Go go gadget ... Dork!

So, recently I was on a long run of about 15 miles in preparation for the Philly Marathon (which feels like it is just around the corner).  I thought to myself, "ugh! I need to remember to buy a heart rate monitor" because I have been told that heart rate is one of the best ways to measure progress.  In any event, as I thought this to myself, I looked down and realized I was totally geeked out in gadgets.  From my head to my toes, I was a complete running dork.  See?  And because I am an organizational dork as well, I numbered the photo with the areas of gadetry.  Note: this is an actual picture of me after my run.  I didn't just go grab all my gear and throw it on.  I really did run 15 miles looking like this (and I had my iPod on too).  Hot.  

Let's break this sucker down by number.  

1 = Sweaty Bands headband

I *love* Sweaty Bands headbands.  I cannot begin to tell you how much I love them.  I first found them about 7 years ago when I got back into running after my son was born.  The headbands are terrific: velvet on the one side, ribbon on the other and nice elastic to keep it on.  It keeps the hair out of my face, looks super cute and is machine washable.  I was shocked and awed when I picked up my packet at the Philadelphia Rock and Roll Half Marathon expo only to find an entire huge booth of Sweaty Bands.  I may or may not have run over and petted those gorgeous headbands.  I took a picture and sent to my other runner friends.  Behold -- headband heaven. 

The one I am wearing in the photo is hard to see, but it's red and white polka dots. 

2 = SOAS tri tank

I had recently received my SOAS triathlon tank from SOAS, and I thought this would be a great opportunity to see how it performed on a 2.5 hour run.  I've already blogged about my preliminary use of the tank, but I was thrilled with how it worked on my long run.  No chafing, very comfortable and super functional (it has a few nicely sized pockets in the back).  Plus, it's flattering.  And ... it matches with my polka dot headband.  

3 = Garmin Forerunner 910xt watch

I love love love my Garmin Forerunner 910xt triathlon watch.  It is the one piece of running/tri gear that I truly would not give up.  I wasn't even in the market for a new watch.  But my old Garmin (the Forerunner 210) suddenly died on me, and when I went to the store to replace it, I realized it made more sense to spring for the triathlon watch.  The watch goes in the water and is designed for triathlons: there is an easy way to change your timing for each leg of the event, while still tracking total time and distance.  I mostly use the watch for running these days, and it tracks my total time, instant pace and total mileage.  

4 = Fuel Belt

This one is a relic:  I bought my Ironman Fuel Belt back in 2002 and it's still going strong.  It was made before the days of iPhones, so the little pouch in front barely fits my phone.  But I hate the redesign of the belt - I have tried the newer models and much prefer mine.  Despite looking like a dork, I love my fuel belt and find it necessary for long runs and races.  I recently tried a hand-held water bottle, and I will do a review of that soon.  Suffice it to say, though, I am back to my belt.  If it ain't broke and all. 

5 = CEP Compression Calf Sleeves

I've seen runners and triathletes wear compression socks and sleeves at many races.  I was curious, so I bought a pair of CEP Compression Calf Sleeves at the Rock and Roll expo - I grabbed the hot pink but they make a ton of other colors.   I am way too picky, and my feet are too finicky, to wear compression socks, but I thought the sleeves would be a good thing to try.  The theory is they increase blood flow and circulation in the legs, which makes you run and recover faster when you wear them during or after a run.  I'll do a review of the sleeves soon, too, but these work better on recovery runs than long runs for me.  

6 = Yankz! Speed Laces

I bought these Yankz! speed laces this triathlon season.  Speed laces are a godsend in a tri: you don't have the time, energy or dexterity to tie your shoes well after the bike and rushing through transition. Speed laces are made of stretchy material, so you just pop your foot in the shoe, give a little tug and get running.  I recently bought a new pair of sneakers (since taking this picture) and did not bother with the speed laces, since all I am doing these days is running.  

So there you go: a tri dork by the numbers.  Stay tuned for my review of some of the things in this post!  Happy mid-October.  Can you believe it? 

See you swoon,

What I Wore {post 23}

Hooray for Fall!  Despite a mini heat wave over the past few days, it's beginning to look and feel a lot like Autumn around here.  Time for sweaters, scarves, boots and tights!

* Pink Pants & Floral Scarf *

This was a sort of thrown together outfit that I liked in the end.  I had a magenta scarf at first, but Little vetoed it and said the outfit didn't look right.  I grabbed my floral scarf, which Little whole-heartedly approved.  I think she was right.  This was a perfect outfit for an early Fall day. Let's see ... the pants are circa 2005 from the Limited, the shirt is from Banana Republic from years ago and the scarf is Old Navy from a couple of years ago.  

* Black Skirt & Black and White Top *

I am soooo glad I bought this shirt! I saw it on a fashion blog and fell in love with it - and then I found out it was less than $20 from H&M and I couldn't get myself to the mall fast enough.  I love the fit and love the look!  I wore it with my black skirt from I can't remember when from Banana Republic and my bow-detail nude heels. I tried it with a wide belt, but I preferred it without. 

* Bootcut Jeans & Turquoise Button-Down *

Ahhh casual Fridays!  I got this button-down turquoise chambray shirt from Banana Republic basically for free (rewards + gift card). I loved the stripey seersucker detail along the button placket.  I wore it with my faded jeans and brown leather boots and belt.  

Here's hoping even cooler weather is on its way!  As sad as I am to say goodbye to Summer, I am all about embracing the season we are in.  

See you swoon,

Bigs Room -- Finishing It Up!

Good morning!  

Now that triathlon season is over, and I have a lot more time, I am focusing on long neglected house projects.  Up today is Big's room!  Recall that back in the Spring, I made a big push in Big's room and added some art, a new dresser, a mirror and made his space look a bit more finished.   Here is how the room looked after that effort:

I still had some things to add.  First up: posters.  I had two posters waiting to go up in his room and was just looking for frames for them.  I finally bought the frames and popped the posters in and hung them. The Angry Birds space poster was a gift from my good friend, and I thought it looked great on the wall.  The space poster was something he picked out.   The Angry Birds frame is from IKEA (it was $10) and the space poster frame is from Target.  

Next, I hung the panoramic print of the Phillies stadium over his bed.  I had this in another spot before and just moved it when I added the shelf over his bookcases.

Finally, the big project.  The project that took us years (plural) to complete: Big's space mobile.  Big really wanted to have a solar system in his room, so I came up with the idea to make one out of different sized styrofoam balls from Michaels.  Big would research the planets and decide which one to do next. He would pick out the appropriate sized ball and then meticulously paint it to look like the actual planet.  I helped only with Jupiter's big red spot: he painted everything else himself.  We had a few meltdowns a la the piano player, Don Music, on Sesame Street Oh I'll Never Get It ... NEVER!!!!! ...

but in the end, he kicked this project's butt and did an amazing job.  

Hanging this thing was a challenge.  I bought some heavy cardboard craft rings at Michaels and planned to make a circular solar system, but they were way too heavy.  Initially I wanted to hang the mobile over the bed, but I changed my mind because the mama bear in me worried the planets might fall down on him while he is sleeping.  So we did a linear solar system, in order from the sun to Pluto, which I think looks great.   I used ribbon and just some thumbtacks right up in the ceiling.  I *hope* they hold ... so far so good.  I also appreciate Big's decision to include Pluto, even though it is no longer a planet (which seriously bothers me).  His rationale:  in 2006, Pluto was declared no longer a planet, and he was born in 2006.  He felt he should include it, as it was at some point a planet when he was born.  Yeah.   Here is a close-up of the planets.  We used a wooden dowel to attach the moon to Earth and Saturn's rings to the planet.  I reinforced all the dowels, and the hanging hooks, with hot glue.

Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth & Moon

Mars, Jupiter, Saturn

Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

So what's left?  Not much!  I am working on replacing his current nightstand with the IKEA Rast chest that used to live in my bedroom.  I am planning a two-tone treatment on it: white drawers and a dark stained top and sides.  He can certainly use the storage.  I also need to organize his closet a bit.  I bought some bins at Target but that's all I've done. I also want to paint the backs of his bookshelves or add some kind of fabric or pattern to them.  And finally, I'd like to do something with this corner, but I don't know what: maybe a small chair for a reading spot? Maybe a trunk for toys and sporting gear?  I have to think on it.  

But for now, his room is good to go.  Now if he will only keep it neat and tidy -- you will be shocked to know that it doesn't always look like it does in these pictures.  LOL.  

See you swoon,

Mama's Got a Brand New Tri Kit

And I'm going to tell you alllllllll about it.  Here it is!

One of the many tricks to triathlon is figuring out what to wear.  This is not an easy proposition!  You need something that you can wear through the swim, the bike and the run that is (1) tight enough to act as a bathing suit (either on its own or under a wetsuit); (2) fast drying to work after the swim on the bike and the run; (3) supportive enough for the run but without any extra bulk; (4) cushioning enough on the seat so you don't die on the bike ... but not so much cushioning that you cannot run for 3, 6, 13 or 26 miles after; and (5) comfortable enough so you can focus on your race and not feel chafing, rubbing or riding up at any phase of the race.  

For women, there are a bunch of options, but the two main choices are (1) a one piece tri suit or (2) a two piece tri kit [note: for whatever reason, in triathlon and cycling lingo, two pieces are called a "kit"]. I have always worn a one-piece in my races, and if you've read any of my triathlon recaps, you have seen it a bunch!  My suit is the Orca Women's Core Race Suit which I purchased from Swimoutlet.com.  I like my tri suit - it functions well, I don't have issues with chafing, it's comfortable for all the legs of the race and cushioned enough for even a half-iron distance ride and is nice and vented to keep me cool.  The own downsides to the suit are that it's a bear to get off if I have to use the bathroom and ... pardon the total girl in me here ... it's not exactly attractive.  That said, I will *always* (mmmm, ok almost always) choose function over form when it comes to sports, and I was of the belief that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.  You can see my tri suit in these pictures. 

I read a bunch of fellow triathletes' blogs, and I kept seeing the women rave about the women's specific kits from SOAS Racing.  I have been thinking about switching to a two piece kit for Ironman Lake Placid, because the odds are, I will want to stop during the run part to use a porta-potty.  And I cannot imagine, after hours on the swim and bike, that I will be up for the contortionist-type maneuvers that I have to go through to get my one piece suit down to use the bathroom.  I loved the philosophy at SOAS (copied from its website): 

SOAS started out as one of the pioneering women's specific triathlon clothing lines in 2010.

Three years later we are finding that the need for edgy, sophisticated, high end women's endurance apparel stretches far beyond triathlon.

SOAS has always offered more than boring black shorts and overly exaggerated "girlie" pink tops, and to this day we are sticking to our roots. "Pink it and Shrink it" is just not acceptable in our eyes. Who says you can't have clothing that is attractive, functional, and fits your body properly... well maybe some of our competitors. That's why we have built an amazing team of athletes, designers, and loyal followers to change the perspective of what's acceptable for women's endurance apparel.

The styles are perfect!  Feminine but not too twee ... there is only one pink tri kit in the lot, and it's still really cool.  They are obviously really popular because this entire Summer I could not find my size anywhere!  Finally a few weeks ago they announced new designs for their Triathlon Kits, and I jumped on it.  I went with the Nantucket Navy, but I'm also loving the Navy Rings and the Polka Dot styles.  For me, dark shorts are an absolute must.  I was a little concerned about the white top ... but it is lined in black and there is no see through.  Here's the kit again!

Now, to be fair, I have not worn the kit at a triathlon yet.  But I did wear it on a 45 minute fluid trainer ride (a fluid trainer is a contraption that you set your road bike on that turns it into a stationery bike -- it's like a treadmill for bikes and it takes up very little room.  If I am home with my kids and cannot get out on a run, you'll find me on my trainer.  get used to hearing me complain about it in the next 10 months).  I liked it on the bike.  The padding was just in the right spot.  The tank was long enough to make me feel covered, but the cut was really comfortable.  I liked where the shorts hit on my legs - a bit higher on the quads than my other tri suit, but in a really good (and frankly flattering) spot.  The shorts did not ride up at all.  I was sweating like an animal (as I always do on the trainer) when I was done and can attest that the lining in the tri tank worked great.  Here I am during and after the trainer workout.  I told you I (love to) hate the trainer.  

during ... counting the minutes til I am done

after - sweating like a wild beast

I also wore the tank on a 15 mile training run.  It was great.  It has a bunch of pockets in the back (not unusual for a tri suit or tri kit) so I could keep my iPod and energy gels in them.  I didn't chafe at all and the tank was super comfortable.  It was also very supportive in the bust - not that I need much, mind you.  But I wore the tank on its own without the need for an extra sports bra under it.  To give you an idea of size, I took a Small in both the top and the bottom.  The bottom fit perfectly.  The top was a little harder: I tried an Extra Small too, but it felt a little too "compression-y".  The Small is more comfortable for sure, and while I am a little worried that it will be a hair big after it gets wet in the swim, I know it will dry eventually, and I'd rather have a bit more "give" on the run.  

I'm very excited about my new purchase!  The test, of course, will be how it performs and how it feels at an actual tri.  I'll put it to the test in the Spring when I start racing again.  I'll be sure to report back!  

See you swoon,

What I Wore {post 22}

Fall is here!  I feel like I've been heralding its arrival for weeks (because I have).  But now I'm starting to dress the part.  Here are a bunch of recent early Fall outfits. I should really entitle this post "the orange edition" because wow, look at all of the orange.  

* Orange Dress & Grey Belt *

This dress was a steal from Old Navy.  I think it was about $10.  It's a great little dress but it wrinkles like crazy.  So after half a day of wear, I felt like I was a rumpled mess.  That said, it looked really cute when I first wore it.  It was a very simple sheath, so I added my double-strand grey belt that I got for free (from Athleta with my Banana Republic Luxe rewards).  

* LOFT Orange Sweater & Grey Pencil Skirt *

Another orange and grey outfit!  I found this sweater on clearance at my local LOFT store last year.  It was $4.  Yes!  I wore the grey pencil skirt from the Limited that is part of one of my new suits that I just bought.  I added a coral bubble necklace that I got on sale at the j.crew factory sale.  

* White Top, Skinny Jeans & Turquoise Bubble Necklace *

I wore this one on a Friday to work.  I got the white top, which is an Ella Moss t-shirt with really pretty flower details around the neckline, from Bloomingdales years ago.  The jeans are Gap skinny jeans and the flats are Steve Madden red flats from Famous Footwear.  I wore my j.crew factory bubble necklace, too.  I'm a huge fan of the turquoise/red or baby blue/red color combo.

Ahhhhh. Fall.  I love this season - the air is cooler and crisper, running weather is perfect, football is back, and it's time for all things pumpkin.

See you swoon,