A few of my favorite things

Since I started training I needed to update my workout wardrobe and shoes. I've been scouring sites like lululemon, athleta, nike, under armour etc for what seems like weeks. I'm in between sizes right now (large is way too big and medium fits but is a bit tight in the thigh area) so I don't want to order anything off online. I finally broke down and went to Nordstrom and tried on a bunch of things and this is what I ended up getting.

Nike Tempo Shorts. These are awesome. They aren't shorty shorts, long enough to not ride up when you're running and come in a bunch of cute prints.

These Nike Dri-Fit shirts are made with moisture wicking material which is a must out here in the soggy PacNW. They fit loose and if you have a mommy pooch like me they are pretty forgiving. I got a medium and it fits perfectly. 

Shoes. Good shoes are a must. I over pronate when I run which means my ankles roll in instead of staying in a neutral position. This has caused me pretty significant knee pain when my shoes start to wear out. If you over pronate and you get fitted they will usually put you in a heavy and clunky stability shoe. For me, the heavy shoes make my legs tired pretty quickly. The minimalist type shoes are super light and encourage a more natural gait but they take some getting used to. You need to train the muscles in your feet to run in these types of shoes. Instead of the shoe doing the work, your feet are doing the work. Ok, with all that being said I bought a pair of Saucony Kinvaras last week. I'm slowly training my feet to run properly so i'm not stuck in these clunky stability shoes forever. I did a 3.5 miler the other day in these shoes and they felt great. They fit like a glove and my feet were light as a feather. The next day my muscles were sore, which has never happened. I'm using muscles in my legs and feet that I don't normally use in my stability shoes, pretty cool! So, here's the shoes that I bought. Super cute and bright! I also have a pair of Asics Kayano 19's and Asics GT2000. Both pairs of those are stability type shoes, with the Kayanos being the heaviest and the 2000's a step down from those. I wear all 3 pairs alternately depending on my mileage and how my legs/knees are feeling. 

Compression socks. Great for recovery after long runs or wearing during a run. They add a light amount of compression to allow good flow and helps prevent lactic acid build-up. They are really hard to put on, be warned. But I love them and my legs don't fatigue even on my long runs like they do when I don't wear the. I wear the CEP brand which are pricey but worth it. 

I went back and forth on buying a GPS/heart monitor watch. It's not a necessity but it's nice to have. Before I bought my watch I was running way too fast and was tiring before I had made it a mile. The GPS watch tracks your mileage and pace which allows you to pace yourself to run further for longer. The heart rate monitor allows you to train in different zones like weight loss, aerobic or anaerobic. Depending on what you're training for this is super handy. I like to keep my rate between 165-175 BPM which is a 11:00-ish minute pace. I decided on the Garmin 210 with the premium soft strap heart rate monitor. It's an investment but I use it almost everyday, even in the gym to track my calories and time spent on the machines. I originally bought the Garmin FR70 and sent it back. It was terrible. 

I bought a cheap jacket from Old Navy that I wear when it's cool outside. It's cute, fits great, has thumbholes (a must!) and warm enough that I dont' freeze but not too heavy that I'm dying of heat stroke. 

I'm sort of obsessed with running tights too. I love them. These compression leggings from Old Navy are so comfortable and cute. I love the color and they match with pretty much anything and the the price is right. 

The final thing which I just found out about a few weeks ago is called RoadID. I run outside for the majority of my runs and I go all over the place, sometimes around my neighborhood other times I drive to a local walking path and run there. I carry my phone with me that is password locked and no place for an ID. If something were to happen to me there would be no way for emergency officials to identify me. This bracelet has my name, date of birth, Scotts name and phone number as well as a secondary contact number and information containing my medical history and allergies (which I have none of either but the responders wouldn't know that). It's bright so it will be easily seen. If you are active outdoors please consider getting one of these. Even if you travel it would be a smart thing to have with you. It's inexpensive and could save your life. 

RoadID Bracelet

So that's it. My favorite running gear! This weekend my friend Mike got us passes to the Nike employee store and the Adidas employee store. After we up those we're heading to the lululemon and athleta stores. I'm on the hunt for a cute running skirt and to pick up Scott some new shorts and a few shirts. I'll put up a review if I find a cute skirt. 

This a picture of me in my Nike tempo shorts, Old Navy jacket, CEP compression socks and Saucony Kinvaras.

A side view of the Sauconys and CEPs

My shoe collection. From top to bottom: Saucony Kinvara, Asics GT2000, Asics Kayano 19