On Runfession Friday I told you I forgot my running shoes when I went to the gym and had to run on the mill in the trail shoes I tromped through the slushy parking lot in.
The very next day, as I was switching gears from strength to swim, a lady who took the locker directly above mine (grrrr….spread out!) realized she’d forgotten her shoes. As she sat there trying to figure out a way to get in a workout (yoga anyone?) I got to thinking about all the things I’ve forgotten over the years. Truly it takes a village to pack for a race or the the gym properly, I swear.
For races, I forgot to pack my drink mix for my first marathon and ended up making a last-ditch, night before stop at GNC. I also forgot my Spibelt and ended up with nowhere to stow car keys on a couple of occasions. Gym-wise there was the time I forgot a sports bra and had to workout in my “civilian” one. I think I was doing step classes so not the end of the world. There’s been more than one occasion when underwear was forgotten, forcing a commando situation. Headbands and hair ties are also commonly left out of my bag. How about you? Are you thorough when loading your gym bag or packing for a race? Or do certain somethings get left out sometimes, forcing you to improvise? Do you make do without?
For the record, the lady who forgot her shoes (she was wearing knee-high snow boots) ended up rowing in her socks.
Honestly, I get so paranoid I OVER pack always. For gym bag I would always keep 2 extra workout outfits in addition to the one I was planning on, 2 extra socks, extra shoes .. you get the picture. And I do the same with a dry bag for races, double everything “just in case.” LOL
There are few things that ruin a workout like forgetting my hair tie. Boooo! I’m okay with regular bras and crappy shoes, but keep my hair out of my face! Thankfully, the worst I’ve ever forgotten at a race is my music. Not a big deal.
There was the time at the gym where I forgot my running socks. So I had to drive 3 miles to the nearest running store and the 3 miles back! Lesson learned: Pack extra socks!
I am usually good about remembering what I need for the workout but always forget clothes to change into. (I usually go from home to gym to work but not always.) The other week, I forgot a bra. I have also forgotten underwear. Pre-pregnancy I wouldn’t have cared about the bra and just doubled up on tanks but that doesn’t work now. Le sigh.
Good for her! I have forgotten my sports bra a couple of times. My bathing suit played substitute! (I know, weird). Socks a few times but I just went without. Hair bands, too. It’s hard to get it all right!
I don’t go to the gym, so at least there isn’t that issue…but when I’ve been out on a run, I’ve forgotten things. Like to apply chafing cream in areas prone to chafing. It’s especially bad in the summer when I’m sweating–one time I stopped at the pool and asked if they had any vaseline. The lifeguards looked at me like I was crazy. Teenagers.
Since I work out at home I don’t have to worry about this:)
Oh, and no, I’ve never had a bad experience with fuel while running. I think I’m just lazy and stuck in my ways. Way back when I started running the current fuels weren’t even around. At high school track meets our coaches took Hershey bars and oranges and that is all I would eat until after the meet (often at 10:00pm). I also didn’t eat lunch in high school and then had practice after school so I’ve always run without much in my system!!!
For a half, I’ve forgotten hair bands and barrettes. It was awful to have my mess of hair all over the place! I’ve run with my car key in my bra just not planning that I would need a pocket for it. I’ve put GU there too! HA. More padding!
One time we picked up our race bibs on race morning and they were out of safety pins. We had to use scotch tape to keep our bibs on! Now I always keep some extra safety pins in the car:)
I was going to do a lunch run yesterday, but I forgot to pack a sports bra! Duh! I’ve done runs without socks before because I forgot to pack them, but the bra was a deal breaker. I’ve totally also used rubber bands out of my desk drawer as a make shift hair tie.
I’ve forgotten underwear once and only once. Going to breakfast commando afterwards was so excruciatingly uncomfortable that I will never forget them again. I’ve also forgotten my hair dryer – actually I’d packed it but one of the boys’ girlfriends borrowed it and returned it to the drawer instead of the gym bag. And I’ve brought along non-matching shoes. Not too bad all things considered.
I’m uber paranoid about race packing, so knock on wood I haven’t forgotten anything yet. But when it comes to gym, I often forget hair ties or hair bands, socks and a couple of times my water bottle.
I’m pretty obsessive when packing for a race, but not for a workout at the gym. I typically wear my shoes there so haven’t forgotten them yet!
Perfect example when traveling abroad. I packed all my workout gear (AKA sports bras) in a bag that I left at the airport to switch out when we went to our next country. So when I went to run on the treadmill at the hotel, I didn’t have a sports bra:( No fun!
My gym is my basement, so that’s a no brainer…I HAVE forgotten my knee brace at an out of town race ONCE…and had to stop by Walgreens on the way to the start line to buy one, LOL!
traveling for work often leaves me triple checking my bag for all my workout stuff. i’ve forgotten my reflective gear and been stuck on the treadmill and i’ve forgotten my sports bra and had to go buy another one.