Offa's Dyke Run - things learnt Lesson 4 - Equipment

Equipment on something like this epic is very much a personal choice and what works for one person might not work for another. I am going to just explain what worked for me based on my preparations. So let's start from the bottom up.

As stated in Lesson 1 I chose to run In Hoka Mafate Speed trail shoes. As someone who had done a bit of fell running I had tried out both Salomon and Innov8 fell shoes but found that they did not give me enough cushioning for the distance.  I had tried trail shoes but really did not get on with them.  So I bought my first pair of Hokas about 12 months before the run and discovered that whilst they were great on trails they were not great on wet grass. However they were surprisingly light and once you got used to the oversize cushioning they worked a treat. I had actually run two big fell races in them and found that they hold up well.

For socks I went for knee length compression socks because that is what I always wear. I don't know it they make a real difference but I found they worked well. I bought a few pairs of Hilly Trail socks and they were the best I have used so far being a great combination of cushioning, sweat absorption and compression. I actually slept in clean socks and compression shorts for a couple of nights and think that helped overnight recovery.

shorts were something I had not really thought too much about. To my cost I discovered all shorts are not the same and one pair resulted in chaffing. The best pair I had were a pair of Ron Hill Trial shorts with side pockets that I found really useful for caring my maps in particular. 

I ran in technical t-shirts and discovered that shirts with a fine weave much better than others. I did think about investing in new shirts but stuck with what I had practiced with and did a bit of wash and wear. 

My pack was an Ultimate Direction 20L Fastpack. This was actually too big but due to the design it compresses well.  The big advantage with the pack is the daily accessible pockets. I was able to access my water, all my food, my hat, my camera and my phone without taking the pack off. 

I wore a buff most days to keep the sweat out of my eyes and the sun off my head. When it got really sunny I went for my trusty North Face hat with a peak. 

The biggest experiment I went for was to use Nordic Walking poles for the run.  I had read about how they could reduce the strain on the legs by 20-30% is used correctly so borrowed a pair 3 months before the run and had a lesson. In the end I plumped for the very light Black Diamond Carbon Distance Z poles that were excellent.  I made sure I had mastered using the poles for walking and running by using them 2-3 times a week. On the fourth day of the run in particular I seemed to subconsciously rely on the poles as I tired and I can safely say that they got me through. They take a bit of getting use to and they are not for everyone but in my opinion a vital piece of equipment if taking on a challenge like this.