Consumer Reports

Semi-Running Related things that I'm loving these days:

Huma Energy Gels

I am happy to report that energy gels are back in my life. I LOVE these gels. They have chia seeds which make up their consistency and the fruit flavors taste just like pureed fruit (strawberry, blueberry, and lemonade are my favorites. I still haven't tried mango yet, even though it's my favorite fruit). They taste natural and clean and they don't have the chemical aftertaste that you get after downing a Gu. I've used them in 2-3 marathons and on training runs and have yet to experience any GI distress from them. WIN.

Nike Vomeros

If they are good enough for Marky Mark, they're good enough for me, dammit. No, seriously, I know I've been wearing Vomeros for awhile now, but I've finally given up flirting with other shoes (like my previous favorite the ASICS Nimbus) and am just going to faithfully follow the Vomeros. They are cushioned and light and they last a pretty good while. Nike may not be the "hip" running company and there may be 4 year old children in Guatemala sewing these shoes together, but, they are officially MY shoe now. 

Hamilton Soundtrack

Okay. I HATE musicals. Hate them, hate them, hate them. EXCEPT when I become obsessed with them. Like when I became obsessed with the Broadway version of Evita when I was in middle school and listened to the soundtrack NON-stop (heh) for 3 years. And now, much like Evita (historical), I am obsessed with Hamilton. (This might be the most basic sentence I've ever typed on this blog. WHO ISN'T obsessed with Hamilton??????). But, I love it so much, that I've banished myself from listening to it, unless I'm running. It is fantastic running music ("Yorktown" is my favorite running song) and I love listening to it on the treadmill. I also find myself chanting to myself during runs... "I'm not throwing my shot, ya know I'm just like my country, I'm young, scrappy, and hungry and I'm not throwing my shot!!!" Inspirational as shit. 

So, there's a few things I'm obsessed with lately. You got anything good to share?

Pants. Pants. Pants. Pants.

It's winter. Which means about 50% of my runs are done with something covering my legs. And for every winter that I've been running, that means one of two looks:

Running Tights: if I'm feeling skinny and have a long enough shirt to wear with them. Which, I have no pictures of. I guess I don't feel skinny enough to wear just tights that often.

Or... the ugly looking... tights with running shorts over them:

 Run Bitch!

Also, after 2 years, I still can't believe Melissa

forgot to wear her Bitch shirt to a Bitch Race.

Bitch.

Well, as you know, this is the Year of Vain Amy, so I am actively trying to shed some weight that was gained late last fall, and that means feeling pretty gross in all of my clothing. Particularly, my running tights that are creating a lovely muffin top with my too-tight-for now running tops.

Last week, I was perusing Running Warehouse's Sale section and came across these pants:

Nike Women's Thermal Pant.

I was intrigued. They are still fitted, but they aren't skin tight.

And, they look decent in the butt, too!

The main selling point for me is that they also come in lengths. So, I was able to get a SHORT length for my petite short ass legs. AND they are currently on sale from Running Warehouse for $48.88 (and use code FB15D for an additional 15% off).

So far, I LOVE THEM. Such a great alternative to tights. I think I'll probably order a couple more pairs and fully retire the shorts over tights look. The best thing is that on REALLY cold days, I'll be able to layer my running tights under these for two layers of warmth.

Anybody else rocking the shorts over tights look? Am I the only one that does that?

Gear Review: Victoria's Secret Sports Bra

Knockout Bra by Victoria's Secret

I know what you're thinking. You are thinking: Amy, you actually bought a SPORTS bra from Victoria's Secret? YUP.

Yes, I spent $56.50 on a sports bra from a women's lingerie company. But, only because the idea of their sports bra was BRILLIANT.

We've talked about sports bras here before. As a reminder, I'm in that average area where I need more than just a tight piece of spandex (like the C9 Bras that I LOVE for yoga), but I don't need to be locked down with a zillion clasps and industrial strength fabric.

So, when I saw this bra, I realized that this bra is what I used to do on my own. It's essentially a racerback bra (with underwire and thin padding) with a sports bra over it. But, all built into one. I wore a racerback bra with a thin spandex bra over it for like 5 years when I first started running. I got the support of the regular bra and the compression of the sports bra. It was fantastic, except, it was also chafe city.

So, I found Moving Comfort's Rebound Racer bra and never looked back. Until this VS bra. I ordered it online, it came and I was really impressed by the quality. Really good fabric and it looked well made (which, I think VS quality has gone downhill in the past 5 years so, I was surprised this was so sturdy looking). I tried it on. The regular bra part fit really tight and felt great! Yay! I was excited. Until I zipped up the outer part and it was like a size too big. So, it wasn't compressing anything down. It was so loose. Big FAIL.

It could have just been a glitch with that one bra. But, at $56.50 a pop, I was actually kind of relieved that it wasn't going to be the best BRA EVER. Because, I would be broke. So, great idea, but not good enough execution.

Which brings us to my own personal wish list for women's sports bras.

Here is my issue. In the summer, I will never go shirt less. Because..

Ain't nobody wanna see that.

BUT, I would like to wear the LEAST amount of clothing necessary. And the "bra tanks" that are made don't have enough support for me. So, why hasn't someone designed a convertible sports bra? Convertible in the sense that the top is the regular sports bra that you wear everyday, but it has a detachable bottom that goes with it. So, like, Moving Comfort could make the Rebound Racer Bra and then just design a bottom to it that can be attached with snaps or velcro or whatever. The idea being that I'm not wearing a sports bra and then another top on top of that. But, I'm still getting the support I need and the modesty I want. And, since the bottom is detachable, I can wear the sports bra year round.

 

 My rendering.

WHY HASN'T ANY ONE DONE THIS? In general, why has the fabric of athletic wear changed so much, but not the actual design??? So frustrating.

MOVING COMFORT call me. I have lots of ideas (just don't ask me to draw them).

Gear Review: Moving Comfort Shorts

Every summer I purchase a couple of pairs of running shorts to work into rotation. The past two summers they have been Lululemon shorts. I've loved the particular ones I've purchased, because they fit well and they didn't have liners. (Liners typically fit my body weird, so I opt to just wear underwear instead. And unlined running shorts are a rarity). There are some definite cons to the Lululemon shorts though:

1. I am not a rich soccer mom. Their shorts are always $50+ per shorts. WHAT IN THE HELL?

2. Their return policies are shit, which means I don't order online, which means I have to physically go to their store. I don't look like a rich soccer mom or a skinny college girl, so my personal customer service experience at their stores is embarrassingly uncomfortable. I would rather go to the dentist than to a Lululemon store.

3. Their founder is an asshat.

 Since my thighs touch, I am not their target 

demographic. 

I have also purchased Oiselle shorts in the past. But, I will no longer support their company, because...

1. The quality isn't there. I have 3 pairs of rogas and from their first washes, they just haven't held up. Seams suck. Fit isn't consistent.

2. Their companies marketing philosophy grosses me the fuck out. I used to really respect Lauren Fleshman and Kara Goucher. And then they got with Oiselle and their social media presence turned me WAYYYY OFF. I am one of the biggest feminists out there, but I don't think being a whiny, spoiled brat is the way to enact change. This is a topic for another day (you can google "GOMI and Oiselle" and have fun reading that thread if you're interested).

Actually, I love that thread.

I just also love this gif and wanted an excuse to use it.

But, the gif still works. Because Oiselle seems like a nice company

And then you start reading their twitter feed...

I've tried Athleta shorts and their shorts just don't fit my body well. So, I had given up on buying shorts this summer that I could not only feel good wearing but also in supporting the company with my money. And then Sierra Trading Post had one of their many sales and I bit the bullet and gave some lined shorts a chance.

Moving Comfort Momentum Shorts

First up, the price was brilliant! Even with shipping, I ended up paying $22 a pair for these. ( I got two pair, a purple pair and this black pair). But, even if they are cheap, they still need to fit well and look good. Well, I LOVE THEM. They fit really well, loose in the legs and longer in the back to cover the pale cellulite, but short on the sides! Because... don't we all love the sides of our legs, ladies? Yes, yes we do. I love the wide waistband (very Lulu-esque) and there's a nice little zipper pocket in the back.

I like the fabric of the Lulu ones better. But, at less than half the price and the fact that I haven't gotten annoyed by the company Moving Comfort, yet*. I can deal with it. I plan on ordering a couple more pairs (stock up while I can!!!) this summer. But, I wanted to share it with you, in case you were looking for some cute, flattering, well-priced shorts from an all women company with a respectable code of conduct (re: labor and environment), that has at the very least... not publicly referred to their customers as fat or taken to twitter to cry that their logo had been cropped out of a video.

*I just found out they are apart of the Brooks company. So, there may be more dirt there. I am hoping not.

Gear: Melanzana

The past few months, I've been trying to at least THINK about where the shit that I buy comes from. A couple of years ago I did a massive purge of a bunch of crap (clothes, books, household items) that I had accumulated over the years (mostly stuff I bought because it was cheap or on sale) and since then, I've been trying to just buy quality pieces that I need.

And for me, there seems to have been a natural progression from trying to buy only what you need to thinking about where that item came from and at what cost... both ethically and environmentally. I mean, I try my hardest to buy things that were not tested on animals or have animal products in them. But, shouldn't I be thinking about whether or not those running shorts that I bought from Lululemon (shame, I know) were made by a 12 year old who doesn't make a fair wage or have good working conditions? OF COURSE I SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT!

And wow... what a rabbit hole to fall down into... the research is hard and most of the time pretty murky. And it's frustrating. There are about 3-5 stores that I buy most of my clothing from and so it was pretty easy for me to sit down and read their policies... but it's mostly just abstract bullshit. You see the word "committed" tossed out everywhere, For example.... let's talk about JCrew:

 We are committed to using the highest-quality materials to deliver the best possible products to our customers. This commitment includes making sure that the materials used in our products are harvested and processed in line with our broader commitment to social responsibility. To that end, we have a number of policies on our specific expectations that include the following. 

Uhhh... WTF does that even mean? But, then their number of policies is 3 things. Two of which are kind of abstract in their responses:

1.  "We commit to not knowingly sourcing Uzbek cotton for the manufacturing of any of our products until the government of Uzbekistan ends the practice of forced child labor in its cotton sector." Uhh... does this mean that you could unknowingly have uzbek cotton in your clothes? Why wouldn't you just say... We don't use Uzbek Cotton in our clothes?

2. Is about Australian sheep wool practices that "over time, J.Crew is fully committed to phasing out the use of mulesed wool" HOW much time???? Is there no other fucking wool that you can use? Do people REALLY need Merino wool that badly?

3. And the ban of sandblasting: "To ensure the well-being of the workers who manufacture J.Crew products, we have banned the use of sandblasting for all J.Crew, Madewell and crewcuts products." YAY! Finally a word that is concrete: BANNED.

But, this is so frustrating. I want to know MORE. Okay, so you don't knowingly use Uzbek Cotton. What kind of cotton do you use? Where does it come from? What are the labor laws like there?

 I was on my soapbox about it one day to The KoB and was saying... I wish there were more American-made* clothes. And he was like... how about Melanzana and was I like.. who?

He proceeded to tell me about them. They're a Leadville, Colorado based company that MAKES the clothes that they sell. It's mostly outdoorsy, active stuff. The next morning I checked out their website and ordered a bunch of stuff from them:

The grey is the women's tank. I bought it in black and LOVE it.

Am going to buy another one or two. It fits well and is a really good length 

(something that is hard to find in running tops).

This is a half zip fleece pullover. I cannot wait to wear this fall/winter.

It's a lightweight fleece that can easily be worn under or over something else.

They refer to this on the site as a running skirt. THE HORROR! I bought a running skirt!!

But, fear not, it's actually just a skirt. There's no brief or shorts underneath or anything.

I bought it in hopes of just wearing it as a casual skirt on the weekends.

But, I ended up sending it back, it's a fleece material, which just didn't

make sense for me here in TN. SUPER cute though.

I will definitely be buying more stuff from Melanzana. It's high quality, VERY affordable, and it's American Made! What more could you ask for?? I only wish they had a bigger range of products that they sell. And, I would have NEVER have heard of them if the KoB hadn't spent so much time in Leadville and knew about the company. So, my question to you is... do you know of any American Made retailers?

* I realize American Apparel is American Made. But man, that company skeeves me out.

On Breakups

I think the hardest part of a breakup is the actual buildup. Especially when you're the one ending it. You worry if you're making the right decision. You think about all the things you've been through together, you remember the good times. You wonder if you'd be happy just settling for a little while longer. Maybe things will get better!

So, you put it off. At first you were scared of making the initial commitment to be apart of the relationship, but as the years go on... then you're scared of making the commitment to END the relationship. It's especially hard when there isn't a really good reason to end it. Like.. you're not hurting or anything... but, you just kinda feel in your gut that this isn't it for you. That there's more out there for you.

Once you've allowed yourself to think about ending it... then that's all you can think about and every little thing annoys you to no end. But, you continue on... because it's easier, it's familiar, and let's face it... because you just bought a new pair. And I sure as hell ain't wasting $100+ bucks.

I've admitted to cheating... First with the Brooks Glycerin... which... were fine... but not worth breaking up over. And then most recently with the Nike Vomeros. The Vomeros aren't quite as cute as the Nimbus and to be perfectly honest... I think they look like Grandma's Orthopedic shoes. They are the same price as the Nimbus and I just really tried hard not to like them. I wanted to stick with my ASICS. But, the more and more I wore the ugly ass Vomeros... the more I liked them. I made the HUGE decision to wear them in the Ann Arbor Marathon and never once during the race, did I really notice my feet hurting that much (they always do at the end of a marathon in my Nimbus).

So... as much as I hate the way the Vomeros make me look and feel like I'm a mall-walker instead of a marathon runner and as much as I liked the ASICS, I think I'm officially breaking up with the Nimbus. The last few releases haven't been all that kind to my feet and the Vomeros just feel so good on. Soft and breathable and in the mornings when I get out of bed, I'm definitely hobbling around a little less.

It's been a good run. And I am sad. I pride myself on being very loyal and I wanted to continue my relationship with ASICS... but to be completely honest, I just kinda randomly picked them one day. I didn't know that you could have a shoe where your feet didn't really hurt all that much after a long run or race. I didn't know that you could have a shoe that was cushioned in the sole, but light and free around the sides of your feet and ankles (why so much cushioning around the ankle, Nimbus? Why?).

This is goodbye, ASICS. I'll still continue to put miles on the last pair I bought... but once they hit 500ish miles... it's going to be all Nike Orthopedic shoes for awhile. Thanks for the memories, ASICS.

That was my first pair of Nimbus! Orange and white. I wore them

in my first marathon. Also, please note that I still

wear that top, socks, and visor. And this pic is like 6 years old.

The purple old lady shoes that are my shoes of choice now.

Vanity be damned.

WANTED

Currently seeking:

Natalja Piliusina's Singlet.

(well, seeking her speed, too, but...)

As you can see, it's very loose through the body, but also pretty short.

And the armholes and the neck are all fitted to her body.

Also, it is so UNFAIR that all these fast chicks are incredibly

talented, have incredibly hot and in shape bodies AND

are freaking CUTE AS FUCK.

Amazing race, Natalja. Bitch.

 

Off to Nike to stalk this singlet down...

Gear Review

Yes, MORE STUFF.

Strangely enough, I am shopping much less in brick and mortar stores, but I'm buying a ton of shit online lately. Unfortunately, most of the crap has been returned because it doesn't fit me.

I have bought 9 pairs of jeans in the past 6 weeks. You know how many pairs I've kept?? ZERO. It SUCKS. Since my legs are pygmy length... shopping in a store for jeans is basically impossible, because no one stocks petite jeans. So, I must shop online for shorter lengths, but of the 9 pairs of short/petite length that I have bought... 5 of them were still too motherfucking long! WTF?

Selfie!

Seriously, almost.

I did break down and go into my local, annoying as shit Lululemon store. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SOME OTHER COMPANY COME UP WITH WORKOUT GEAR THAT FITS ME AS WELL AS LULULEMON SO I CAN STOP GOING INTO THAT AWFUL STORE. 

I walked out with 2 pairs of these shorts which I have fallen IN LOVE with:

Work it Out Short from Lululemon

I tried the blue pair on, but of course, I ended up buying 2 pairs of black. Anyway... I LOVE these shorts. They don't have a lining (which is my preference.The linings never fit me right and I like to wear my own undies) and they are made of a stiff polyester fabric that breathes and dries super fast (same fabric as my favorite shorts from last year). I love these shorts so much that they are all I've worn since I bought them. I just handwash them with some Woolite in the sink after my runs and hang them to dry (without a lining they are dry in no time) and BOOM they are ready to go again.

I am probably going to pick up one more pair... maybe two if someone is willing to buy one of my kidneys.

I also found a couple of super cute tanks there on the final sale rack for $24 each. So, I picked up the only two in my size that they had left. I know, something under $50 at Lululemon? You're thinking I'm going to tell you that a unicorn rang me up at the register, too. But, sometimes their sales are legit. 

I also picked up this top from Target a couple of weekends ago:

C9 by Champion Top

I didn't try it on, but it was cute and only $14.99. And I've loved Target workout gear in the past. Unfortunately, it's not my favorite. The fit is a little weird... the fabric is very clingy along the hemline (just what I don't need) and it's kind of a sweater-y feeling fabric. I'll wear it and probably get my money's worth out of it, but it's going to be one of those tops that I grab when everything else is dirty.

Anyone else had some luck in the workout department? And if you're a shorty like me... got any recommendations for petite slim bootcut jeans that aren't AG, JCrew, Hudson, AE or Joe's because none of those worked.

Gear Review

You see this blue top?

I've had this thing since 2008. I bought it on the clearance rack at Target for like $12. It has a built in shelf-bra which isn't ideal for me... but, the top is soft, thin, and stretchy enough that it doesn't bother me. I find it baffling that the tops I pick up on clearance from Target, turn out to be some of my favorite and longest lasting running tops.

I blogged about a month ago about how I was trying to find some new, summer running tops. I ended up not buying any of the ones I blogged about (yet!), but I did recently order this top from Title Nine:

Bliss Tank: $49 Title Nine

So cute! Stripes! Asymmetrical ruching! The fit was pretty good and there was a good size pocket in the back/side. All good things, right?

The Back. You can see the pocket there on the left.

I liked the deep V-neck in the back, until I tried it on with my sports bra. My sports bras are all racerbacks, which, dummy me, didn't think about when I ordered the top. So, instead of a cute back, it turned into an ugly.. LOOK AT MY WHITE SPORTSBRA. It just looked weird. And to spend $49 bucks on a running top, it has to be perfect. Also, after I tried it on, the top was a little too high up in the front for my taste.

I considered keeping it to wear around in the summer with a regular bra when I'm going to be outside and sweating a lot (uh. basically everyday in the summer). And then I realized that $49 is too much to spend on a striped sleeveless tank when I already have about 14 other striped sleeveless tops in my closet. So, I sent it back. SADZ.

I also ordered a pair of shorts:

 

Mad Dash Runner Shorts $49 from Title Nine

Again, super cute! I even sprung for a color other than black. (I'm always nervous that colors are going to show a sweaty crotch and ass and make it look like I've peed my pants, when really, it's just sweat. Although, in the grand scheme of things.. which is grosser... sweat or pee? A discussion for another day*). I loved the fabric of these and the wide waist band. 

BUT, shorts are kind of hard for me. I carry my extra cheeseburger weight all in my stomach. More specifically: my lower stomach. So, finding shorts that fit well and look right (sometimes low-rise shorts with a tight inner brief make me look like I'm trying to smuggle a loaf of bread in my shorts) is pretty hard. Also, to get the shorts big enough to fit through the lower belly, the waist band is usually too big and when I run fast, my shorts try to fall off. And tying the drawstring tighter doesn't really help, it seems like it would, but with the motion of running fast, things (my belly) flop around and the drawstringed waistband moves to where it's not tight anymore. ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME?

TL;DR: I have a floppy lower belly that makes it hard for me to find running shorts that fit and look 

 decent.

Sadly, these shorts, while so cute... did not fit the bill. They were a little low-waisted for my liking and the side slits were a little shorter than I'd like (really, I don't give a shit, but I'd rather not randomly blind the good people of Nashville when I'm out running and the side of my shorts fly up). So, I sent them back, too.

For now, I'm sticking with my present running wardrobe. Tops circa 2008 and bottoms that are boring and black.

*True Story: My friend Steph and I once had a detailed conversation on a hike about ranking body secretions (anything that your body makes and gets rid of... e.g. pee, snot, vomit, eye boogers, ear wax, poop, sweat, etc..) in order of grossness. You're welcome.

Stuff

Foam Roller: 
So, the KoB got me a foam roller. And when he first gave it to me, he suggested that I probably wait to use it till AFTER the marathon. Good advice. So, it sat in the corner of my living room for awhile. But now that the marathon is long over, I've been using it a little lately and WOW. I think it really works.

I know, I'm a little late to the Foam Rolling Train. But, I just never felt like my muscles were tight. I obviously can tell when I'm sore and/or stiff, but tight? Ehhh... No idea what the hell that means. BUT, I used it last night after a tempo run and this morning.. I woke up and practically bounded out of bed. And on my morning run, my legs were fresh as daisies. BOOM.

New Shoes:
So, I've not been entirely happy with the ASICS Nimbus for the last two releases (at least) or so and I've been on the lookout for other shoes. I flirted with Brooks Glycerin. But, overall, they just didn't give me the cushioned ride I was used to.

I've had my eye on Nike Vomero's, but have been waiting to find them at a price either cheaper or at the very least the same as Nimbus. That happened this week. I get them on Thursday.

Yay. Another pair of butt-ass ugly running shoes.

Anybody have any experience with the Vomeros?

New Tops:

So, it's that time of year again: to start thinking about finding new running tops. In the winter, I just wear lots of ugly layers and typically a fleece jacket (I KNOW! I'm weird). But in the spring/summer, I always want lightweight, non-clingy, cute tanks.

My number one requirement for such tanks is for them to be TANKS only. No shelf-bras (how many people can actually get away with having just a flimsy shelf-bra holding their girls in???? I say: NOT MANY). Anyway, these are on my radar right now:

First Base Tank from Lululemon

Of course, the name is fucking ridiculous for a running tank. But, what do you expect from Lululemon? Anyway, it looks cool and lightweight, there's no shelf-bra, and I like that it doesn't look super clingy. (Although, the fucking model weighs about 40 pounds less than me and has no body fat for anything to cling to. Is it mean that I take some satisfaction that her little smug smile is totally lost because the position of the end of her ponytail makes it look like she's growing 2 inches of hair out of her armpit)?

The con: The price tag. It's from Lululemon, so it's like a bazillion dollars.

Next up:

Run Swiftly Tech Racerback Tank from Lululemon

Again, no shelf-bra, light-weight... BUT, it does look like it has the potential to get clingy. I hate it when a top can't handle my 2 gallons of sweat from an August long run and it looks like I've just climbed out of a swimming pool wearing a skin tight swim suit.

So, if it's clinging to the hips of this size 0 model... then, I'm slightly worried about how it's going to cling to all my muffin top and fat rolls.

And lastly:

The only one that I don't have to sell a kidney on the black market to be able to afford:

The Run On Tank by Athleta

This option is way more modest (more fabric, yet cheaper than lululemon. WTF?). Again, I'm a little worried about the clingy-ness potential. And, because I'm a floozy, I'd kinda rather have less fabric on the chest. I might give it a whirl anyway. (Mainly because I love that cobalt blue color. SUCH A GIRL).

Anyone else thinking about summer running tops? Got any suggestions?

PSA

Sometime last year my running Sensei mentioned an online running store that I had never heard of:

Running Warehouse

Somehow in years of spending time on the internetz googling running stuff, I had never come across this site before. But, it's like the best online running store. First of all, you get free 2-day shipping. I ordered a pair of shoes yesterday morning and they will be on my doorstop tomorrow! FOR FREE.

The hint of purple will complement my Run Bitches shirt perfectly.

Also, they have a great selection. All the colors of my ASICS Nimbus are usually available and my size is always in stock. And their prices are always lower than MSRP. My Nimbus retail for $140 (ridiculous), but right now Running Warehouse has them for $116.95. BOOM Bitches. (Plus, I always google running warehouse coupon code, and have always found one for an additional 10-15% off. And, as an extra bonus, if you live in TN, there is no sales tax).

I've ordered a bunch of running shoes from them, and have also ordered some shorts and a running top (which had a shipping issue that their customer service handled perfectly and even gave me an additional 5% off).

Anyway, you guys are probably all over this and already know about Running Warehouse, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.Where do you buy your running stuff online? Am I missing out on some other great site?

And as a disclaimer... I like to support my favorite local running store, too: The Athlete's House. After all these online purchases, it's about time I head over there.

Photo Friday

Uhhhh. So remember when I was complaining back in the spring about the lack of bright colors in my favorite pairs of running shoes?

Thanks for listening, ASICS! 

Although, for chrissakes did you have to put all the colors together?

Potential names for my new pair of shoes:
Rainbow Vomit
Epileptic Neon
Clown shoes
Punky Brewster
ALL THE COLORS
United Colors of Holy Fucketton
Fugly Feet


Anyone got a better name?

Gear Review: Running Tops

Now that I've upgraded my sports bras and my running shorts, it was only a matter of time until I started thinking about my running tops.

Here's the progression of my running tops:

First... I went through a cotton t-shirt phase:

Awww... Now I kinda miss running in those old, soft, stinky t-shirts.

Then I went through a phase where I was wearing tight long bra tops:

Good god, why didn't any of you bitches tell me how unflattering that shit is?

Ack!

And lately, I've been in a looser, no built-in bra type of mood:

This one came from Old Navy and while I realize wicking doesn't work in 

99.99999% humidity, I might as well be wearing one of those stinky t-shirts.

I got this one at Target.

Disclaimer: Wearing it may lead to a DNF.

Earlier in the year, I bought some tops at Target and Old Navy for cheap. And while they're okay, a couple of the Target ones are kinda thick and hot and the Old Navy ones just turn into a wet, clingy mess.

So, I've been on a mission to find better running tops. GOOD ones that are lightweight, loose, and flattering. This sounds like an easy task, right? But, I've been scouring the internets for awhile now and haven't had much luck. Last Friday I took a peek at Lululemon's website (I know, I'm ashamed). And I stumbled upon this interesting top:

Hmmm. Okay. Looks like a nice, loose top.

Meet the Speed Squat Tank from Lululemon. From the front it just looks like your regular ole tech tank. But from the back:

BOOM Bitches, vented!

So, the back is split open. WHY HAS NO ONE EVER THOUGHT OF THIS SHIT BEFORE? Seriously, what the fuck are the design teams at Nike doing all damn day?

I wore this tank last Saturday for my long run and I have to say, at first, I was a bit self conscious in it. For one thing, it's a bit long on me in the front (what isn't?) and for another, it's a little... heyyyyy look at me and my bum and part of my back. Which, makes me very uncomfortable. No one should be looking at me when I'm a sweaty, no make-up mess. But any reservations I had about how ridiculous I looked in it, went out the window as soon as I caught the first breeze in this top. Holy shit. The breeze gently opens the back a little and you actually get some cool air on your sweaty skin that feels like a kiss from an angel.

Also, when you fan yourself with your shirt (do other people do this? just me?) you actually get relief because of the open back. It's seriously amazing and makes me want to go to town with a pair of scissors to the back of my existing tanks. 

So, I bought a couple of the tanks and am still keeping an eye out for any other good running tanks out there. I did order a Brooks one online that I should get tomorrow, so we'll see how that one works out (of course, I'll let you know) and I've had my eye on this tank:

Mainly, I like the shorter length. And it looks lightweight.

Sadly, sexiness not included.

I'm afraid that it's one of those cases where it looks good on you if you're a hot model who doesn't have to wear a bra and is just going to wear it for the elliptical or some shit. 

What kind of running tops do you wear? And if you're one of those bitches with flat abs and confidence who doesn't have to wear a shirt.... Rock on, girl! And then fuck off.

I Like to Watch

When I first started running, I ran with that god awful Nike ipod Adapter that was "supposed" to keep track of your mileage and pace. Mine was NEVER accurate, but that didn't stop Lance Armstrong or Paula Radcliffe from congratulating me at certain milestones. It didn't take me long to realize that a watch would be a better option. So, for Christmas one year I received a fancy purple Timex Ironman Watch.

 Normally, I hate purple. But, I love it on this watch.

It makes me feel dainty and feminine even when I'm sweating

like a beast and have yesterdays mascara streaming down my face.

I LOVED this watch. Finally I could keep track of my splits during a race or workout. It saw me through some pretty awesome PRs. My first real half marathon PR of 1:49 and my marathon PR of 4:12 (uhhhh. that's still my marathon PR. Crap). It was great.

But, I was still having to manually map out my runs and figure out the distance after a run. I'd finish a run in the morning thinking it was 8 miles and get to work and map it and find out that it was only 7.2. Arg! Frustration! So, for my 30th birthday I bought myself a Garmin Forerunner 305. It was big and clunky and I thought it was going to make me a better runner.

For the record, I also bought P90X for my birthday that year.

Hahahahhahah. At least I got my money's worth out of one of those purchases.

I loved it. I could hook it up to my computer and all my splits would be uploaded into my Running Ahead log. The only thing that I didn't love was the realization that there's no more "fudging" it. All my splits were laid out in black and white. Sure, it felt like I had ran 10 miles, but uhhhh... Garmin says I only ran 8.5. Dammit!

Nevertheless, I ran with it all the time. My Ironman watch got put into my "running drawer" and I never really thought about it. The Garmin could do everything that the Ironman could do. (Well, except tell time. It took me FOREVER to figure out how to find the actual time on the damn thing. Ohhhh the irony).

And then last year I decided that I wanted to wear my Ironman watch when I went to Scotland and Ireland. And that's when I discovered that after a year of neglect in my running drawer, the damn thing's battery had died. I bought a new battery, but was never able to get the old battery out. So, back into the drawer it went.

When I started training for the half marathon and started doing intervals and such, I thought that the Ironman might actually be easier to use. But again, it was DEAD and now in pieces. But a couple of weeks ago, I showed it to KoB and he got the old battery out and then of course I couldn't find the battery that I had bought, so I had to buy another one. But he got it all fixed up and working and back together in one piece. 

And I've been wearing it a lot more since then. And you know what... besides the obvious advantage of it weighing about 7 pounds less than the Garmin, it's really nice. If I know the distances that I'm going to run and don't give a shit what my split times are, I'll wear it instead of my Garmin. It has also occurred to me that in all the races I've worn with the Garmin, I've only PRed in one of them (a 10k earlier this year).

So, all this useless blog filler/drivel to say... fancy/expensive gear doesn't make me a better runner. Sure, it might make things more convenient (did I mention that it's so easy to log runs into Running Ahead with a Garmin??), but running is the only thing that really matters. Spending $150 on a wrist computer isn't going to make any damn difference in my running performance. Unfortunately.

Warning: I might start wearing both watches occasionally. Is that weird?

I Cheated.

My running shoe and I have quite a history.

 My boo.

ASICS Gel Nimbus

I've worn this model since I started training for my first marathon. Sure, I've been tempted by flashier colored models (seriously, the Nimbus is like the grandma walking shoe of running shoes. The colors are always awful, boring, puke-y colors. This pink, grey, and yellow version is as flashy as they get. Ugh). But, I've never had any problems with the Nimbus (other than it's $130 price tag), so I've stuck with them.

Until this latest pair. For whatever reason the Nimbus 13's were a nightmare to break in. I had really severe sharp pain in the ball of my right foot with every strike. This lasted for MILES. Even with 50+ miles on this pair, I was still having issues.

Meanwhile, I had just started wearing my new trail shoes which are Brooks brand and hot damn, did they feel good! Cushy, but not too soft. This was the first time I'd ever worn a non-ASICS shoe (my previous trail shoes were ASICS) and I was pretty smitten. I found myself lacing up my Nimbuses (is it Nimbi? Fuck, I don't know) for a road run, but fantasizing about putting another shoe on instead. Maybe a Brooks road shoe?

And then in a moment of weakness and lust, I bought the Nimbus equivalent in the Brooks brand. Their neutral, cushy Glycerin.

Apparently it's universal:

Cushy = Boring.

The day I got them, I immediately slipped them on and started walking around in them. They felt good! Firm, supportive cushioning and the sizing was good. I was excited to give them a try the next day. 

Out of the box, these shoes felt great. No breaking-in period, no sharp pains in the ball of my foot. Just good runs. When I went to log in my first run in these shoes, I named them Homewreckers. I felt pretty guilty about straying from the Nimbus. But, hell, this last pair wasn't doing me any favors. Running is hard enough without having your shoes feel like they're stabbing you with every foot strike. 

Intially, when I wore the Brooks multiple days in a row (I couldn't stop myself, they were so new and fresh and comfy) I noticed a little tweakiness in my left shin after my runs. But, I would just switch back to the Nimbus the next day and be fine. (My Nimbuses have finally been broken in, but I can assure you I will not be buying another pair of the 13 version. Heading straight to the pricey 14s).

I always thought I would be a one shoe woman. But, I gotta be honest. I kinda like the variety. I wear my Nimbuses when I run longer runs and I wear my Glycerins on shorter runs or speed workouts (they feel a bit lighter). For now, I'm going to continue the two brand switch-off. I'm not ready to make a commitment to one just yet. 

Do you switch around with different brands? Everyone that I know who runs in the Nimbus, seems to ONLY run in the Nimbus.

Gear Review: Shorts

So you probably don't remember, but a couple of months ago, I decided that my old Nike Tempo Shorts just weren't cutting it. The fit was atrocious, the waistband often left me chafed, and the cotton liner just made my ass look ridiculously frumpy (Okay, okay... frumpier). So, I bought some new shorts and fell in love with Oiselle Roga Shorts. They fit like they were made for an adult woman with hips, a tummy, and a flat ass (too bad it's the ass that's flat. hmph) and not a 12 year old boy. I love them so much, that I went all apeshit and immediately bought 3 black pairs. Side Note: I am very afraid to buy running shorts in any other color because of the possibility of the sweaty crotch/just peed my shorts look.

Here I am rocking the Roga's:

Not only cool and lightweight, but flattering and comfortable!

 Here they are again. (Actually, this is really

 just a gratuitous photo of KoB).

So, while I love the Roga's, I'm still a girl and I love clothes and shopping and looking as good as I possibly can, so I'm always keeping my eye out for the next latest, greatest thing. And Friday afternoon, I found it:

Meet my new favorite shorts obsession: Sun Sprinter Short

Now, I've tried Lululemon shorts in the past and on my body... they were just never flattering enough to fork over $50+ for. But, these seemed different than their other running shorts:

1. They have a higher rise than the other lululemon shorts.

2. They have no built in liner.

This sounded promising enough for me to leave work a little early on Friday and head to Lululemon (which, incidentally, I HATE going to Lululemon. The sales staff is so goddamn saccharine that I just want to barf all over the place the whole time I'm in there). They had a small rack with like 4 pairs on it and a couple of black pairs in my size, which I quickly snatched up. I tried them on and while my regular lululemon size felt a little big, it was nothing that a big ole yank of the drawstring couldn't fix.

And not only did they feel good on... they were pretty darn cute, too!

Cute little lacy side vents! Swoon!

But the true test would be... how would they feel on a 14 mile run in the swampy Nashville heat? I am happy to report, they were awesome! I loved the higher rise and the waistband sat very comfortably against my body. I was afraid that without a liner that I'd have to keep pulling the shorts out of my ass crack, but I had no issues with that, and my lower half felt so much cooler and lighter without a liner getting all sweaty and gross! Win!

I'm going to order another pair in the smaller size to see how they fit, and there's really only question left...

Do I dare try out the white/purple combination????