How to Sweat in Style: Cold Weather Cycling Edition

1. Hand Warmers, 2. Thermal Toe Cover, 3. Down Ear Warmers, 4. Neck Warmer, 5. Smartwool Socks, 6. Coldgear Long-sleeve Turtleneck, 7. Convertible Bike Jacket, 8. Padded Thermal Gloves, 9. Canari Gel Liner, 10. Long-sleeve Jersey, 11. Barrier Balaclava, 12. Thermal Cycle Tight

Riding a bike in the winter can be unpleasant and it can be dangerous. Even though you're exercising and you start to warm up eventually, you are constantly creating your own wind and your sweat makes you wet and cold. Your fingers and toes go numb and your face feels like ice. You can't fit your typical ear warmers under your helmet so your poor ears ache and burn as the wind whips at them. You speed up and your insides get warm but your ears, face, and fingers just feel more pain. I know it sounds miserable but it will make you feel so good.

It will not make you feel good, however, if you're not dressed in the proper clothing. According to Performance Bike, if you're wet and it's windy, hypothermeia can be fatal at temperatures as high as 65 degrees. So layer up, avoid cotton, and make sure that your head, feet, hands, and core are warm. The less heat to escape off your extremities and your core, the warmer your whole body will be.


I know this wardrobe looks pricey but the best thing about layering is that you can wear the staples you may already have like bike shorts, a wind-breaker, wool socks, a warm wicking base layer and then add a few critical pieces to your wardrobe like toe covers and a balaclava. And I promise you that a cup of hot chocolate will never taste better than after you've bravely set out on your bicycle in the cold weather. Let's say after a day on the ski slopes is the one exception.





Do you have any favorite pieces to add to this list?

When the Power of my Legs Fueled my Garmin

It has been a long time since I've run and not been training for something. After many months with Baltimore in sight, I had the Turkey Chase and the Hot Chocolate 15k to look forward to. Now, the next race on my calendar is the RNR USA half marathon in March. I know I should start training for that in the next few weeks but I haven't yet.

So I guess this is the time to be running just for fun, perhaps without a Garmin, following the healthy examples of Ali and Christine. But, truth be told, I haven't had my watch long enough to feel the need for such a thing. Maybe I'm addicted to it but that doesn't stress me out, it just excites me. For that reason, I decided to use Mr. Garmin to its fullest last night and do a tempo run.

I also used my love of dorky neon to its fullest and sported this very cool reflector vest that I got from target last year. Safety first!

I set out and decided to run the same route Nikki and I had run for our tempo runs. My plan was to do a warm-up mile, a sub-9 mile, a sub-8 mile, a sub-9 mile, and then a cool down. About a quarter of a mile in, the watch beeped alerting me of its low battery. In my time off of running and blogging, I had not plugged my watch in for over a week. I had never let it get to this point before so I wasn't sure whether to beep meant the end of battery life was near or whether it gave me fair warning. I did know, however, that I couldn't do my first ever solo tempo run without Mr. Garmin. There's the addiction.

I thought that if I can at least get through the speedy, sub-8 mile with a functioning watch, I can run the final two without one. But, again, I wasn't sure how much time I had. As I wrapped up mile one in 8:45, I decided that would suffice as both miles 1 and 2. So I spontaneously took of for the fastest mile of my run. I'm not going to lie to you, it was tough, especially without Nikki's speedy little but to chase, but I enjoyed it. Most of the time I was thinking that this mile is hard but the next mile, when I want to stop and walk, is going to be harder. Then I finished mile 2 and the 3rd wasn't so bad either. When you've run so fast for a mile, you can slow down significantly and still end up being pretty speedy.

Gamin clearly survived the whole run. I like to think the same energy that powered my legs powered the watch for four miles. The last of those, the cool-down mile was uphill so I took it really slowly. And I did, in fact, cool down. My long sleeves and shorts, which I had felt hot in only ten minutes earlier, suddenly weren't enough clothing. It's amazing how your body truly does heat up and cool down as you change your intensity so much. Yet again, that's why I love cold-weather running- it makes me want to run oh so much faster.

Solo tempo run a success! Good thing because I'm thinking I'll test out the RLRF training program for the half in March which schedules a tempo run each week for 11 weeks. It also encourages many days of cross training which means my campaign (with myself) to bike a lot will also be a great success.


Do you do a lot of tempo runs? Do you wear a gamin and has it ever died on you? How much time does it typically run after it first alerts you of the low-battery?

Weekend (and then some) Recap

I didn't exactly go anywhere, except away from the blogging world. The only explanation for it, really, is that I haven't had much sweating to report. I hate to admit that but it’s true. I took Thursday off from running, Ice Skated on Friday (I’m going to pretend that counts as exercise), rode a bike on Saturday, and walked around a mall (sweating alcohol, no less) on Sunday.

I recently read that the best way to prevent running injury is to take a day off for every mile after a hard race. I would say that I ran the Hot Chocolate 15k pretty hard but I can’t honestly say that I strategically planned to take nine days off from running because of it. I have now run only twice in those past nine days. And I’m ok with that. Here’s what I did instead…

Friday

Josh and I celebrated five years of dating. We had a lovely picnic of baguette, cowgirl creamery VT Tam cheese, pickles, and godiva chocolates. We sat on a curb by the mall and it was fun and romantic until a mouse tried to steel our cheese. No joke. Don’t worry, I told that mouse who was boss. Nobody tries to steal cheese from this girl, especially $26/lb cheese.

Then we waited in long lines for tickets and skates at the Sculpture Garden’s ice rink. We skated for about 90 minutes and got all hot and sweaty. I always think skating is going to be romantic and then it just ends up being a bunch of kids in your way and “NO RACING ON THE ICE” announcements over the loud speaker. Not so much romance on the ice but I did snag some photos of Josh and I being in love.

Yes, our feet are in love with each other.

After skating, we were still hungry. I thought Kramer’s would be the perfect place to go eat and, before I could even say it, Josh proposed we go there. Aren’t we just so perfect? (Are you barfing yet?) We walked the 2.2 miles to the lovely bookstore/café in Dupont, stopping to play tourist at the National Christmas Tree on the way.

Me and the Maryland Tree

Then we ate our dinners, Nachos for me and a buffalo burger with avocado for Joshua, at midnight and laughed a lot. Happy and full, we fell asleep on the bus ride home and almost missed our stop. Five years is a really long time and somehow it has flown by so smoothly.

Saturday

My five-year boyfriend and I went on a great bike ride in Rock Creek Park in the afternoon. I thought about running instead but I wanted to do something together. It was hella cold and we only made it worse by riding fast and creating our own wind. We did a quick 12 miles and stopped a few times to take photos of the bare trees and sunny sky.

Cold weather biking is really rough but I just love it. I can’t even explain why because it is actually kind of miserable. But it also makes you feel really alive. (More barfing?)

Saturday night we went with by bff Ingrid to hang with some new friends in Old Town, VA. We ate chili, played games, and danced a lot. I may not have been wearing spandex and dri-fit but I consider three dance parties in one night truly Sweating in Style.

Sunday

I slept through Frisbee, which ended up being cancelled. Then I shopped for presents and sparkly shoes and ate greasy food. I am clearly setting a wonderful example of how to live a healthy, active lifestyle. Sometimes you just have to go a little crazy and I'm ok with that.


Monday


I shut down my computer right at 5 and headed to the bathroom stalls at work to change into some cold-weather running gear. Hadley, Nikki, and I had plans to set off on our second annual zoo lights run, a 4-5 mile run from the office through the festively-lit National Zoo and back.

We ran a mile south and turned into the dark zoo to find that there was mostly just darkness. We could see all of the light fixtures set up but, aside from the display out front, none of them were lit.

Deciding that it might not be the safest thing to continue into the pitch darkness, we turned around and headed back to the entrance where we read a sign that said the lights are only lit on weekends from Thanksgiving- Dec 16. They will be lit every night from Dec 16- Dec 31. Well, it's a good thing we did our research.

Instead, we ran to Dupont Circle and back admiring lit christmas trees in windows, light displays in front of restaurants and apartment buildings, and evactuated, smoke-filled city buses. There was a lot of starting and stopping but good times were had by all.

That hibernation syndrome is trying to win me over and i plan to put up a fight. I am going to run more this week and I am also going to make a plan to bike a lot. I am all jazzed about bike riding now that I have a 3,000 mile ride to train for. It’s really a great time to be jazzed about riding a bike, with the air being freezing and all. If anyone wants to join in on that fun, I would love to have you!

I hope you all had great weekends!

How to Sweat in Style: Holiday Race Edition

1. Sweaty Betty Shorts, 2. Reindeer Headband, 3. Sweaty Betty Headphones, 4. Nike Red Laces, 5. Gold Sparkly Soul Headband, 6. Snowman Socks, 7. Jingle Bell Necklace, 8. Green Sparkle Skirt, 9. Lulu Lemon Stride Jacket, 10. Sweaty Betty Tank, 11. Nike Free Run, 12. American Apparel Spandex Pant, 13. Peppermint Stick Gu Energy Gel


Sweating in style can be tough, especially when cold weather comes to town and all you want to do is throw on that giant hoody in the back of your closet. Don't get me wrong, I love my hoodies and other cozy cotton attire. Just not for running. I believe that there are comfortable, warm workout clothes for any occasion. And since many of you runners may be participating in holiday races this year, I thought I'd share some of the sweet red, green, and holiday spirited items I've been eyeing that are sure to make any December run more festive.

Have fun and jingle all the way!!

Random Workout and a Giveaway Winner!

In an effort to take it kind of easy after Saturday's race, and not guarantee my need for a knee replacement by age 40, I tried to come up with some cross training Josh and I could do together last night. Biking was out because of the darkness. Swimming was out because we are lazy and didn't want to drive to the pool. Tennis was out because of Josh's injured wrist. Also, I realize that tennis is probably harder on my knees than running is.

So I turned to the handy Nike Training App on my iPhone and chose a 30 minute advanced "Get Lean" workout for us to do. We went to the grassy knoll/alley behind our building and I was reminded that these workouts are no joke. Here is what we did...

During the minute of frogger, a man pulled his car up to a parking spot right behind where I was doing it. So I spent a minute bouncing my ass in his face. It was awkward but I didn't stop. He got out of the car and said "Best parking spot ever." I'm not sure if that made it more or less awkward.

Josh couldn't do all of the ones that put weight on your hands/wrists so he did some of his own crunches, stretches and what he called "suicide rolls" (using his water bottle as a foam roller on his sore shin muscles). He also did many lunges and things with me. If he ever got lazy, I yelled at him. It made me want to be a trainer. At the end it was lovely to be outside stretching and laying in leaves.

And now for the moment you've all been waiting for. I am really thrilled that there was so much excitement over the Sparkly Soul giveaway. The headbands really are awesome and I gotta say, it's hard to do this because I wish I could give you all one of your very own. But, unfortunately, I can't so I let Random.org choose.

The Random Number Generator chose comment number 73 by Neon Blonde Runner. Please e-mail me at soxrstar14@gmail.com with your contact information so that I can have Sparkly Soul send your headband!


Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway and, for those of you who didn't win, rest assured because I have another, less sweaty giveaway coming up in the next week or so!

15k: Hot Chocolate Race Recap

The first I heard of the Hot Chocolate 15k, I was hesitant to register for two reasons: 1. I thought $65 was a steep price for any race that is shorter than a half marathon; 2. It was far away at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, MD. It took several friends proposing this race for me to get excited about it and decide to register. And, once I did, I remained excited. A ton of my real-life friends, and many of the runners I stalk on the internet, would be running it and I had high hopes of a glorious indoor after party with fondue fountains and kegs of hot chocolate.

Hadley slept over Friday night and we were up by 5AM on Saturday. We picked Nikki up in Columbia Heights and headed south to PG County. It was still dark when we arrived at our parking destination so it was easy for me to pop a squat in some bushes. The sun came out during our short shuttle ride to the start.

Thanks to my paranoia about traffic and parking delays, we had over an hour to wait. We said hi to Sarah, who was running the 5k and then met up with Jamey's crew.

7:45 rolled around so we checked our bags and got ready to start. There was confusion about where to go, the corral signs didn't make much sense, and there was barely any communication over the loudspeaker about what was going on. 8 o'clock came and went and we were clearly not starting any time soon. Then an hour passed. We were all freezing and pissed off and the crowd chanted various versions of "let us run" in the confusion. It reminded me a lot of my unforgettably negative experience at the Five Boro Bike Tour in May. Soon after nine, we were finally off. We could smile again.

Our teeth were chattering and we couldn't feel our feet. Much of our energy had been used up to keep ourselves warm. I had never started a race that way and it didn't seem healthy. But we were moving and I was just happy to finally be running. One reason that I really do love cold weather running is that it pushes me to run faster to keep warm. We decided as a group that we'd aim to run faster than 9 minute miles.

The first five miles were an out and back on a busy highway. It was crowded so my practice dodging people in the Turkey Chase came in handy. I was trying to keep with a group of four, though, so the crowds and the dodging were especially frustrating. The first five miles we averaged just under 9 minutes per mile but I knew we could run faster. Luckily, at the end of the out and back, I felt like we were finally running with people of our speed. We still passed some but got to a point where it didn't feel like every runner was a roadblock to maneuver around.

At mile 5.5, we ran back by the starting line and began a long downhill stretch. This course was a surprisingly hilly one.

We took serious advantage of the downhill.

The bottom of the hill brought us to the final 5k which ran around the harbor. There were some steep uphills but those last 3.1 miles flew by. We had an awesome view of Virginia across the Potomac River, under a sunny blue sky. And I got to admire my beloved Wilson Bridge. All the anger and frustration that I'd felt during the hour-long delay was suddenly gone and the race felt completely worth it. I knew that we were well on course to beat our last-minute goal pace.

The final half mile of the race was up a steep hill which was tough but no biggy. The crowd support was great. I had been lagging behind Nikki and Jamey the last mile or so and finished about 5 or 10 seconds behind them. I hadn't checked my watch for the overall stats but I knew we'd crushed this race.

My official time was 1:19:37, pacing me at an average 8:33 minute mile. Running 6.2 miles under 8:30 was an accomplishment but it was not a huge surprise. 9.3 miles, however, was more daunting and I'm really proud of this time, especially since miles 1 and 4 were 9:13 and 9:11 with all the runner roadblocks.

Having burned 926 calories, according to Mr. Garmin, I was ready to pour many chocolaty calories down my throat. The hot chocolate and the fondue were delicious.

You all know how strongly I believe in chocolate milk and hot chocolate as recovery drinks. But I learned on Saturday that I don't believe in chocolate fondue as a recovery meal. Next time, give me some bagels, bananas, and oranges. I LOVE chocolate but it made me kind of want to puke.

We found SRG, who'd just completed her first race, to snag a picture, and began the long journey home.

The Hot Chocolate crew took a lot of slack for all of the things that went wrong on Saturday morning. There were complaints all over Twitter and Facebook and DCist wrote an article about the "Hot Chocolate FAIL". From what I've read, I think that the experience was worst for people who parked at the Harbor. I didn't have such negative feelings though. That hour in the cold was frustrating. And the crowds were annoying at first. But I got past them, had a great race, and am actually glad that I did it. If Hot Chocolate 15k makes another appearance in DC, will I sign up to run it? Maybe, maybe not. But I believe the owner of Ram racing, when he wrote in his apology e-mail yesterday, that he is deeply sorry for all that went wrong and that much of that was because of things out of the race organizer's control.


Have you ever run a race where too many things went wrong? Did it ruin the experience for you? Would you run for chocolate?

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

There are not toys in every store. Or at least not the ones I shop in. But there seem to be all kinds of presents, and light displays, coming my way.

You know that on Monday night, I got the best present of all: a phone call from Joyce telling me that she wants to join next summer's bike trip. I still hadn't talked to my boss about the option to leave for two months, though, so there was no certainty about whether the trip could even happen. Still, Joyce's news made my week and provided excellent motivation to get that conversation over with.

On Wednesday night, I "road tripped" to the National Harbor with Nikki, Jamey, and Ingrid for Hot Chocolate packet pick-up. The expo wasn't the best I've seen but we got some sweet, sleek windbreakers to keep on sweating stylishly in.

This little piece of fabric is no month with a best friend, and I guess I "paid" for it in race fees, but I'm considering it a gift because it's just more fun that way. The bib is also pretty. It looks like chocolate swirling in a big, fat mug.

Yesterday, I went to work, not in my windbreaker unfortunately, and the good fortune kept coming. I spent the morning being nervous and, at around 3PM, I sat down with my boss and told her that I really enjoy working for her and for the organization but that my parents and I have had a long-time dream of riding our bikes across the country. I told her that we are hoping to do it next summer and that I want to know if it's possible for me to take two month's leave to do so. I handed her a proposal with a picture of me riding a bike on it that listed out all of the things I'd complete prior to leaving. She reacted so amazingly well, telling me that she is all for it and that she approves. I'm sure there are some more details to hash out, like getting through HR, but let me tell you friends, it is pretty much official:


I, with my parents and one of my best best friends, am going to ride my bike across America in the summer of 2012. As Joyce put it, epic bike adventures to commence. Planning begins now.

To celebrate, I met Nikki in Woodley park and ran down to the mall to see the newly-lit National Christmas tree. We unintentionally dressed as twins and were both in such a good mood. The first thing she said to me was "I'm so excited about this run" and I practically yelled back at her "ME TOO!"

Part of our shared excitement was for the fact that we planned to run slowly and talk and laugh. For the taper's sake, obviously. We eventually hit massive crowds of people coming from the tree lighting, which had apparently just ended. We had to stop and walk many times and at one point I led and just plowed through the crowd. Then, 17th street opened up and we could run on the street until we came to the ellipse and could see the tree in the distance.

It was awesome! The wonderful thing about this tree is that it grows in this spot all year long and doesn't need to be cut down somewhere and shipped in from afar (which the Rockefeller Center tree does). The stage and seats were still set up and it was almost as if we had gotten tickets to the lighting. No, it was better because we got to sweat our way there.

We also had a cool view of the White House and a nice man offered to take a picture of us with it. That weird little circle on my stomach aint sweat, unfortunately, but is spilled water from my leaky bottle.

We ran back, a little more steadily with less stopping, but still just as relaxed. It was great to just run and not pay attention to my watch at all. Getting faster has become really important to me, and I enjoy challenging myself to some harder runs, but it is also great to just run for run and talk the whole way. I have found the solution to my struggle with last runs before races: do them with Nikki. It was just like old times. And I passed even more lights on the way home.

Tonight, another great running friend, Hadley, is sleeping over. We are going to have a wild night of eating Vace's pasta, painting our nails, and getting in bed by 9 PM. I am the most fun host, obvi. Then, it's rise and shine at 5AM to pick up Nikki and head to the harbor to meet all our friends and run our hearts out in the freezing air.



Happy Friday! Is it beginning to look a lot like Christmas (or Hannukuh or any other holiday) where you are? Tell me how!