What I Carry & What Carries Me

The gear, fuel, and mantra that keep me moving forward

My Must-Haves

As a preface, a lot of what’s in here is personal. What works for me may not work for you. I will also admit, I get caught up in trends and marketing — so don’t feel like you need to chase the exact brand names I mention. The goal here isn’t to sell you anything, it’s just to share what’s helped me stay consistent and enjoy the process.

I do, however, firmly believe in: look good, feel good, perform good. :)

Shoes

You need a good pair of well-fitted running shoes. Whether you’re on the road, trail, or treadmill, your shoes are the foundation. They protect you from injury, keep you comfortable, and can give you the confidence to keep it moving.

When I first started running, I wore the Nike Invincible’s, which I loved for their bounce and comfort. But as I began eyeing down longer distances and mixing up terrain, I knew I needed more. Here’s a quick rundown of every pair I’ve worn since I started, rated 1-10:

Retired

• Nike Invincible 1 – 8.5 (bouncy, comfortable)

• Adidas Ultraboost – 6.5 (meh)

• Nike Vaporfly – 8 (fast, snappy, but short lifespan)

• On CloudMonster – 5.5 (look cool, ran horribly)

• Hoka Speedgoat 5 – 9 (grippy, versatile, great out of the box)

Semi-Retired

• Brooks Glycerin Max – 9.5 (cloud-like, but a bit heavy for long efforts)

• Adidas Adios Pro 3 – 7.5 (fast, but tore up the top of my feet)

Current Rotation

• ASICS Novablast 5 – 9.7 (light, responsive, daily trainer gold)

• Hoka Tecton X3 – 8.5 (solid, but expected a bit more)

• Norda 001 – 9.9 (built like a tank but runs like a dream)

• Nike Ultrafly – (TBD — only 5 miles in, so still evaluating)

Overall, for road running, I’d currently recommend either the ASICS Novablast 5 or the Brooks Glycerin Max. Both offer a smooth, cushioned ride. The Glycerin has a higher stack, so if you struggle with stability, the ASICS might feel a bit better.

For trail running, the Hoka Speedgoat 5 and Norda 001 are my favorites. I wore the Speedgoat’s for all of my training leading up to my first 50k, as well as during the race, and they performed great. The Norda’s, I wore once in training and knew immediately they were my 100k shoe (could have been a massive rookie mistake), but they did fantastic. They’re built for ultras.

Socks

Blisters have been a constant battle. My feet have seen better days. In the beginning, I just ran in basic white Nike socks — this worked until it didn’t.

My go-to brands now:

• Bombas – for road runs and racing

• Arc’teryx & Bandit – for trails (merino wool, blister-resistant)

I’ve heard great things about Injinji toe socks, especially for long ultras. Haven’t tried them yet, but I probably should since I’m still taping toes before long efforts.

Apparel

For shorts, I prefer ones that have a built-in liner with storage pockets. They’re great to store your phone and keys in - you won’t even notice they’re there. My favorite brand for these are Nike Trail, but you can find nice pairs of these in plenty of places (Target, Amazon, etc.)

Shirts, I'm not too picky about. Just be smart about the season you’re running in. For summer, I have Target’s ‘All In Motion’ tanks, a sun shirt from Janji, and then just other random moisture-wicking or dri-fit type shirts.

I’m a huge running hat fan. Not only do they help block the sun, but they also will help prevent sweat drop dripping down your face. My favorites are hands-down the BPN ‘Go One More’ hats. I wear these pretty much every day. To wash them, I just toss them in the shower with me.

I honestly don’t wear sunglasses a ton, but when I do, I use Oakley Radar EV Path. I’ve heard great things about goodr sunglasses as well, and you can find them on Amazon for a super solid price.

Hydration / Fueling

Short Runs:

I’ll stash gels in my short’s liner pockets, or use a waist pack.
I rotate between:

• Nathan waist pack

• Nike running belt

Both work great for holding small flasks, keys, phone, gels.

Long Runs:

I use the Salomon ADV Skin 12 vest. Before this, I ran with a cheaper vest from Amazon — and it worked just fine. The Salomon is next-level in comfort and storage, but don’t feel like you need to start there.

Devices

Other than shoes, I honestly think a running watch is my second most recommended thing to get started and the best investment I’ve made.

I started with an Apple Watch — decent, but I really did not like charging it every night and wanted better data.

Enter: Coros Pace 2

• Incredible battery life (over a week)

• Tons of data

• Easy to use

• Fantastic app

I now wear the Coros Pace Pro and am borderline obsessed with it. I ran my 100k (15+ hours) with GPS + course map downloaded and only used 25% battery.

You also don’t need an additional data plan or anything with Coros — it’s a one-time cost for the purchase of the watch. The GPS, mobile app, and training plans on their website are all free.

Fueling Favorites

Gels:

I’m all about Carbs gels right now:

• Original – 50g carbs

• Caffeinated – 50g carbs + 100mg caffeine

• Salted – 50g carbs + 450mg sodium

I use them for any run over 10 miles. Under that, I’ll opt for:

• Liquid carbs (Tailwind, Gatorade)

• Smaller gels (GU, etc.)

Electrolytes:

• BPN – everyday hydration

• HYK – for racing or longer efforts

Music

Headphones:

• Beats Fit Pro – elite sound, sweat-proof, noise canceling

• Shokz OpenRun – my current go-to, open-ear, great for hearing surroundings

Note: The Shokz struggle in loud race environments — I could barely hear them during the Indy Mini.

What I’m Listening To:

• Music: mood-based — rap, metal, techno, ambient. Never country though (sorry).

• Podcasts:

  • Andrew Huberman (my favorite)

  • Nick Bare

  • Joe Rogan (guest-dependent)

  • Crime Junkies

Mantra

When things get hard — which they always do — I always remind myself:

• This is what I want. This is what it takes.

Quick Summary

These are a lot of the things I trust — not just for performance, but for consistency, confidence, and enjoyment.

Whether it’s gear, fuel, or mindset, this is the system that helps me show up day after day.