Tag: Running

Favorite Things

Sadie1 Comment

I love shopping for workout clothes.  I use it as an excuse to buy super comfortable clothes in obnoxious colors.  What’s not to love!  Here are a few of my favorite new things I’ve purchased lately.

My New Favorite CaprisUA Capris

Under Armour has this new “StudioLux” line of clothes that seem to be a page out of the Lulu book. Sometimes I find the Lulu capris too thick or that they run kind of small in size. I think Under Armour did a nice job of coming up with a lux capri at a price point that is just little easier to swallow (unfortunately not too cheap).  They stay in place well while I work out, and look great too!Target CaprisI think Target is trying to jump on the same bandwagon.  I picked these up at Target the other day.  Just like the typical Lulu capris or the UA ones I got, they are a little longer than the average workout capri, and have a little extra style factor.  They don’t have quite the weight or probably durability of the other brands, but not bad.

My New Shoesnew gym shoes

I got two pairs of new shoes recently: one for running, and one for the gym.  I usually use the same pair for both but I always wondered if a wearing a running shoe to do a gym workout, or a cross training shoe to run was detrimental.  I will test them out and report back.  The above are Reebok’s RealFlex Fusion TR, my flashy new gym shoes (yes, that is the color I got)!NB

These I will only use for running outside.  I actually bought them at a running store, and the salesmen said they are a very popular lightweight option for many people. I’ve realized that lightweight is key for a running sneaker. I litterally feel like it’s easier to run if my shoes are lighter. I’m not in love with the black color, because I typically like something a little more interesting.  This was the only color they had in my size, but at least the mud and dirt from outside won’t be so visable!  They aren’t too much of a departure from my previous New Balance sneakers, and so far, so good!

Have you picked up any cute work out gear to get you motivated this new year?

Half Time

Sadie5 Comments

Tomorrow is the big day.  I’m running the Richmond Half Marathon!  My very first half marathon, and definitely the longest distance I’ve run ever.   Even though I’m a workout fanatic, I’ve never been much of a runner.  I just don’t feel like my body was built for that kind of exercise, it doesn’t love the amount of impact.  But I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and challenge myself.  I chose a half marathon because I felt like it was an attainable goal given that I have an erratic schedule with grad school.  I really need some level of flexibility with my workouts, and I like variety in my workouts.  With a half marathon, as opposed to a full marathon, you don’t have to run every day, and you’re not doing training runs that take three hours.

I’ve been running about three times a week with longer runs on weekends.  The last few weekends I’ve done about 11 miles.  I feel like I’m ready because if I can do 11, I could squeeze in 2 more.  Plus I’ve been running on a hilly path and I think the race is a flatter course.  I’m super excited!

I’m ready with my race outfit.  I did a dress rehearsal with it last weekend to make sure it was comfy for a long run.  There is nothing worse than doing a long run with sports bra that rubs, or pants that slide down!  I think this outfit is going to be a winner for me.

You might notice that I’m wearing shoes that I bought last February from DSW.  Well, not really.  I actually liked those sneakers so much, I bought another pair.  Then it was so close to the race I figured I needed a relatively fresh pair, so I bought them again.  I actually had to write numbers on the insoles to remember which pair is which!

And don’t forget the accessories!

 

Wish me luck!

Do you have any fitness related goals this year?

 

New Toy Alert!

Sadie1 Comment

I’ve officially signed up to run a half marathon in November in Richmond so I’ve been getting a little more serious about running lately.  I chose a half marathon because I wanted a significant challenge, but I didn’t want to limit myself to running for months. A typical half marathon training plan incorporates a significant amount of cross training, which is perfect for me.  Plus I don’t think I really have the time to commit to the three and four hour runs that happen towards the end of a marathon training plan.

Since I’m being a little more methodical about my running lately I decided it was time to  get a Garmin to help track my runs.  

I saw a post on Skinny Runner, a really hilarious running blog, about a new lesser priced Garmin that was recently released.  I figured it was the perfect option for me because a. Garmins can be pretty expensive and I don’t need that many bells and whistles, and b. it’s pink.

Now that I have it, I can go running outside and track my pace, distance, time, and calories.  It’s awesome!  I used to just guess how far I ran based on the time it took.  Plus I think it makes me run faster.  I know I usually run slower outside than on the treadmill but now that I know my pace outside, it motivates me to go faster.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes to run and wants to track their progress.  Not only does it eliminate the guessing game, but it makes me excited to get a new PR in my training runs!