When my daughter, Kate, started running track this year as a freshman, we knew she needed some new track gear. We live in Kansas City, so the weather in March, April, and even May can be tricky and ever-changing! I wanted to share our finds in case you are new to this world like we were! Here is the best track gear for a long distance runner that we purchased and Kate uses. Of course, I have no great photos of her from practice when she’s actually wearing these items!
Items Used for Practice
In high school, you practice every day and some Saturdays! As mentioned earlier, the weather can be totally unpredictable in the midwest, so she has to take layers. For sun protection, a hat and sunscreen. She doesn’t wear sunglasses to run. She tracks her mileage with her Apple Watch. On cold days, she uses the ear warmer which also helps keep her hair back. Kate likes Nike pros or biker shorts to run in, and leggings for colder days. I’ve also linked up her favorite sports bra from Nike. The windbreaker is perfect for spring runs! She wanted red to match her school colors.
Track Shoes and Socks
Finding the right track shoes and socks was the most new to us, especially as a long distance runner. She puts a lot of miles on her feet/shoes each week! I took Kate to Feet Fleet to have her measured and sized for everyday running. She ended up loving a pair of Asics that we got in a whole size bigger than her regular shoe size (as recommended). Obviously this process will be unique to each individual runner, but I thought doing it was helpful. We also learned about using non-cotton socks to run in and was recommend Balega brand. Kate absolutely LOVES these socks so we ordered several pair for the season.
For spikes, the Nike Dragonfly was recommended by her coach. She had never run in spikes before, but they are supposed to shave a few seconds off your time and are very lightweight. These are expensive, but she will be able to use them for many years.
Links for Track Gear
You can find the links for all of the gear shown here by clicking here! I also added a drawstring bag to the list after making this graphic. She takes all of her gear and layers in this drawstring bag to school and it fits so much stuff.
If you are new to the sport like us, I hope you found this post helpful with where to start! XO