s a weird smell when I do sweat. I run in basic Gildan Ultra Cotton T-Shirts and have never had any issues. I would recommend trying what you have or picking up some basic cotton t-shirts. I highly doubt you’ll have issues getting started, as you build in duration, if you notice issues, you can address them then and only for longer runs where it may be an issue. This helps you avoid the problem, but if you take too many precautions, you’ll never build any resistance to these issues either.
Cold Weather: Living in Arizona, again, I do not have a lot to worry about with cold weather. There are some morning runs where my hands get cold, for that, I use simple gloves. Some events will even give you very inexpensive gloves to wear before the run and during the beginning of the run as needed, knowing many will get discarded early on. I do also have OCOOPA Hand Warmers which are nice, you can run with them, but when I do use them, it’s normally for an event where I know I’ll be out and about for awhile before the run starts. They are especially nice if you have a cold rainy morning, if I lived somewhere colder, I would absolutely use them all the time. Disposable ones are also available, and easier to carry. I haven’t had the need for any more warm weather gear, though there are times I think a long sleeve shirt or very light jacket would be nice. It’s important to consider the freedom to move and have a plan for it as you (and the day) warms up.
Bottom
Underwear: Underwear like t-shirts, I would start with something basic and inexpensive. My wife and I have MeUndies which are made from Micromodal material that seem to work well. Early on, I tried some others specifically designed for athletics and keeping body parts from rubbing, I haven’t noticed much of a difference, but it is a consideration if you have issues.
Shorts: I run in 100% polyester basketball style shorts. I would strongly recommend a drawstring here, you want to be able to snug it up as needed to make sure they stay up while running and I wouldn’t want a belt, especially for longer runs.
Cold Weather: In Arizona, I’ve never had a reason to wear pants while I run, there have been times me legs are chilly, but once I get moving, it’s not an issue. If I did need long pants, I would like to try some sort of leggings, with shorts on top as I’ve seen many times. Otherwise I would make sure I find something that is breathable, allows you to move and has a drawstring.
Other
Water bottle, vest and/or water pack: How much water (or beverage) need you to carry depends on you as well as the weather. Planning to drink a fair amount before and after runs helps this as well. For shorter runs in moderate weather, you may not need to carry any additional water. For runs 30 minutes to an hour, a simple water bottle may do the trick. I like the Polar Bottle Sport Insulated Water Bottles as the insulation reduces sweating and cold on your hand. For runs over an hour, I like to bring my MARCHWAY Tactical Molle Hydration Pack full of water and bring a bottle with some sort of electrolyte drink. For me, I have found that a larger water pack is good, I’d rather carry extra water (3L weighs ~6.6 lbs) than run out. The pack also carries other supplies like nutrition, for longer runs, the Molle let’s you expand it further with things like these Tactical Backpack Attachment Pouches I use on occasion. Belts and vests are also popular as sort of an in-between, I have not personally used them so cannot comment. I will get more into hydration in another post, but this should get you started.
Nutrition: Getting Started you shouldn’t need anything special for nutrition. Experiment to find when and what to eat before a run but no special race nutrition should be required until your runs are around an hour.
Watch: A watch is another nice to have, it’s a great tool for tracking your activities and providing some feedback, including a timer, while you do them. I started with a few different Fitbits, they are nice though I feel like mostly geared towards counting steps and little on further activities. Once I started doing more activities I tried an entry level Garmin Forerunner (I purchased Forerunner 35 in 2020 for $99.99) that I had good luck with. Today I use a Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire, I was hesitant to spend the money, but I’ve had it for over 4 years and still love it.
Heart Rate Monitor: I do use a Garmin HRM-Pro Plus heart rate monitor on most of my runs as I think it collects better data than just a smartwatch. This is by no means a requirement, but a nice to have. In a perfect world, you find one that is compatible with an ecosystem of your choosing along with a smart watch.
Road ID: These are small tags you can add to your watch band or your shoes that provide emergency contact information. Of course I am glad I haven’t had to use them, but I have a tag on each of my running shoes just in case.
Body Glide (or similar): If you need it, Body Glide is a great product. I’ve had issues with chaffing in the past and will occasionally use this after a long run, but for the most part, it’s not an issue. Like anything else, I suggest you go without and when you start to feel something, make adjustments accordingly.
Race Belt or Bib Clips: When you’re at an event, they’ll generally give you a bib and safety pins, while I’ve used these a few times, I much prefer to use bib clips or even better a race belt. Some events will give you a simple race belt, I feel more secure with this Triathlon Race Belt. This is totally optional, but after you run a race or two and decide it’s for you, it’s much nicer to have a belt so you do not put extra holes in your shirts, generally they can hold a bit of nutrition. They are great for triathlon where traditionally a cycling bib goes on your back, a running bib on your front, making it easy to switch around.
While there are a lot of things that can make it better, you can run with almost no gear which also makes it a great workout, especially something to take along if you travel. Feel free to try the things you’re willing to spend money on, but know that they are generally not essential.