Hi-viz clothing review and a giveaway

*** This raffle is now closed***

During my winter run-streak, shorter daylight hours meant there were quite a few times I ran my miles after sunset. I love running at night. Unfortunately, while I wear light colored clothing, and I carry a small flashlight, I am always a bit worried that drivers won't see me.

Fortunately SportsShoes.com sent me a reflective runner's pack to test.

Pros:
I've tried a variety of running belts over the years. I dislike the bouncing and chafing so much that most of my running belts sit in a basket collecting dust.

The reflective runner's pack was an exception to that rule. The thick, adjustable, and slightly stretchy elastic band fit snugly without being too tight.

Plus, with this belt on, I gleamed like a glow stick at a rave.

SportShoes.com writes:

Fluorescent colours react with the sun’s UV rays so that they appear very bright, the effect is stronger in poor daytime light conditions such as drizzle, fog or toward dusk. This means you will easily be spotted by drivers and cyclists and will stay safe.

Reflective materials work best at night when it is dark and there must be a light source, such as car headlights, so that they can bounce it back. Reflective materials can help drivers to see you three seconds sooner at night – which could save your life!

The pack also comes with an ID tag and a tab that could be used to attach a water bottle.


Cons:

The key pocket is big enough for keys, an ID, and maybe a couple of energy gels. No more.

For those of you who run with your cell phone, you'll need to find another carrying case. Trying to fit my Samsung into the pouch was laughable. An older-model flip-phone might fit, but even that seems doubtful.


Giveaway:

Thanks to a shipping and mailroom snafu, I wound up with two of these belts. Since there is only one of me, and I don't plan to wear two belts at once, I have a spare belt to give away to one lucky reader.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The drawing:

Use the Rafflecopter giveaway tool, above, to enter.

Entries close on January 19, 2013. I will draw a winner at random, and will post the results on January 20, 2012. To claim your prize, you must contact me within one week. If I do not receive a response by 11:59pm on January 27, 2013, I will choose another winner (also at random). There is (obviously) no cash redemption value for this prize.

The fine print:
I received a complimentary reflective runner pack, but received no other compensation for this post. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Morning motivation

The Nike "thunder thighs" campaign is one of my all-time favorites for a reason.

It sums up my body image philosophy in a neat little nutshell: I'd rather have legs that can run a marathon than thighs that fit in skinny jeans... I'm damned proud of those muscles! I've worked hard for them! (Even if they do make clothes shopping a bitch.)

Source: amymichelle.lovelyish.com via Beth on Pinterest

What's your favorite advertisement?
And what's your LEASE favorite ad?

Rules for running attire

Are there rules for running attire?

Some runners dress to impress. We all know runners who have spanking-new, matchy-matchy clothes and look like they just stepped out of a Runner's World photo shoot. These runners are willing to spend a pretty penny on their gear, but other runners wonder why.

Some runners have strict rules about the dos and don'ts of running attire. I personally wear almost nothing but race t-shirts. (Why buy new ones when I have dozens of perfectly good ones?) But, I will not wear my race t-shirt until after I have run the race. I'll use the shirt as a car-washing rag if I (for some reason) can't or don't run.

In short: I will not wear a race t-shirt that I did not earn.
By earn, I mean run the race.
Having "paid for" the shirt is insufficient license for me to wear it.

In the same vein, I think it's a little weird when runners wear a race's t-shirt at that race's the starting line. (Don't you know the rule about no new gear on race day?) But I bear no ill will toward those whose t-shirt etiquette is different from mine. I just think: "must be newbies."

And what about post-run clothing?

I have, on many occasions, gone for breakfast, burritos, or beer (or all three) after a long run without showering and changing into "appropriate" attire. I often wonder if the waitstaff hate runners, so I try to leave a good tip. (Ignore the fact that the $10 is slightly damp, please.)

Even Viper, who I always assumed would be above this sort of sartorial concern, questioned his decision to be seen in public post-run looking (in his words) like Richard Simmons.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are plenty of runners who care not what they look like while running (even if that means running naked). Case in point: The Boring Runner revels in his bad runner fashion.

I think we know which camp I belong to. My running t-shirts are race t-shirts. My favorite shorts are a pair of blue Brooks I bought in 2004. The hem is coming un-sewn. There's a hole in the pocket. But I love those shorts! (I might have them framed...)

So, to be clear, I'm not against nice running gear. (Full disclosure: I do love my very pretty INKnBURN shorts.) I just can't bring myself to spend extra money when I get race shirts for free.

That said, sometimes I have the decency to take a wet-wipe bath between racing and breakfast. (And sometimes Hubby has the good sense of humor to collect blackmail material take photos.)

"Changing" into flip-flops for the post-race party on Saturday.
At least I used wet-wipes before sitting down to eat with 1,000 of my closest friends!

What's your take on running attire? Do you plan color-coordinating outfits or just wing it in race t-shirts and 10-year-old shorts?

Two, two giveaways! (and a review)

Yes, you read that right. I have two, TWO giveaways. Ha ha ha ha!

This blog post is brought to you by
Count von Count and the number 2.

The friendly people at INKnBURN provided me with a camisole and shorts to review. They also want to give away a couple of prizes.

The giveaway goodies:
1 - A pair of 4ARMS sleeves
2 - A complementary race entry into the Griffith Park Trail Half Marathon (November 17, 2012).

The review:
By now you have probably guessed that I choose my workout clothes for function, not form. I'm trying to win a race, not a fashion show.

But form and function are not always mutually exclusive.
I have to admit, when I opened the package from INKnBURN, I was skeptical. The clothing looks fantastic. Had they sacrificed wearability for cool designs?

The camisole.

I was pleasantly surprised when I tried the clothes on.

The shorts fit perfectly. They are built with a flat waistband - flattering, comfortable, and no ride-up or sagging. Why aren't more athletic shorts built like this? The shorts also meet Miss Zippy's pocket standard - two pockets big enough for an ID, credit card, cash, and/or keys. (Note, there is no zip at the top of the pockets, so keys might not be secure if you start doing cartwheels. Then again, I usually carry my keys in-hand when I do cartwheels run, so this isn't an issue for me.)

My only quibble: the shorts lining is white. I prefer darker colors for my running clothes since light colors can get worn-looking pretty quickly.

The cami is also very comfortable - close-fitting without being too tight, racer-back so the straps can't fall down, and with a built in (ahem) support system. My only critique is that the built-in bra does not provide nearly enough support for my girls. Hence, this will not be a running top for me. But the shirt stays in place during down-dogs and shoulder-stands, so it has already become my new favorite top for yoga and lifting.

I also appreciated all of the important little details in the clothing. The draw-string on the shorts is a snug little loop - which means no dangling ends tangling up other clothes in the wash or accidentally pulled out. (Have you ever had to re-string your running shorts? Major functional flaw corrected in these shorts!)

The cami has a logo sewn into the "support system" that could double as a pocket for cash and a house key. (Ok. Maybe stashing a $20 in your bra is not the classiest of acts, but let's be honest: sometimes a runner's gotta' do what a runner's gotta' do.)

The logo sewn into the cami makes a great
pocket to hide some cash or a house key!

Keep in mind, INKnBURN clothing sizes run small. I requested clothing one size larger than my usual, and they fit perfectly. A smaller size would have been too snug.

The drawing:
You get an entry into the drawing for each of the following (post a separate note in the comments section for each entry):

• Follow this blog (+1)
• Like INKnBURN on Facebook (+1)
• Like the Griffith Park Trail Half on Facebook (+1)
• Follow this blog on Facebook (+1)
• Re-post about this giveaway on your blog (include link with your comment) (+1)
• Go to the INKnBURN website, figure out which of their designs you like the most, leave a comment about it in the comments section of this post (+1)

Entries close at noon Pacific time on February 25th are now closed. I will draw a winner at random, and will post the results on Sunday (Feb 26th) posted the winners on Sunday, Feb 25. To claim your prize, you must contact me within one week. If I do not receive a response by 11:59pm on Sunday, March 4th, I will choose another winner (also at random). There is (obviously) no cash redemption value for this prize.

The fine print:
I received a complimentary camisole and shorts to review, but received no other compensation for this review. All opinions expressed here are my own. I will draw a winner, and prizes will be distributed directly by the staff at INKnBURN.

Putting aside my fantasy fashionista

I had one of those slap-myself-in-the-forehead moments courtesy of Miss Minimalist's post, "Declutter Your Fantasy Self."

Doh! I am definitely guilty of fantasy #2.

"A socialite with a closet full of cocktail dresses, with shoes and bags to match… when the social event of your week is going to the coffee shop?"

I covet gorgeous, high-fashion clothes. Although I rarely admit this in the running blog universe: I read Vogue like my life depends on it. I attend art museum events and take mental notes on all of the brilliant outfits around me thinking that "someday I could look like that!"

But at heart, I'm a RUNNER. (And, ahem, I work from home. My cat cares not what I wear to the home office, as long as she's allowed to sit in my lap while I'm crunching numbers or on conference calls.)

While I'm not about to stop going to cocktail hour at the art museum, no one at the museum cares what I'm wearing, so why do I waste the mental energy (and closet space) on my fantasy fashionista?

And, maybe more importantly, someone else's "fantasty self" is fitness devotee, while I live that life to a T. I own a stationary bike, free weights, yoga mat, and half a dozen pairs of athletic shoes. My living room looks like it wants to be an Equinox gym when it grows up, and let's just say that I never have to dust the equipment.

Maybe I need to shop for a little less BCBG and a little more Brooks. After all, my $70 "splurge" on a new, matching Addidas pair of running shorts and singlet (the pride and joy of my running wardrobe!) has been put to good use every week for almost two years. On the other hand, that $70 little black dress has been worn exactly once.

Thank you, Miss Minimalist. This might just free up some closet space for a new pair of yoga pants or running tights. (After all, the cold weather is coming soon, and a new cocktail dress won't keep me warm on long morning runs.)

Do you have a fantasy self?
If so, what clutter could you get rid of?

Shopping spree

I went on a spending bender and spent $50 on...

... socks!
I know.
Sexy, right?
(It's a good thing Hubby is a runner, too...)

Five brand-new pairs of injinji toe socks arrived today. For me, this is like Christmas! (Except the postman dropped the socks at my door, instead of Santa dragging them down a chimney. And I had to pay for them. So, ok. Not like Christmas at all. But I'm still psyched.)

While I am at no risk of being labeled a fashion maven, I am a sartorial snob when it comes to my socks. I might consider running without a pair of toe-socks, but only if I were being chased by wolves.

This is particularly amusing given that I used to mock toe-sock wearers. I thought the concept was ridiculous. How could they possibly be comfortable? Then a kind, but convincing, running store salesperson was giving me pointers on how to avoid losing toenails. I had just lost one of mine in the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll marathon. He asked if I had tried toe socks. I laughed. He said "Try a pair. If you hate them, bring them back." That was five years ago, and not only did I not return that pair, I went back a couple of weeks later and bought two more. And later a couple more.

Unfortunately socks don't last forever. Last week I could poke my thumb through the hole in one of my last pair of injinjis. Hence: Shopping spree. And happy feet.

And speaking of happy... Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner is having a giveaway, featuring a "Run Like a Girl" necklace. Stop by her page for a chance to win.