Running gear can be affordable

I've mentioned this before, but just so you know where I'm coming from, I work part-time. I don't make much at my job, so when I purchase something I really have to look at the price. I either pay cash or put it on my credit card and pay it off every month. I've been lucky enough to be able to do this since June 2009. Due to how little I now make (I was let go from my very well paying job in 2009 and had to adjust), I am very conscious of what I spend.

I am sure if you're a runner, you know how pricey items can be. For me, Lululemon, Athletica, Brooks, etc. can be just out of my price range many a time. I honestly own no Lululemon or Athletica. I own some Brooks items, I wear Brooks Adrenaline sneakers and will occasionally grab a shirt or a jacket when I hit a running store (especially if they are on sale!).

So, what do I do to get items that allow me to train and to be excited about it? I seek out affordable pieces. One of the biggest I've found lately is Fila at Kohl's. Seriously. Fila makes some great stuff and if you purchase at Kohl's you know all about their sales and coupons. It can take an out of price range shirt/jacket into I've saved enough to get two.

Fila jacket at Shamrock Half Marathon March 2013

Fila shirt at the 2012 Baltimore Women's Classic 5k

The other part of the running equation is all the "extras." There are so many things - GPS systems, belts, water bottles, on-the-run nutrition, etc. Some items I can't help bring the cost down on. I pay what they cost and suck it up hoping that the money I save on other things make the costs even out.

This past weekend I was at TJ Maxx looking for something totally unrelated to running. But, I wandered over to the athletic area and found two items that I picked up. I grabbed a new water bottle I can use on a run that had a larger pocket than my current one for less than half of what I paid for my Nathan one.

That pocket is at least double the size of my old one, which I have a hard time keeping my car key, phone, and sports beans in. I picked this up for $12.99 rather than the ticket price of $24.99, which is less than the Nathan one I purchased several years ago for $30.00.

The other item I picked up was a utility belt. I have one that I've used for several years, again a Nathan because Nathan brand was cheaper than Spibelts. My Nathan is more of a pouch belt whereas this one is flat like the Spi.

I picked this up for $9.99 rather than the ticket price of $16.00, which again was less than my Nathan at $20.00, which was less than a Spibelt. I wore this yesterday for my run and really liked it, it is flat against my back and I didn't feel it bouncing around like the Nathan one I was using. I used the middle section for my phone and put my car key in a side section. I was very pleased with it and feel the bright green color will be good for visibility.

The last tip I have for you that I use a great deal is for my Sport Beans. This is what I use on a long run for energy and a package of them can be upwards of $1.50 each. I know that's not a lot, but... While wandering through Wal-Mart one day I saw they have Sports Beans. Now my favorite flavor is watermelon, which is somewhat hard to find. They do not have watermelon, but they have several flavors including assorted, which is what I will use when I don't have any watermelon. Oh did I mention they are 99 cents each? Yea. Fifty cents cheaper than other places.

There's my experience in saving money on running gear. You may already know all these things, you may have better ideas. If so, share! I'm always in need of saving money on my running habit equipment.

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Running clothes

My wardrobe seems to be getting bigger and bigger.  Not my everyday wardrobe, but my running wardrobe.  I never really cared all that much about what I wore to work out in.  I wanted it to be functional, but since I weighed way more than I should have I didn't invest in any fun exercise clothes.  Why bother?

Well, since I've lost some weight and started running, I now want to wear fun stuff to workout in.  It's for no one's benefit but my own.  I like thinking I have fun clothes on.  Lately though, I've noticed I wear a lot of race shirts to the gym or out for a run.  I realized I don't have many shirts I can wear that doesn't brag (because really that's what you do when you wear a race shirt to the gym) to the gym.

One day at Kohl's I found a fun shirt that I really liked.  It is by Fila, which was interesting as I've never owned Fila apparel.  But, it was so cute!  Sadly, being the cheap person I am, I refused to pay $25 for it.  Really.  $25 for a t-shirt?  Please.  But, I went back a few weeks later and it was on sale!  Score!  Instead of $25 I was able to bring it home for $14-something.  :-)

And then I wore it.  And loved it.  Really loved it.  You can kinda see it in the picture from Saturday's 10k in Baltimore.  It was the second time I wore it that week.  I wore it Thursday, then washed it Friday so I could wear it Saturday.  And that's when I knew I wanted another one.  Not just another Fila shirt, but that Fila shirt.  LOL!  So, back to Kohl's I went to see if they had another one.  And low and behold they had one left...in my size.  I am proud to say it went home with me...on sale...with a coupon.  Sweet!

Here's my new running shirt obsession

Full shirt

 Neck

 Close up of design

Have you ever done this?  Found a shirt you love and bought more of it?  Not just the same shirt/pants in different colors/patterns, but the same exact shirt/pants?  Cause I'm feeling kinda crazy right about now for having done so!