Sports Management Blog

When we get ready for some exercise, we all have our own routine. Some elite sportsmen are even known for having recurring habits bordering on the obsessive-compulsive (head here for an interesting NYT article on some habits of successful tennis players).

As I was getting ready for my bike ride yesterday, I thought about the process, and my own little habits. In particular, I asked myself what are the 5 objects that I cannot possibly do without, regardless of the type of physical exercise I choose.

So here are the 5 sports-related things I can’t do without.

1. Garmin Forerunner 405 – I keep checking my pulse and my speed when I run, skate or cycle, so my trusted heart-rate monitor, coupled with a very decent GPS captor, is my trusted friend. It’s amazingly small, contained and light for a GPS-enabled device, which is why I have remained faithful to successive Forerunner models over the years (although some would say its predecessor, the 305, is not necessarily very intuitive to operate…).
2. Nike sports sunglasses – I wear lenses, and am extremely sensitive to any particle hitting my eyes, so I’m always looking for glasses which wrap around my eyes very tight; I also like to practice in any weather, so I need the lenses to be easily interchangeable; I bought the pair I’m using a few years ago already, but they keep serving me very well.
3. Ventolin inhaler – I have developed chronic asthma (due to several allergies), so I simply have to spray before I start exercising, or I find myself out of breath pretty quickly (in particular in cold conditions); on long runs or bike rides, I even take the spray with me, just in case I have a bad crisis.
4. uBanana’s uCan – A tiny, light, simple, sleek and clever little MP3 player, which even claims to be waterproof (I have never tried swimming with it, however); it has not always been totally dependable (I had to return the 1st one I bought to the Swiss manufacturer as it had simply died after just a few weeks, and it has mysterious and random ways to rearrange my playlists), but I have grown used to not feeling it at all, yet enjoying my musical background.
5. OnTri iPhone app – As I have started training for 2 forthcoming long-distance events happening in my own town, the Lausanne Triathlon (olympic-distance) and Lausanne Marathon (the 1st time I’ll try any of the 2 !), I have grown used to dutifully logging my training sessions in this clever little app.

Your turn now – which sports-related “thing” can you not live without? Let us know in the comments !

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Tags: Marathon, Sports devices, Sports equipment, Sports Lists, Triathlon

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