What to Wear Walking in 55 degrees

Weather: 55F (17C), setting sun
Wind: 10mph
Humidity/Precip.: Moderately high/None
Terrain: Hills
Distance: 3 miles

What I Wore: Capri tights, low socks, 3/4 sleeve T-shirt, ear warmer

Did It Work: No. I'm just getting back into walking with a dash of running and I seriously overestimated how quickly walking would warm me up. Freezing! When my hands stopped feeling functional around the 3/4 mile mark, I started jogging just to warm up.

What I Would Change: Swap the T for long sleeves with thumb holes and this outfit works. But only if you really do plan to run or you're hiking uphill. Between the breeze and the humidity (around 80%), it was too hard to warm up without significant exertion. Especially because there weren't any warm, sunny patches along the route. Add a light jacket if you want to power walk, only.

Note on hills: Walking up hill can be harder than a mini jog. When we walk, we try to plant the whole foot. This is tough on the achilles and bottoms of your feet. Rise up onto your toes and take tiny steps, almost like you're jogging in place. This will ease the strain, get your heart rate up and eventually take you up that monster hill. Bernal Height Park in San Francisco, I'm looking at you! (see photo)

In the end, climbing hills is totally worth it, usually. Great views, real feeling of accomplishment and a great workout.

What Shoes to Wear Running; What Shoes to Wear Walking

I'm a runner and my mom's a walker. We live 800 miles apart so we were surprised to see that our shoes look like they could be neighbors. I'm running 5-7 miles a week in the Brooks Cadence and she walks 4-5 miles a day in Mizunos.

Mother/Daughter Running Shoes

I like the  Brooks Cadence for the "posts" under the arch. They support my outer foot and ankles when they roll outward as part of my stride. The toe box is roomy and the arch support is good. They are light but firm - they really hold your foot, unlike the Puma Faas 300 and the original Saucony Kirvanas. Unfortuantely, the left foot is a little too tight across the top of my arch so I get a cramp or tightness on most runs. Another runner acquaintance says the construction gave her blisters at the front of her arch initially. I've tried loosening the laces over the arch and it has helped a bit.

For walking in rain, sleet, snow or dry desert conditions, my mom only wears Mizunos. She walks 3-5 miles every day, so she really knows what works for her. She's mostly walking on pavement but sometimes hits the foothills of Boise, so she likes the serious tread on Mizuno. The support, quality and structure all work for her. Because she has wide feet (like me), she wishes the toe box on the Mizunos was roomier - it comes to a point, instead of being round like the Brooks

What running shoe works for you? Finding out can be expensive so, when buying, ask about the store's return policy. Places like roadrunnersports.com are pretty good about letting you test and return.

Happy trails!

Walk, Don't Run

It's almost 2012. It might not seem like it if you just started something new, like the school year, but I'm about to end something big and for me, as the street doomsday men like to say, "The end is nigh."
On January 1, 2012, I will no longer be a runner. I'm giving it up for the sake of still being able to walk, bike, play tennis (gently) and do yoga 10 or 15 years from now. Maybe cord blood stem cells will return the knees and ankles of my teens to me one day, but for now, I'm preparing for the worst.
And for all who know me, yes I have wondered what I'll do with my blog; what will I do to stay fit; how will I work out my inner demons and excess energy. And yes, I am worried I'll gain a lot of weight.
As I go through the 7 stages of mourning (I'm a preemptive mourner - when I was a kid, I would cry for hours about my grandparents death even though they all were very alive in Colorado), I keep getting sucked into bargaining. I think, maybe I'll just ease up, only run once a week, only run a mile or two, only run slowly. A friend who is a physical therapist offered to look at my stride. I'm taking her up on it because hope is another stage. Maybe she'll see something I can change that will allow me to continue...
The reality is, in fewer than 4 months, while I may still sometimes run, I will no longer be a runner and, despite getting a jump on the mourning, I'm still going to be shocked.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go lay out my gear for tomorrow's run. 

Running in 70 degrees

You might have noticed: I write a blog about what to wear when running. And yet, despite almost bragging about my years of experience AND probably having written about running in 70 degrees and sunny in the past, I was way overdressed today.
Temp: 70 and sunny
Wind: Calm
Humidity/Precip: Medium low (around 60%)/None
Distance: 3 miles
Terrain: Flat to rolling hills

What I wore: Nike shorts and running jacket, wick-away t-shirt, sunblock.

Did it work: No, I was way too hot. I should have known because I was perfectly comfortable the minute I stepped out the door. It is best to be slightly cold when you start. Even if you're walking, which is how I started, you'll warm up very quickly if you're swinging your arms and moving fast.

What to wear: At this temperature, you can easily wear shorts and a t-shirt. I have a friend who is still wearing summer singlets. Even though it's fall (or spring, if you're in the So. Hemi.), wear sunblock. The sun is strong enough to do damage.

(In case you're wondering what happened - my apartment was cold and I got psyched out. Live and learn!) 

See you on the trails and, hopefully, I'll be dressed right!

Walk Run in 65 Degrees

This is What to Wear Running, the Walk Run edition.
Temp: 65, sunny
Wind: 10 mph
Precip./Humidity: None/low
Terrain: Rolling hills
Distance: 5 miles, mostly walked but with three or four quarter-mile intervals thrown in

What I Wore: Long-sleeve technical top; running shorts; hat; sunscreen.

Did It Work: No! When I run, 60 degrees is usually the temperature at which I stop wearing long-sleeve shirts. Because I was mostly walking and it was breezy, I thought I should stick to sleeves. By mile 2, I was too warm. More sunscreen, less shirt sleeve would have been perfect.

Dress the Part: Sometimes, when we're mostly walking, we feel a bit foolish getting all dressed up in running gear. My advice: dress for the job you want, not the job you have. In other words, dress for running and you will be prepared when you're ready to run.