Tuesday Topics- What’s NOT In Your Bag?
Hi there! Thanks for joining Jenn and me for Tuesday Topics- today’s topic is What’s one popular running or fitness item you CAN live without? I feel like I’m a “running minimalist,” in that I don’t have a lot of fancy things- but when I really thought about it, there are many things I bring on every run! My phone (in a Nathan waist belt), my headlamp (if it’s dark) or sunglasses (once the sun is up). My headphones so I can listen to podcasts, and if it’s a longer run, I bring water in my hydration vest, and of course fuel, usually gels, for long runs. Let’s compare this to my husband, who leaves for a run with literally nothing other than his shoes and the clothes on his back. He doesn’t bring a phone or a headlamp, even in the dark. I consider those to be safety items, but to each his own. So maybe I’m NOT a running minimalist- but I’ll tell you when I will be packing minimally. On Friday I’m going to Chicago for the weekend to visit my son! I got a very cheap flight… suspiciously cheap, as it turns out. After I purchased the tickets, the airline informed me that I could bring a carryon for a “small” fee each way. Well. The fee for bringing a carryon- not a checked bag, but a carryon- was more than the entire flight. Nope! Not doing it. This means I’ll be traveling with just a small backpack (I’m allowed a personal item that will fit under the seat). Has anyone ever watched this Mr. Bean clip?? He’s packing for a trip and his suitcase is too full, so he starts paring things down- he cuts his pants off into shorts and breaks the stem off his toothbrush to make it tiny. That will be me! After a lot of deliberation, I made the decision NOT to run on this trip. If I ran, I would either have to wear running shoes the entire time, or make room in my backpack for an extra pair of shoes. It will also be… GASP… chilly in the mornings, which would mean some cold weather running gear. This was a tough decision (you better believe I’ll be front loading my workouts this week!) but it means I’ll have plenty of space in my backpack for the weekend. I’m planning to hit up some of the bookstores in my son’s neighborhood, which means I need to leave room for any purchases I make. I’ll bring one paperback book along with me, hopefully perfectly timed to finish while I’m there and leave behind. I’ll be wearing the same pants and sweater for the weekend (will bring a change of underwear and t shirts, obviously). That just leaves toiletries, which will again be minimal, my laptop (will I really need it? Oh well- it’s very slim) and a little bit of food for the travel day. I can do it! Welcome to the new Tuesday Topics, hosted by Jenn at Runs With Pugs and Jenny at Runners Fly! Once a week, we come together to share random topics about running, fitness, and life! Use the weekly prompt or write on your own topic! Next week’s topic: Tell us your best running moment of the year. You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter Do you run with your phone? Headphones? Would it be hard for you to travel with just a backpack? Top photo by Wiser by the Mile on Unsplash