I’m going to be running the NYC Marathon tomorrow, and in preparation, here’s a brief rundown of the gear that I’ll be using. Although running is a relatively gear-sparse sport, there’s still a good amount of thought that goes into each thing I carry with me – which I’ll need to lug for every step of the 26 mile race.

• Shoes – Asics Gel Kayano 17. Previous marathons have been run in Saucony Grid Stabil’s, but after receiving a free pair of these Asics a few months ago, I’ve grown to like them quit a bit. Chalk one up for the Asics marketing and promo dept, good job, you’ve got another convert. They offer good support, and the gel in the heel does a great job with shock absorption. They’re about 9 months old now, so this race will likely be one of the last major races I run in them. The thing to keep in mind when deciding to replace running shoes is that the shock absorbing and stability qualities of the shoe tends to wear out before the shoe actually starts to look worn and broken down. Looking at these shoes, they still have a good amount of tread life left, and they’re not too broken down – but I have a bunch of miles on them, and they need to be replaced after this race. Wanna hook me up with a fresh new pair, Asics??? Continue reading →