As we approach daylight savings, it’s time to start considering spring cleaning! Of course, it’s always great to purge closets and storage, but have you done a spring cleaning of your fitness gear? If not, now is the perfect time to start!
Inspect Your Running Shoes
Now is the perfect time to check out your running shoes and make sure everything is in good shape. It’s ideal to replace shoes after about 400 miles (depending on the runner and the shoe, of course), so check out the soles and the uppers for signs of wear and damage. Old shoes are one of the biggest causes of running injuries, so be vigilant!
Sort Through Your Running Outfits
While old running clothes won’t lead to injury, they can certainly wear out and no longer be quite as comfortable. Sort through your sports bras, tops, shorts, pants, and socks. Check for holes, pilling, loose elastic, or sagging spandex. If you notice a certain piece give you an issue with chafing or blisters, remove it from the rotation.
Wash Out Your Bottles + Accessories
After time, hydration packs, straws, and other accessories can get pretty nasty. Now is a great chance to soak tubing and mouthpieces. Toss your belts, hats, and armbands in some hot, soapy water to eliminate any funk. Disinfect your smart watch band and your ear buds, while you’re at it.
Check For Expired Fuels
Just like regular food, fuel can and does expire. If you’re in a lull in your training cycle, or you haven’t touched your fuel stash in a while, it’s a perfect time to just take a peek at those dates. To that point, I try to buy fuel on an as needed basis, rather than in bulk, to minimize waste.
Organize Your Gym Bag
What secrets lie hidden in ye olde gym bag? Your guess is as good as mine. Dump that bag out, and clear out garbage or old laundry. Make sure your towels are washed and your yoga mat is disinfected. If you can wash your actual bag, do it… Otherwise, air it out on the back patio on a nice day. Make sure it’s repacked with all your essentials, and you are ready to go!
How do you handle spring cleaning for your fitness gear?
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Darlene S. Cardillo says
Thanks for the reminder.
I runfess that I don’t usually do anything in the spring.
I do plan to declutter shoes and clothes soon!!!
runswithpugs says
LOL! It’s about that time!
Melodie says
Great tips! I track my shoe mileage with my garmin app. I always end up getting sore shins around 350 miles!
runswithpugs says
Perfect way to manage it!
Michelle says
All good reminders! I’m sure some of my fuel is overdue :0
Zenaida Arroyo says
These are great tips but I don’t do them. Yikes! I mean I do them as I go. I do track my shoes and that is because I also track my mileage.