New to Exercise? Basic Gear

I was chatting with a friend at the law school who mentioned she'd started running in Central Park. Apparently seeing me decked out in workout gear at school all the time had made her interested in giving running a try! I can be a *bit* evangelistic about exercise--"it's the best thing ever! Try running! Try lifting! Try yoga! Yay sweat!"--so I was really excited to hear that someone was converted to my cult giving exercise a try.

She wanted a few tips on what to wear, and although I'm a relative newbie to running, I thought it was a great challenge. Put together the most necessary exercise gear for someone who is new to running and working out? Game on. Here's what I came up with!

The Necessities

Good running shoes

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 13s - $110
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These had to come first because having a good, fitted pair of running shoes is by far the most important factor in safe, comfortable running. I really like the pair of Brooks Adrenalines I recently purchased on sale since they provide support for my high arches and pronation. However, your feet are probably different! Thus it's very important to get your feet assessed at a running store. I might recommend even going twice so you get two opinions -- I was told that I didn't pronate in September so I bought a neutral shoe and it led to a lot of foot pain that has vanished with proper shoes!

Crop leggings

Lululemon Wunder Under crop leggings - $72
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I think a pair of crop leggings are the most versatile piece of workout clothing you can have. You can wear them to yoga, to an exercise class, to the gym, or out on a run. Make sure they are non-chafe -- I recommend Lululemon's Wunder Unders. Although they're an investment, I've never had any issues with chafing and they're so comfortable and versatile that I think they're worth the money. You can use these for most weather, except for the hottest days of summer and coldest days of winter.

Supportive and non-chafing sports bra

Nike Pro Compression Sports Bra - $30
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Trust me, it is painful to be bouncing around. Nothing worse than a boob to the face mid-run. Find a sports bra that provides lots of support. Jump up and down in it to make sure it keeps the ladies strapped in. And don't be afraid to return it if it starts chafing after a mile!

Safety first! Phone/money/ID carrier

Amphipod Hydraform Handheld Lite - $17.95
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I always carry my phone, a credit card and/or cash, my apartment key, and my metro card with me. I often forget, but you should also try to carry your ID with you for safety. If something happened out on a run, you would not want to be without your phone or money. I recently got an Amphipod Handheld (the larger size because I'm a water buffalo and guzzle water like it's my job) and it's a great place to also store your keys and cards.

I actually stuffed my phone in my sports bra for many months and tucked my credit card, metro card, cash and key into the mini pockets that crops often have. That can work, but it's not ideal. Still, if you're brand new to running and not going too far (under 5 miles), it might be the easiest thing to do.

Music!

Please do not judge my music taste on the basis of my running playlist. After all, I like ABBA, too. 

Once you begin to feel more comfortable running, you might not need music anymore to keep you going (and some people are fine running without music from the beginning!). For me, though, whenever I'm running alone I like to have a good playlist to listen to. These are some of my favorites for running.

Total: $240
I know, I know... you thought running was free!


Helpful (but not totally necessary)

Moisture-wicking tops

These are three of my favorite Lululemon tops: the Run:Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve top - $68 (great for chilly runs), the Cool Racerback tank - $42 (good for summer runs and cardio/strength classes), and the Power Y tank - $52 (perfect for yoga, pilates or barre classes).

Oiselle Big Run Long Sleeve Tee - $39
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I also really like this Oiselle long-sleeved top. It's so comfy and a great pullover for colder weather or on its own in fall or spring weather. Oiselle has some really great tops that are less expensive than Lulu and are aimed more exclusively at running, so they're a great brand to check out.

Yes, these are all under "helpful" and not necessities, but don't get me wrong, as you become more serious about running and working out I think buying these should become a necessity. However, I started running just wearing old t-shirts and it was fine. When you're running shorter distances, as you likely are as a beginning runner, I just don't think that moisture-wicking tops need to be at the top of your list. However, if you can afford a tech shirt or two, getting some fun, cute shirts can make you that much more likely to work out, so they're a good investment if you have the means.

Headbands

Sparkly Soul headband - $15 for thin, $17 for thick
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Depending on your hair type, you may or may not have flyaways that fall into your face filled with sweat while you're working out (I know, I'm turning you off to working out, sorry!). I happen to suffer from this, so I always wear a headband when running, strength training, spinning, or yoga-ing. Plus, why not add some fun color or sparkle to your workout? That's why I love Sparkly Soul headbands.

Yoga mat

YogaAccessories - $17.99
I have not tried this particular yoga mat, but I find that any basic yoga mat under $20 works fine. 
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There are so many workouts you can do at home, whether by following a DVD or a youtube video or a a circuit workout put together by yours truly. Having a yoga mat at home means you never have an excuse not to sweat!

What do you think are the most basic essentials for new runners?

Race Recap: James Cunningham (Stanley Park) Seawall 9.5km

Today I ran the James Cunningham Seawall race, a 9.5 km race around the Stanley Park Seawall in Vancouver, B.C. I live an hour from Vancouver, so when I saw this race was happening while I was visiting home, I thought it'd be a fun experience for my parents and me to run it (my sister had to work). Stanley Park is a big, gorgeous park bordering downtown Vancouver with a flat, paved path running the perimeter. Vancouver might be a smaller city, but Stanley Park is actually more than 10% larger than Central Park! When you run the Seawall, you get incredible views of the city, the mountains, and the harbor.

the gorgeous Vancouver harbor -- this is what you're seeing as you race around the Seawall!

I finished the race ecstatic. My Nike Fit app told me I'd run the race in an 8:28 pace -- a huge jump in pace for me, although it was flat and I was pushing myself so I thought it made sense. But then it said I'd run more than 6 miles, which seemed odd since the race was only 5.9 miles (9.5km). Turns out the app was totally off -- .75 miles off, to be exact -- and I only ran a 9:19 pace.

#uglyracepic at the 3/4 point

I worked my legs too hard on Friday in retrospect. If I wanted to run a fast pace today, I should have rested Friday and just done a gentle workout. But hey, there's always another race to be run, and I've certainly learned a good lesson for next time.

turns out I did not, in fact, get to this point in 8:28 miles

I sat down to write this feeling bummed, but as I've been writing, I realize I should be feeling better about the race. I was 11th out of 34 in my age/gender category and was running on some rough, sore legs. It was the coldest weather I've run in since last November I'd guess (I didn't run outside over the winter). My breathing was definitely rough because of that. All in all, I'm happy that I kept a sub-9:20 pace on a beautiful race course. And did I mention it was sunny? A sunny day in late October in Vancouver is a miracle.

AND I got to run it with my parents -- a great race all around! 

Another great part about the race was that I ran it with my parents. They've just started doing more cardio (they used to do only strength work at the gym and yoga), so it was exciting to share my newfound love of racing with them. They both want to sign up for more races in the area soon!

props to Running Room for a great race!

The race was so well run (pun!). Not only did the post-race treats include bagels, bananas, juices, yogurts, and candy, but there was also a stand with free hot soup. As finishers came through the finish line, an announcer would note their name and home, saying things like "and here comes Missy Dee, with us from Burnaby, so all three of the Dee family has now finished!" I guess that would be difficult to do in a giant New York race (there were only 862 racers), but it was such a nice touch.

bananas, bagels, yogurt, and a bunch of different fruit juices

After the race, we ate lunch at a diner. I ate a veggie scramble with rye toast, but we also split a celebratory order of poutine. It's a Quebec dish that has spread to all of Canada, and it's the most delicious artery-clogging calorie bomb around. Basically, it's fries, gravy, and cheese curds. If it sounds terrible then you've clearly never tried it. Since I grew up only 5 miles from the Canadian border and went up there frequently--and because I'm 1/4 French Canadian--I feel very attached to the dish. The diner served it with regular cheese, but it was still gloriously terrible. I don't like most kinds of junk foods, but poutine and nachos are two things that I absolutely adore. A perfect post-race indulgence.

And another post-race indulgence occurred after lunch: shopping! We dropped by the original Lululemon store in Kitsilano (a neighborhood in Vancouver's west side) because my mom wanted running leggings. Clearly, the race inspired her. I may or may not have also purchased another cool racerback tank (it's striped!! How can I resist stripes??) and an exciting pair of run gloves (exciting because they are also striped).

the original Lululemon store! pilgrimages required when in Vancouver 

Has anyone else's Nike Fit app or Garmin ever been totally wrong about a race distance/time? 

Perks of running a half-marathon

It's been nearly a week and I still can't believe my first half-marathon is over. I've learned over this week, though, that there are some perks to running a half-marathon, in addition to the carb-loading and the runners high and the overall awesome feeling of accomplishment you get. In addition to people being thoughtful enough to remember and ask me how the half-marathon went (and some sweet texts and tweets), some of my favorite people gave me some awesome things. Yes, this post is about the great people that I'm lucky enough to have in my life. Sorry! 

flowers from my parents!

My parents sent me a really pretty little bouquet of flowers. It's adorable and sitting on my coffee table currently. It actually inspired me to clean my apartment yesterday because how can pretty flowers sit in a cluttered apartment??? They were totally unexpected and were such a nice little surprise.

from the boy, but in silver
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I sent a few strong hints that I wanted this necklace in silver. Ok, I pulled it up on my boyfriend's computer, selected the length, type of metal, and font I wanted, then gave it to him and said "a girl who is running a half-marathon would probably really like something like this" before leaving him with the computer. But technically I didn't know he followed through!

Hey, I make it easy for him. And I love, love, love this necklace from Erica Sara Designs. It's really pretty and I love jewelry that has some sort of meaning attached to it. One of my favorite pairs of earrings is a pair of sparkly studs that I got from a street vendor on Portobello Road in London for our three-year anniversary getaway to London. It was like $12 but I wear them all the time and always think of London when I do. Now I have a gorgeous necklace to remind me of my first half-marathon!

lululemon scuba hoodie -- obviously I'm always smiling like this when I wear it
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I'm a firm believer in self-treating. I'd been wanting this scuba hoodie from Lululemon for several months, as soon as I tried it on in-store (BIG mistake). So soft! So cozy! So cute! I decided I could only get it once I'd run my half-marathon. (Ok, I caved and bought it 3 days before.)

I bought the hoodie in a checked grey small-print houndstooth pattern that hides the pet fur that seems to cover every item of clothing I own. I've been wearing it everywhere -- it's perfect in the 40s to 60s weather we've been having!

Do you believe in treating yourself for fitness accomplishments?

Midweek Training Update & Long Run

What Happened on Tuesday
Tuesday's attempt at my final long run of 11 miles had to be ended early -- it was actually a hilarious disaster of a run. It was raining really hard, but since I hadn't gotten the run in on Sunday, I was determined to make it happen. I threw on a light rain jacket and headed out.

The light rain quickly turned into a shower and I was drenched soon after starting, but I really didn't mind. I may or may not have previously mentioned the fact that I'm kind of a heavy sweater. Since I normally am sopping wet with sweat by the end of a long run anyway, getting drenched by the rain seems like a nice alternative.

However, being soaking wet meant my socks rubbed against my feet more abrasively, and I started feeling a nasty blister a few miles in. I still wanted to finish the run, but 4 miles in my iPod ran out of battery, so I had no way of knowing my distance and no music to distract me from the driving rain.

the park looked something like this, and yes, tourists were all covered in these
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I finished one partial loop of Central Park (5.5 miles, including both Heartbreak Hill and Cat Hill) but decided I needed to just try again another day, since my right calf was starting to hurt and a disastrous long run as my last big run before my half-marathon wouldn't leave me feeling confident.

Mid-Week "Barre" Break
I took Wednesday off because of the calf pain and then Thursday morning I did a barre class at Exhale Spa (core fusion barre with Elisabeth Halfpapp, the co-founder of the method), but decided not to run home as I'd planned, in order to give my calf a bit more rest. 

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I had received a free class offer after taking a yoga class at Exhale on NamasDAY, their free class day celebrating National Yoga Month. I liked the barre class alright, but it just wasn't as much fun as Physique 57 classes. I liked Elisabeth a lot, and she was very friendly and helpful. However, the class just wasn't as enjoyable to me in the way Physique classes are, and I also didn't feel as thoroughly worked over. Physique's position as my favorite "barre" remains unchallenged. Yes, barre puns, I know. Don't judge my love of puns.

Lululemon lovin'
On my way back from Exhale on Thursday, I dropped by Lululemon at Lincoln Square to check out tops for my half-marathon. I wasn't sure what I wanted, but I figured I needed something other than my tank tops since it's supposed to be in the 40s-50s on race day. The always-helpful Lululemon team pointed me to the run:swiftly tech long sleeve top.

how cute and flattering is this top?
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Love at first sight. It's extremely comfy, dries quickly so that you're not left shivering in cold sweat, and is SO CUTE. I wore it on today's long run and it was terrific.

I have to give a huge shout out to the wonderful Lululemon team. As I checked out, they invited me to join the Monday night Lincoln Square Lululemon Run Club, and then after asking my shoe size, they gave me a pair of padded run socks free of charge, to use for my half-marathon! I am always so impressed by the Lululemon ladies and gents. It eases the sting of their (worth-it) price tags!

So, about today's long run...

Riverside Park with today's gorgeous sunshine

To sum up: Yayyy! I kept a great pace for myself (sub-10:00, which is my goal for my first half-marathon), I felt good, and the 11 miles weren't even that hard mentally, despite being by mself. So, what do I think made the difference?

The Proper Prep
Last night I made myself a really delicious dinner of quinoa pasta with kale, garlic, shallots, sweet potatoes, and shrimp. It was SO tasty and filling (I'll try to post a recipe for it). This morning, I ate half a cinnamon raisin bagel with coconut peanut butter, earl grey tea with some unsweetened almond milk, and a Clif shot gel 15 minutes before I headed out (and another halfway through).

I never felt my energy flag on the long run, despite my feet hurting. In fact, when the "400 meters to go" signal came on my iPod, I was able to really push myself for the last 400 meters. I'm going to do the exact same prep before my half-marathon on the 14th, only I'm going to try to drink even more water in the two days before because I think I may have been a tad bit dehydrated.

Foam Rolling
Foam rollers are amazing. I'm officially in love. I might have to name my foam roller so my love is less creepy (or does that make it more creepy?). I'm thinking Abe or George, something stalwart and dependable.

maybe I should call him Rome the Foam?
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After Tuesday's aborted long run, my calves--the right one in particular--were really tight and downright painful. I spent Thursday night foam rolling and woke up without the calf pain I'd felt all Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, and Thursday. Magic!

Fun Sightings
I'm a total dork who's always on the lookout for a celebrity when I'm out and about. It must be my small town roots -- I'm convinced that celebrities are everywhere in big cities! Since I keep my eyes peeled, I actually noticed one of my favorite TV and movie actors out power walking/jogging on the riverfront in TriBeCa: Victor Garber! He was the architect in Titanic, Sidney's father in the TV show Alias, the king in Disney's Cinderella that starred Brandy, and many, many other shows and movies. He's also in the upcoming Argo, directed by and starring Ben Affleck -- oh yes, he's best friends with Jennifer Garner and officiated her wedding to Ben Affleck. Ok, I know, I pay too much attention to celebrity gossip. Don't judge! Anyway, it was a fun boost around the halfway point of my run.

can't beat the Statue of Liberty for a view while running

I also had never run that far down in Riverside Park, so it was great to be in a totally new part of town for me. 

I'm ready for my half-marathon!
I was really happy with my pace for this run (~9:40/mile), especially considering that I had to stop for water fountain breaks rather than grabbing water from an aid station and power walking while drinking it, which I'll be able to do next Sunday. I felt strong the whole way through, even with some foot pain. I feel totally ready for the half-marathon now, and I have a prep plan!