Showing posts with label Old Navy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Old Navy. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

My Favorite Running Things- Part III

Last year, I wrote a post or two about my favorite running things, all the essentials I need to have a good run. As with most things in life, as I have become a more experienced and [sometimes] injured runner, this list has grown and changed a bit.

So, here's a new list of my favorite things AND a special discount on my absolute must-have running essential- Enell Sports Bras- just for Sparkly Runner readers! Read on to find out how you can get some discounted "support" in your life!




Old Navy Activewear: Cheap, cute, and fun, Old Navy really has some great workout/running clothes. My favorites include bright printed capris/leggings and tanks with sassy fitness sayings.

Sparkle Skirts: These skirts are pricey but are totally worth it in my opinion. Hand-made in the USA, they feature two large pockets on the built-in shorts and one large pocket on the waistband. And they can be worn forward or backward- it all depends on where you want that waistband pocket.

Flip Belts: When I'm not wearing a skirt with built in shorts, I'm wearing this belt. With a clip for your keys and plenty of room to store fuel, money, ID, credit cards- whatever really- these belts are the only ones I've found that are comfy and don't move at all when running. And they are super affordable- under $30.

KIND Healthy Grain Bars: I'm always on the lookout for a low-point, healthy bar to take with me on long runs. The KIND Healthy Grain bars do the trick! Five grains, gluten-free, and only 4 PPV- and they're really, really good! My favorite variety is the Maple Pumpkin Seed.

Altras: After doing a lot of research on what shoes are best for runners with arthritis, I settled on getting a pair of Altras. Getting used to the zero-drop was interesting but I really love the cushioning and wide toe box of these shoes.

Asics: After being injured this fall, I am constantly rotating shoes so my feet will gain strength in different areas with each different shoe. My PT recommended Asics and I love the GT-2000's I currently run in. They are supportive and comfortable.

Feetures Plantar Fasciitis Sleeves: I haven't talked about it much here but I have some wicked Plantar Fasciitis occasionally. These sleeves help with circulation, pain-relief, and swelling. And they just make my feet feel good!

GYMBOSS timer: As a firm believer in the Galloway run/walk method, this timer is vital to my success. It can be set for any type of interval you want, can vibrate or beep or both, and will last for 99 intervals- essential for the long run. And it's under $20 and won't drain your battery like a phone app.

Oiselle Journal: A gift from a sweet, sweet friend (Steph at GooberMonkey), this journal has been helping me really nail down goals, obstacles, and successes in a way that only writing by hand can do. It's nice to actually have to write out my thoughts as opposed to typing- where I can go back, delete and start again. You can't do that when you're writing by hand and it's helping me to really focus on where I want my training to go in 2015.

Foam Roller: You can get one of these anywhere and the benefits are awesome! It's like giving my legs a massage every day- even though it hurts sometimes :-) But foam rolling is an excellent way to keep all your muscles, tendons, and ligaments stretched out and warm- thus helping with increased flexibility and decreased risk of injury.

Enell: You know I love these bras- what I've been loving recently is all the new colors they've come out with! I love wearing a tank top now just so I can see Scuba Duba Blue or Raspberry Zest peeking out!


Want to get one of these new Enell colors for yourself? Head on over to Enell.com and use code "SPARKLY10" to save 10% on your purchase! This code is valid 3/11/15- 3/18/15 so don't delay in bringing some colorful support into your (or your favorite female runner's) life!



What's your favorite running essential?




Monday, February 2, 2015

AM: 2/2/15



Good morning and welcome to the first week of February! This is one of my favorite months because we are only 28 days from warmer weather- potentially. I don't know about you, but after the winter holidays are over, I am ready to fast forward to spring.

Training:
Monday- Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, Level 1
Tuesday- 45 minutes on the treadmill, 3.36 miles
Wednesday- Lunch-time walk with co-worker
Thursday- 30 minutes on the treadmill, 2.26 miles.
Friday- Rest day
Saturday- 30 minutes on the elliptical
Sunday- 3.25 miles outside in 40:33. 12:29 pace. This core workout from Runner's World.

8.87 total miles.

I played around a lot with intervals this week. Prior to the stress fracture, I was consistently running 1:1's or 2:1's. On the advice of both my orthopedic doctor and my physical therapist, I have been trying different intervals- all with a bit more walking than usual. 30:30 has felt the best during the short miles- three miles or less. 30:1 (running for 30 seconds; walking for one minute) has been the most kind to my foot when I'm running a bit longer. As my recovery continues, I suspect I'll still be experimenting to see what is going to feel the best on my cranky foot.

Nutrition:
In continuing last week's trend- and one of our New Year's resolutions- we cooked all week and only ate out twice. It has been more fun than I thought it would be to actually plan out meals and cook them. And we've been able to experiment with new foods and flavors that we probably wouldn't have tried. My favorite recipe has been one I found in a Weight Watcher's cookbook: Moroccan Chicken Toss. It is so simple to make and is even better the next day for lunch.

I managed to stay within my points this week- only eating Activity and Daily Points and leaving the 49 Weekly Allowance Points. While it's been difficult, it hasn't been impossible. I am choosing to not eat the weeklies because I think this will help me to lose the last seven pounds to get to my goal weight. I believe that part of the reason my weight plateaued this fall/winter is because I was eating all of my APs and my weeklies. So we'll see if this strategy works to help get me to goal.


Weight-loss:
142.8 as of 1/28/15
+.4 from last week
-47.6 since January 2013
-59.2 since HW

Some weeks, you can do everything "right," get a lot of activity in, make great food choices, and still gain weight. But, I know enough about this weight-loss process to know that I can't always judge success by the scale. The scale isn't failure, it's just feedback. So I'll keep doing what I've been doing and hopefully there will be a loss on the scale next week.

I did have an awesome non-scale victory this week though. Matthew and I went to Old Navy and got a bunch of great stuff on clearance. I found a really colorful and cute running jacket for $26- in a size SMALL! A freaking small! Can you believe that?! I don't think I've ever been a small-sized anything in my adult life. It is still so unbelievable to me that my size has changed. I mean, I know logically that I am not the same size as I was two years ago but it's almost like I haven't processed that I really, truly can wear a smaller size. It's weird but so cool at the same time :-)





What are you most looking forward to in February?