Over the past couple of months I’ve been sent a few bits of running kit to try out. Here’s a round-up of a few pieces.

Music on the go

tomtom

Sometimes, heading out for a run can feel like you’re a mobile branch of Dixons: phone, watch, iPod, heart rate monitor. The idea this TomTom music watch (£189) is to merge as many of those gadgets into one as possible. So the GPS watch has an inbuilt optical heart rate monitor (a light on the back of the watch that shines onto your skin – no chest strap) and allows you to load it up with music to listen to through wireless headphones.

TomTom loaned me one to try and it came loaded with some Ministry of Sound ‘running trax’. It wasn’t my first choice of music but by the time I got to the end of the road I had been transported back to the days when my only exercise was dancing in sweaty nightclubs and, without planning to run fast, I’d set a few Strava PBs.

The watch was simple to use (I liketo ignore the instructions and see how I get on and I managed to turn the music on and clock my run ok). It also comes with a daily activity tracker (something that is becoming increasingly standard) so if you want to keep it on after your run it will tell you how much you moved for the rest of the day.

New shoes!

asics-shoes

I was sent the Asics Meta Run to try out a couple of months ago. I’ve not run in Asics before so was interested to try them. The shoes arrived with a host of information on the benefits of them. They’ve got a gel sole which felt kind of squishy and nice. Their ‘Fluidfit’ is supposed to make them fit like a glove – and they did. And they’re made with a material (Flytefoam) which is apparently makes them 55% lighter than regular running shoes – they did feel light.

But they also come with a £200 pricetag. This was the piece of information I couldn’t shake from my head as I ran round the park in them. I avoided puddles, gave dog poo a wider berth than usual and didn’t cut across the grass. £200 is a lot for a running shoe. I remember my first pair cost £80 and that seemed a lot of money 8 years ago. It still seems like a lot of money, but running shoes seem to start around there now and upwards of the £100 mark is becoming more ‘normal’. But £200? As nice as these shoes are (and there ARE nice) I couldn’t part with that for a pair. I guess I’m not he target market.

 

Hello Sailor!

legs

My Ginger Orange asked me if they could send me a pair of their leggings. As a ginger person myself I had to choose this bold pair – the Dreamboat Duchess (£69). I love them and have been wearing them to the gym for weights sessions they’re a little too nice for running around in the mud so I’ve been keeping them for the gym and yoga and getting a few admiring glances. Or at least I hope that’s what they are.

Put a sock on it

socks

I was sent these Injiji socks and was keen to take them on a run having seen quite a bit of chat about them on Twitter. What makes them different is that they’re more like gloves than socks with separate bits for each of your toes.

They take a bit of wriggling to get your toes in but once they are, you don’t notice this. I have a longer second toe than big toe and mine fitted in OK. I’m not sure how life-changing a pair of socks can be, and they probably won’t work for everyone, but they’re nice socks and they come in lots of fun designs. And I can report I had no blisters.