New to Exercise? Basic Gear

I was chatting with a friend at the law school who mentioned she'd started running in Central Park. Apparently seeing me decked out in workout gear at school all the time had made her interested in giving running a try! I can be a *bit* evangelistic about exercise--"it's the best thing ever! Try running! Try lifting! Try yoga! Yay sweat!"--so I was really excited to hear that someone was converted to my cult giving exercise a try.

She wanted a few tips on what to wear, and although I'm a relative newbie to running, I thought it was a great challenge. Put together the most necessary exercise gear for someone who is new to running and working out? Game on. Here's what I came up with!

The Necessities

Good running shoes

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 13s - $110
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These had to come first because having a good, fitted pair of running shoes is by far the most important factor in safe, comfortable running. I really like the pair of Brooks Adrenalines I recently purchased on sale since they provide support for my high arches and pronation. However, your feet are probably different! Thus it's very important to get your feet assessed at a running store. I might recommend even going twice so you get two opinions -- I was told that I didn't pronate in September so I bought a neutral shoe and it led to a lot of foot pain that has vanished with proper shoes!

Crop leggings

Lululemon Wunder Under crop leggings - $72
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I think a pair of crop leggings are the most versatile piece of workout clothing you can have. You can wear them to yoga, to an exercise class, to the gym, or out on a run. Make sure they are non-chafe -- I recommend Lululemon's Wunder Unders. Although they're an investment, I've never had any issues with chafing and they're so comfortable and versatile that I think they're worth the money. You can use these for most weather, except for the hottest days of summer and coldest days of winter.

Supportive and non-chafing sports bra

Nike Pro Compression Sports Bra - $30
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Trust me, it is painful to be bouncing around. Nothing worse than a boob to the face mid-run. Find a sports bra that provides lots of support. Jump up and down in it to make sure it keeps the ladies strapped in. And don't be afraid to return it if it starts chafing after a mile!

Safety first! Phone/money/ID carrier

Amphipod Hydraform Handheld Lite - $17.95
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I always carry my phone, a credit card and/or cash, my apartment key, and my metro card with me. I often forget, but you should also try to carry your ID with you for safety. If something happened out on a run, you would not want to be without your phone or money. I recently got an Amphipod Handheld (the larger size because I'm a water buffalo and guzzle water like it's my job) and it's a great place to also store your keys and cards.

I actually stuffed my phone in my sports bra for many months and tucked my credit card, metro card, cash and key into the mini pockets that crops often have. That can work, but it's not ideal. Still, if you're brand new to running and not going too far (under 5 miles), it might be the easiest thing to do.

Music!

Please do not judge my music taste on the basis of my running playlist. After all, I like ABBA, too. 

Once you begin to feel more comfortable running, you might not need music anymore to keep you going (and some people are fine running without music from the beginning!). For me, though, whenever I'm running alone I like to have a good playlist to listen to. These are some of my favorites for running.

Total: $240
I know, I know... you thought running was free!


Helpful (but not totally necessary)

Moisture-wicking tops

These are three of my favorite Lululemon tops: the Run:Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve top - $68 (great for chilly runs), the Cool Racerback tank - $42 (good for summer runs and cardio/strength classes), and the Power Y tank - $52 (perfect for yoga, pilates or barre classes).

Oiselle Big Run Long Sleeve Tee - $39
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I also really like this Oiselle long-sleeved top. It's so comfy and a great pullover for colder weather or on its own in fall or spring weather. Oiselle has some really great tops that are less expensive than Lulu and are aimed more exclusively at running, so they're a great brand to check out.

Yes, these are all under "helpful" and not necessities, but don't get me wrong, as you become more serious about running and working out I think buying these should become a necessity. However, I started running just wearing old t-shirts and it was fine. When you're running shorter distances, as you likely are as a beginning runner, I just don't think that moisture-wicking tops need to be at the top of your list. However, if you can afford a tech shirt or two, getting some fun, cute shirts can make you that much more likely to work out, so they're a good investment if you have the means.

Headbands

Sparkly Soul headband - $15 for thin, $17 for thick
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Depending on your hair type, you may or may not have flyaways that fall into your face filled with sweat while you're working out (I know, I'm turning you off to working out, sorry!). I happen to suffer from this, so I always wear a headband when running, strength training, spinning, or yoga-ing. Plus, why not add some fun color or sparkle to your workout? That's why I love Sparkly Soul headbands.

Yoga mat

YogaAccessories - $17.99
I have not tried this particular yoga mat, but I find that any basic yoga mat under $20 works fine. 
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There are so many workouts you can do at home, whether by following a DVD or a youtube video or a a circuit workout put together by yours truly. Having a yoga mat at home means you never have an excuse not to sweat!

What do you think are the most basic essentials for new runners?