April is the ideal month to inventory your apparel for warmer weather as the AJC Peachtree Road Race gets a little closer!
Though registration for the 2018 AJC Peachtree Road Race has closed, you can still run on behalf of Kilometer Kids, a running program started by the Atlanta Track Club in 2007 to motivate young people to become more physically active. The Race Number Transfer System will be open online from June 13-20, so opportunities to participate, while small, are still available. Accordingly, secure your spot, and should you not recall the other two takeaways from the March article, get properly fitted for running shoes at your local Big Peach store and start pounding the pavement.
With winter officially over, you would think that April is a most pleasant month for running. But this is Georgia, and weather is temperamental. Rainy days are common, as are freezing mornings and the occasional afternoon that reaches eighty degrees. Yes, April is a wild card, which makes it a fantastic month to discuss shirts, shorts, and the like.
Less Layers
“Dress like it’s twenty degrees warmer.” That’s the best advice I’ve ever received about how apparel should be selected for a run longer than thirty minutes. It might be forty degrees when you step out the front door for a six-mile easy run at 8 a.m., but that long-sleeve shirt and pair of tights are going to bottle that body heat. Consider the “Less is More” approach.
If you are prone to becoming chilly easily like me, take a light pair of gloves to cover the hands. You might also consider replacing the long-sleeve shirt with arm warmers that can be pulled down as the temperature rises. April heat is a far cry from the scorching sun at the AJC Peachtree Road Race on July 4th, but now is the time to slowly start acclimating.
More Colors
Though men are typically guiltier of this, April is also a great month to inventory your running apparel and invest in a new piece or two. That’s after you donate or discard that shirt or short literally hanging on by a thread. If it’s a special finisher shirt from a beloved race, that’s another story. Stow it for safe-keeping, but then proceed to ditch the gear that no longer has a useful running life.
Along with the well-known brands like Nike, Brooks, and New Balance, Big Peach is stocking some new styles. This includes Tracksmith, an independent brand founded in New England, and Vuori, apparel inspired by the West Coast. To summarize, East meets West in the South at the Peach.
All Fun
Don’t stop with an inventory of just your apparel though. Open that sock drawer and assess the condition of those threads. You don’t need to throw the cotton socks away, but don’t use them for your runs – ever again. “Cotton is rotten,” says Peachy (our mascot). Cotton retains moisture, thus raising the risk of blisters on your feet.
Socks are always “Buy 3, Get 1 Free” at your local Big Peach store. And you won’t find an ounce of cotton – only fabrics designed to wick the sweat away from your feet and keep them dry. And color. Lots of color. Does anyone else love colorful socks? We’ve got socks by Swiftwick, Feetures, CEP, Darn Tough, Balega, and more. See a color one of these companies makes that we don’t have in stock at your store? We’ll gladly get it for you.
In closing, pay attention to the topsy-turvy April weather before your run, and dress accordingly. Ditch shirts or shorts or tights with holes and treat yourself to some new gear. Add some vibrant color to that new ensemble with a pair of socks that won’t let you down (or fall down for that matter). Look out for the April rain clouds too, but remember that May flowers can’t be far behind.
Austin Bonds is a Guest Advocate at the Big Peach Suwanee location.
