Tools of the Trade

Today I’m going to shift focus to some of the more tangible aspects of running. Specifically, I will provide information on some of the gear and food I use as I train for the 50-mile trail race. First, I am going to discuss the shoes I am running in currently. Right now I like the La Sportiva Wildcats a lot. These are my second pair of trail running shoes. My first pair, Vasque Velocity, was adequate for my first trail race but I wanted something a bit more nimble and without Gore-Tex so the shoes would drain better after water crossings. The Wildcats are a great fit for me. The toe area has a sturdy bumper that prevents my delicate little piggies from getting too mashed up on rocky trails and the lugs are deep enough that I feel confident going downhill. Also, the shoes have a good deal of support and stability for some of the more technical trails. The Wildcats are actually in stark contrast to what I run in when I’m out on the roads. I typically run in a very minimal shoe – Saucony Kinvara – so I can feel the road more easily and land on my mid-foot area. However, I like the built-up and protective aspect of the Wildcats because, in my opinion, rocks hurt.




I also have begun experimenting with my post-run diet and have come to discover a marvelous remedy for stimulating my appetite and soothing my stomach – ginger. Ginger has been a home-remedy for upset stomachs for centuries that I am just starting to incorporate into my regimen. Right now I am drinking ginger-ale post-run for the sugar and its soothing aspect, but will begin to carry ginger candies or crystallized ginger with me on long runs to see if it will help give me the ability to stomach more types of food typically offered at aid-stations. I would discuss the post-run benefits of scrapple but my co-contributor already did that. Seriously, it’s the only food out there that you don’t know whether you’re getting protein or carbohydrates when you eat it. It’s a crap shoot really since nobody even knows what’s in each slice besides pure deliciousness.