With running gear prices increasing, two experienced run coaches, Sam Renikoff and Amanda Brooks, share how they’d spend $300 to enhance their running, with surprising results.
Renikoff, an RRCA- and USATF-certified coach and 2:40 marathoner, and Brooks, an RRCA- and UESCA-certified coach and gear reviewer, have collectively coached hundreds of runners, making them experts on what truly impacts performance.
Allocating the Budget Across Essentials
Renikoff’s approach was guided by one principle: “What will actually help me run more?” He divided his budget strategically.
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He spent the first $100 on a race entry, suggesting it could cover a local 10K or a less popular half marathon. These tune-up races serve as more than just training motivation, offering opportunities to test gear, practice fueling, and experience race-day discomfort in a lower-stakes setting.
“It’s good to remember what it’s like to hurt,” Renikoff explained. “To feel that race day discomfort and learn that you can handle it.” Many runners skip these smaller events, only to feel overwhelmed when major race day arrives.
Next, Renikoff allocated $100 for running shorts with proper pockets. Secure storage for phones and fuel is key, and good shorts last through multiple training cycles. He recommended Janji and Bandit.
The final $100 went towards a gift card to The Feed for nutrition supplies. “Gone are the days when it was a badge of honor to plow through a workout without fuel,” he said. Proper nutrition enhances performance and prevents leaving time on the table.
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Investing in Professional Assessment
Brooks, however, took a different approach, spending the entire $300 on two physical therapy sessions for a full strength and balance assessment, having done so herself in the past.
During the first session, a sports PT performs a full physical evaluation to identify strength imbalances or weaknesses. The second session delivers findings and prescribes specific exercises to address those weak areas.
“When runners go to see a physical therapist for injuries, often they learn that their injuries were caused by some sort of weakness or muscular imbalance,” Brooks explained. This approach tailors strength training to one’s body’s actual needs, rather than following generic programs.
