As the days get longer and the summer sun gets hotter, winter seems only to be a distant memory. Even as a passionate snowboarder and overall winter enthusiast, I am not counting down the days to its return like some of my co-workers are. The thing that I love most about the arrival of warmer weather is the amount of motivation it gives me to be active. As a long-distance runner trying to get back into the swing of things, I wanted to gear up quickly so that I could take advantage of the mild early-summer temps. With a few suggestions and tips from some of my outdoor-enthused co-workers, I was hitting the running trail in no time.
The first thing on my list was a good pair of running shoes. I will admit for as much as I loved running I haven’t really kept up with it since high school and certainly not enough to get a new pair of $80 shoes, which was why I was still rocking the shoes from ’09. I guess that’s it, right? You don’t need much to go run, just yourself and a good pair of running shoes. I quickly realized after my first run that something was missing. I needed something else to push me to get over that first hill. The answer was music, and this is where Small Dog came in. I never really ran with music because I never found a great way to carry my music with me. I tried numerous armbands and even tried to carry my music in my pocket with me. As phones have slimmed down so have the armbands and I was able to find the perfect one right here at Small Dog for my iPhone 5s. I went with the Belkin Sport-Fit Plus Armband and have been very happy with it so far. The thing that stands out for me is that the stretchy neoprene material it is made out of keeps it lightweight and the clear screen protector keeps my phone safe but also functional on my run. For my music, I am using Spotify Premium. If you have read any of my Kibbles articles in the past you know that I am a big fan. With the new Tempo feature that matches your music with your running pace, Apple will have to try pretty hard to convert me to their newly-introduced streaming service, Apple Music.
With the Belkin Armband on my arm and Spotify Premium pumping my beats, I was ready to go. More motivated than ever, I felt that I was running a farther distance in a shorter amount of time but I wasn’t exactly certain that this was true. In an effort to track my run, someone suggested I try the popular running/cycling app, Strava. Since downloading it, I have been able to track my distance traveled, calories burned, elevation gained and more. You can also go Premium to access more content but I find that the basic version has more than enough to suit my needs. Strava alone has helped me to stay motivated and has given me the reason to constantly push myself while on my runs.
Though I am not sure what other hobbies I may pick up along the way this summer, I am certain that there will always be awesome accessories and apps out there to maximize my fun.
To help you stay active this summer, we are giving you a FREE armband for iPhone 5, 6 or 6 Plus when you buy a pair of Outdoor Tech Orcas. Click Here to take advantage of this great special!