This will be a little bit of a trip down memory lane and the telling of the absolute best running accessory I ever found~my SPIbelt.
SPIbelt: Small Personal Item belt.
I stumbled across this terrific accessory completely by accident!
MFH (My Favorite Husband) and I were preparing for my first (and his third) marathon and I was a wreck. This was the fall of 2013, 5 years ago. I was still fueling with gels and in a complete panic about how I was going to carry the entire case of gels I was positive I would need to get me through my first 26.2.
I had one “belt.” In reality, that belt was not my friend. It bounced all over the place and chafed me something awful…plus, I couldn’t stuff more than 4 gels in it at a time no matter how hard I tried. Doing a Google search, I stumbled across SPIbelt. I thought I’d give it a try for the race.
We all know how they say, “Nothing new on race day?” Back in 2013 I wasn’t the most organized/experienced runner. Funny how some things about running are a learning curve? Anyway, my SPIbelt arrived the day before MFH and I were to leave for Maine and my first marathon. I packed my new SPIbelt and my other belt and the case of gels I was positive I’d need and we turned the car north.
To make a long story short, I ditched my old belt at the first aid station because it was rubbing me raw AND because I was already madly in love with my SPIbelt! Who knew you could run bounce free!?! It was amazing!!!
Since that initial marathon, I’ve dropped another 40-ish pounds, run 15 other marathons and toed the line at 11 ultra marathons…all with my faithful SPIbelts!
Spibelt has run in the Chicago Marathon…twice.
It has run at the Berlin Marathon…twice.
It has run at the London Marathon!
It has been my faithful companion carrying gels during races and eventually making the change to carrying the tiny bit of extra Tailwind Nutrition I might need during an event.
It has toed the line at ultra marathons and been through the woods in Florida, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana.
Have we mentioned all the training miles?
I can’t tell you how much I love this belt!!!
SPIbelt comes in so many different sizes and fun colors! My PolkaDotted SPIbelt is my current favorite. It’s such a happy belt!
Now, bear in mind I am a runner so of course the primary reason I wanted one was for my running. When I started traveling internationally for races, I found a new purpose for it. Security!!!
We all know how TSA has buckled down on security and how, unfortunately, there are people out there willing to relieve you of things like your wallet/purse/phone? When I’m traveling, especially flying, my passport, ID, money etc is in my SPIbelt and my purse is in my checked bag. No worries on being pick~pocketed!
The SPIbelt lays flush against you. There’s no tell~tale “bump” to let people know you have a money-belt or anything on. It’s great!!! Makes TSA and other country customs so much easier!!! Plus, when you’re super tired from a long flight, it’s nice because you’re not thinking at your best. This is MFH and myself on the last leg of our trip to Berlin in 2015. We were toast!
Recently I’ve found a brand new love of SPIbelt! That’s when I got my new #PetitePooch, Tess. She loves to go on walks and some of my runs with me. The SPIleash is terrific!!!
The SPIleash has the same great SPIbelt pouch on it we all love and you can put dog treats and waste pick up bags….whatever you might need for a nice walk with Fido. Perfect!
Tess is a fan. *High Praise*
Obviously I’m super enthusiastic about SPIbelt and it all stems back to that marathon in 2013. It was at that time I discovered you CAN fit an entire case of gels in the large SPIbelt!
Did I USE the entire case? NO.
….but I had them if I needed them!
#IRun4Aiden
