Kit recommendations- What should I take to a run?

One of the things that I am most frequently asked is “What kit should I use or take with me to a mud and obstacle run?”. It’s a bit of a tough one to answer, as every promoter has different rules and regulations. 

The below list is based on my experience so far and that alone. It’s therefore highly biased, but that’s one of the best things about writing a personal blog- I can be as biased as I want to be :-)

Before I get to the list, a few things to consider:

• ALWAYS check the website or information pack for the race that you are doing to make sure that the equipment that you are taking is allowed.
• “Studded shoes”. Most race websites will often say that studded shoes are not allowed as they can cause serious damage to both other competitors as well as the obstacles. Whilst this is true, don’t take that to mean that all shoes with studded grips are not allowed. This simply means that metal studs like football boots are not allowed. Trail running shoes with rubber grips are perfectly acceptable, and in the case of most mud runs, highly recommended.
• Waterproof or not? Waterproof gear is obviously very good at stopping water going through it, but not necessarily around it. If you run with waterproof gear on, whether shoes, leggings, jacket, gloves or anywhere else and get to a (very frequent) swimming section of a race, the waterproof gear will simply keep the water in. This will result in you getting heavier and colder quicker. Unless you are sure that you will not be submerged, it is far better to run with a technical fabric which I will discuss later. 
• Check the weather report around the time of the race. This will have a massive impact on the clothes and accessories that you will wear. I personally get very hot very quickly, so rarely run with a top on. However, if you are doing events designed to make you as  cold as possible, you will want to consider wearing a top, gloves, and perhaps a hat. This is a personal thing, but I’ll try to cover guidelines.
• Hydration. Check the race information for number of water points, if any. Most races of 8Km or over will have at least one water stop, but not always. Again, you should know how well you cope with a lack of water. Again, if the weather says it’s going to be hot, consider a hydro pack or carrying a small water bottle. 
• If you're going on your own check that there will be bag/key drop facilities. Also make sure that your emergency contact person knows that you are putting them down as the emergency contact, and that they are near their phone, just in case ;-)

Pre-race

• Fuel! You should look at taking on plenty of carbs, at least the night before the race and in the morning before. I always start the day with a very large bowl of oats with full-fat milk, various seeds, nuts and fruit alongside a protein shake. The night before I normally make a pasta-bake (I eat for a family of 4 ) with some fresh veg. 
• Water- Take water with you and get a decent amount in you before you run. Not so much that you’ll want to pee the whole way around, but enough to get you hydrated. You’ll want extra for after the race as well for both hydration at to wash any cuts with.
• Towels and fresh clothes- Easily forgotten, but you will be very muddy when you get back! Many races don’t have hot showers but instead a lake or river for you to wash in. 
• Antiseptic gel, plasters and general first aid. All races will have first aid, most have local ambulance teams in attendance, but it never hurts to be prepared. As a lot of these races have you swimming in stagnant water, you’ll want to wash any cuts with fresh water and get some anti-septic gel on them pretty soon after the race. 
• Bag- A waterproof or water-resistant bag to keep your dry stuff dry and mud free is highly recommended. Keep your towel near the top of the bag for easy access after the race. You can pick these up from most good outdoor/hiking/trail shops. 
• Money for parking and food- If you need this explaining, you shouldn’t be walking let alone running ;-)
• Registration documents! Don’t forget them including any passes, disclaimers, death waivers, Last Will and Testaments, etc …

Footwear
For me, good footwear is key. Many blogs and forums will have people that tell you “What’s the point in using purpose-built shoes, they’re just going to get ruined” or “There’s no real advantage when mud gets thick”. IMO, this is utter balls! The amount of times that people have face planted in front of me, often with very painful consequences due to no grip from their road running shoes is unreal. I personally can’t afford to break my ankle/leg/hip/ribs falling over onto a tree stump, and therefore will do everything I can to avoid it!

Road running shoes, whilst giving a lot of underfoot protection are dangerously slippy and soak water up like a sponge due to the amount of padding and cushioning in them. 

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