Let’s talk gear as a disabled athlete. For me, compression is where it’s at so here’s a rundown of my preferences:
First, shoes. I’m an @altrarunning girl. I have a wide toe box, which they accommodate without pain, and they’re lightweight. I’ve run in other brands where it felt like I had bricks on my feet. Altra also gets me close to the zero drop I prefer. Also, I’m probably overdue for some new shoes.
Second, socks. I prefer Swiftwick. They were a Nashville based business and the socks feel comfortable and hold up well.
Third is my essential accessibility tool for running: calf sleeves. I’ve worn @cep_compression calf sleeves for about 14 years or so. I’ve gone through a number of pairs but they keep my lower legs from falling apart 😆 I’ve also used their compression socks for recovery after long runs. The sleeves help reduce shin splints and they seem to help me with balance a bit, protecting my ankles.
For shorts, I’m not super picky about the shorts I’ll wear on a daily run but anything long or if my legs are feeling tired, I prefer @cwx_usa I exclusively wear their compression tights to for when I ran longer races and I have insulated pairs for running in the cold. I will still wear my compression sleeves under tights because I’ve found that works best for me for preventing injuries.
Tops I’m pretty liberal with just finding what I think looks cute but most of my running tops are race shirts. Also, can we talk about how bad it is that many races now are giving t-shirts instead of tech shirts. For the costs of races being so high, the swag bag should reflect in a benefit to the runners. 😒 I remember when swag bags were loaded with samples and great products. Now it’s a cotton tee and that’s about it.
Sports bras: again, I’m not super picky on brands for these but years ago, I found the Victorias Secret maximum support bras worked best for me. I may be small, but because of my chronic pain, really reducing bounce is important to me. The VS sports bras had zippers and hook and eye closures to secure the level of support best for me. I have seen ads for companies making more sports bras like this and when I eventually need new ones, I’ll be looking at those.
If I run outside, I run in a hat with a bill to protect my eyes (I didn’t used to run with sunglasses but now I have to run in my glasses or I’m blind). Mostly I run in my Oak Barrel Half hats. No specific brands in general but runners have higher rates of skin cancer on their scalps for running without protecting the tops of their heads.
For sports tracker, I used to be all Garmin but I made the switch to an Apple Watch and it’s worked fine.
Finally, my treadmill/walking pad. It’s by Home Fitness Code and is a no-frills treadmill but it’s helping me stay accountable even in extreme heat and rain. It helps as well because if I have a big flare in pain, I can stop and not have to worry about limping home. Not to mention, I can run safely after dark because a lone woman running at night in New Orleans isn’t the wisest move.
With all that said, I’m slowly easing back into running after getting the clear by my acupuncturist. He became my favorite person in the world telling me to get back to the thing I love and have missed the most as disabilities resulted in mobility issues. I still need my cane at times but less since I started acupuncture. So far, running a 12:29 mile seemed like the fastest speed ever (my mile PR was 6:59 ages ago during speed sessions). I’m so happy with it but I’d also love to see myself get back to a 10 minute mile. My average used to be between 8:30 and 9 but I’m really not doing this for the speed. I’m doing it for love of the sport. Love of how I feel. Love of the strength built from consistent practice. Love for proving that disabilities won’t steal something I’ve enjoyed my entire life. From the little girl at 6 or 7 who ran beside her dad in Japan, to the runner who could pound out a half marathon without thought, to the runner who PRd at 2:03 for a flat and fast half in Nashville, to the runner who conquered a marathon, to the woman I am now easing back in after a year and a half with zero miles under her belt.
Gods, it feels amazing.