Run with/without neoprene armband

I recently went for my first run with an armband. I believe there are benefits to running with an armband and also without one. In this post I review the Adidas armband I used, and also share my thoughts on armband running.

Running without an armband

This week was the very first time I tried using an armband while running. I’m not against armbands but the idea of having something strapped to me while running wasn’t appealing. I’ve tried using a back pack in the past to hold water while running and I always hated the extra bulk.

I received an neoprene armband for my birthday and I was a bit weary to try it out. I’ve always carried my iPhone with me in my hand while running. This gives me the freedom to switch it to the other hand if I needed to. I also frequently change my music mid-song and I knew it would be more difficult to do this while wearing an armband. I also check my progress in the WalkJogRun iPhone app in the middle of my runs. Another positive of running armband-free was that I could text message all I wanted during a run. I realize not everyone does this but it helps me to pass the time during longer runs. I like to make plans, or text friends back and forth while I’m running.

Since I’ve been doing longer runs lately, I got tired of holding the phone in my hand and asked for an armband for my birthday.

Running with an armband

I had to take the protective case off of my iPhone in order for it to fit in the armband. I didn’t mind very much because I’d rather have the case fit snugly around the phone than not.

When I first went out with my armband I put it on my right arm and after a mile my arm started to feel numb. I took it off and realized I had a burning sensation in my arm. I was cutting off my circulation! I think this setback was due to the particular armband I had. I switched the armband to my other arm and loosened the strap. I was able to continue on my run and it felt great not always looking at the phone. I think this was the first run I’ve had in a while where I wasn’t worried about anything except running!

From this photo I took of my GPS app, it’s clear that this run with the armband was a bit slower than one where I’m constantly checking my progress on my WalkJogRun app. I think this was perfectly fine because I listened to my body and ran at the pace it was comfortable doing that day.