Running Changes Everything®: The Shoes and Gear of an Evolving Runner

Over the past two years, Gina Kutz has gone from being a new runner with very little experience to an accomplished runner who has completed numerous 5Ks, half marathons and a marathon.

After dabbling in running for years, the 41-year-old resident of Fitchburg, Wisconsin decided to go all-in during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic because she needed exercise at a time when gyms were closed. Since then, she says running has changed everything in her life for the better.

She admits she might not have gotten there without the help of her local Fleet Feet stores near Madison, Wisconsin. When she started running regularly, she didn’t have any knowledge about the running shoes she needed. Fleet Feet outfitters not only fit her for a proper pair of running shoes the first time she walked in the store, but they also helped her expand her horizons with new brands and models as she began running longer and faster.

Now that she’s been running 30 to 45 miles per week on a regular basis, she’s learned a lot about what she likes and what works best for her. She’ll be using a lot of her favorite gear, apparel and accessories highlighted below as she continues to train for the Madison Marathon on November 13.

“It’s all been a process, but I’m starting to get there,” she says. “Fleet Feet has been a huge help to me. They’re very friendly and helpful and I always love the selection of shoes and gear they have. I love trying out new things that can help my running.”

The On Cloudstratus 2.0 is an everyday trainer that features a soft and responsive midsole that provides dynamic cushioning for long-haul comfort.

“The Cloudstratus has a really wide toe box, which is good for runners with wide feet. It also has a lot of cushioning, which I found was really good in the later miles of my half marathon. By miles 9, 10 and 11, I was really glad I wore these and had that extra softness to protect against the pounding of the concrete.”

The On Cloudultra is a well-cushioned shoe that features a reinforced upper and grippy outsole lugs for reliable traction. Gina runs on a variety of trails around the Madison area with Fleet Feet’s trail running program.

“I like the Cloudultra a lot,” she says. “I had originally tried another brand for trail running, but they were too flat and wide. The Cloudultra feels great on my feet. It’s perfect for our local trails and it works great in the winter.”

She also loves Rabbit Hopper shorts and the many colorful options of the lightweight, breathable Rabbit EZ Tank, but she says her absolute favorite and most versatile piece of apparel is the Craft Core Dry Active Comfort Baselayer long-sleeve top.

“When I was at Fleet Feet at the end of winter, I bought it in several colors because I liked it so much,” she says. “Once you find something that works, you want to be able to run in it several times a week. That’s a piece I’ll wear in all seasons.”

To stay fueled and hydrated, Gina typically wears a FlipBelt with a small water bottle and other essentials zippered inside. She’ll often carry a packet of GU Energy for added calories (Salted Watermelon and Birthday Cake are her favorite flavors) or Nuun Sport tablets to replace electrolytes and other minerals lost in sweat on longer runs.

For running in the sun, she has numerous pairs of high-quality, low-cost Goodr sunglasses, with her favorites being the Goodr Runway Glasses of the Gods model. For night running with her friends or on fall and winter Fleet Feet group runs, she wears an Amphipod Xinglet, a lightweight vest with LED illumination for visibility.

Her most important accessory is her Garmin Instinct Solar 2 GPS running watch. She started with the Instinct Solar watch but recently upgraded to the Instinct Solar 2.

“It’s very important to me because all of my run data comes from that,” she says. “I like to know what my exact data looks like — the length of my runs, my pace, my heart rate. If I don’t have that, it feels like the sky is falling because I can’t review my data.”

“There’s always a reason for me to want to stop in the store and just see what’s going on,” she says. “It’s one of those places you walk into and you’re immediately inspired. It’s not about buying stuff, but you just feel good about being around active runners and people who are there to help you with whatever you need.”

Need new running shoes? You, too, can go through the Fleet Feet fit id® Outfitting Process at a Fleet Feet store near you.