As technology improves so do the gadgets to help with training. There are a number on different gadgets that can help with your training, your races or whatever your goal is. When I am competing in an endurance event or challenge there is kit that I use to help me achieve it.
There are many advantages to using a Garmin watch for your training. A Garmin watch will record all the data of your activities, the distance, speed, heart rate, leg cadence and altitude gained. It will also record your sleep. By seeing all this data it becomes a lot easier to change and improve your training. It is also a great navigational aid as it has GPS and can have GPX routes unloaded onto it. I think having a decent GPS watch will have the biggest impact on your training.
A great way of accessing your intensity during exercise is to monitor your heart rate. The MyZone belt is the heart rate belt that I use as it is very accurate and can connect to any training device or cardio equipment in the gym. It gives you a score at the end of your workout to let you know the intensity of your workout. Using a heart rate monitor is also a good way of seeing if you are out of condition or if you are fatigued after a workout.
Using walking poles can be a great aid for running in the mountains, especially when you have thousands of meters to climb. They allow you to use your upper body while climbing up hill. When coming down hill they can help with your balance but also reduce the impact placed on your legs. Black diamond Z poles are the make that I have always used. They are ultralight weight and can be easily folded and packed away into your backpack. The height of the poles needs to be long enough so that your elbows are at 90 degrees when holding them.
Trail gaiters is something that I would recommend when running on trails. It gets very annoying having to keep on stopping to empty out stones and grit from your shoes. These gaiters are lightweight and cover the shoes so that stones and grit don’t get in. I have used these gaiters many times when running in the mountains and is a product that I would recommend.
Having a decent head torch is vital for trail running. This is because a lot of Ultra races will go through the night. They need to be lightweight and powerful enough to see the trail. The battery life is also another important consideration. I use this Petzl head torch because it is weight light, has good illumination and is small to be easily packed alway.
During long Ultras you may need to recharge your phone or watch. Carrying a power bank will allow you to do this. It is important that the power bank is lightweight and powerful enough. This power bank is a good option as it weighs 375g and can recharge a smart phone between 5-7 times.
By having a Go Pro you can record all of you adventures on camera. It is by far the best camera for recording sporting activities. The Go Pro is strong, durable and waterproof making it ideal for recording your adventures.
The Go Pro accessory kit allows you to use your Go Pro for lots of different activities.