Biking Gloves - Reflective

I love these biking gloves with the reflective patches on the back. And before anyone jumps down my throat, I know, I know - reflective material is only useful at slow speeds from 30 feet away or less. But that's why these are perfect! They are meant for signaling to someone nearby that you're going to change direction. The only people who would care about that are drivers and cyclists within 30 feet.

Riding in the dark demands extra attention to safety. If you get hit, it might be the other person's fault, but you're the one who is dead or seriously injured, so be in charge of your own rescue and use the following:

• flashing tail light
• headlight
• LED arm band
• reflective material on ankles or back

And, for when it's time to deviate from the course, these brilliant gloves with the reflective patches and arrows that say, "I'm going THAT way!"

Caveat: the gloves themselves are not great. They're a semi-tight knit that has no water repellent elements. So, these are only good for cool, dry weather or over something warmer and drier. 

Ride safe. Don't be ashamed to be the cycling equivalent of a disco ball. Looking forward to seeing you out there.

My Perfect Week

If you cut out everything but what I did for fun and fitness, this would have been a perfect week. Highlights:

• Yoga
• Learned to rock climb (fun!)
• Ran a couple of times (3 miles is further than I remember #training)
• Went on a Bay Trail ride with my guy
• Did the usual weight lifting and rowing

Happy.

Running Addict

Running Addict (poem?)
 
Once again, I'm running.
I've quit twice.
Restarted thrice.

I swear,
it's not a lot of miles.
Just one or two,
here and there.
Inspiration is everywhere.

The story of an old runner
The sight of a young one
An empty track,
a bad day a good song.

When I promise to run,
I do.

When I promise to stop,
I'm lying.

What to Wear for Plantar Fasciitis

Guest blogger: Maya. Full article at happyrunningfeet.com

Plantar Fasciitis is a nasty pain in your foot, mostly in the heel area. According to WebMD, you can get PF from putting too much strain on your feet, like if you are an athlete. It can also be caused by sudden weight gain, for example from pregnancy. 

Plantar Fasciitis is when your fascia at the bottom of your foot gets tiny tears. It very seldom rips completely. Once you have PF, it is best to start treatment immediately. If it is ignored and you carry on with your normal activities, it will get worse and therefore take much longer to heal. Some cases even go on for years!

If you lead an active and sporty lifestyle, you are highly susceptible to Plantar Fasciitis. Many runners push themselves and overstrain, which causes little tears in the fascia. As running is very much an ingrained part of our lifestyle and daily habit, we will want to keep running as usual, even though each step feels like you are pushing a nail into your heel.

This is where your dress code comes in. Even though you might suffer from PF, you may still be able to continue running (UNLESS your podiatrist tells you not to. Listen to your doctor!). The key is to wear a pair of running shoes that promote:

• Cushioning
• Arch support 
• Shock absorption

You can combine good quality running shoes with insoles to maximize all three of these aspects. The most suitable running shoes are Asics Gel Kayano and New Balance 1540. These shoes also offer motion control to a degree, making them suitable for over pronators as well. Keep in mind that each individual's feet differ from the next person. What works for one Plantar Fasciitis sufferer might not work for the next. For example, I have met a runner who swears by barefoot running to get rid of PF. I cannot even start to imagine running with barely any cushioning whilst I have stabbing heel pain. Not for me!

Let us know if Maya's tips help your Plantar Fasciitis. For more from today's guest blogger, visit happyrunningfeet for tips on the best shoes to wear for flat feet.

Does Under Armour Make Running Shoes?

I need to address this question because I'm surprised at how often people say to me, "I didn't know Under Armour made shoes."

Does Under Armour make running shoes? Yes. They actually make a couple of different weights and styles. In the coming weeks, a friend who is an Under Armour athlete will run down all the styles she has tried and what she likes. For now, I can tell you that I've tried two.

Under Armour let me test these running shoes for women:

• UA Charge RC-2



Under Armour Charge RC-2

• Summary: not for me. See reasons below.
• Like: 
• Silver and neon color scheme. 
• Heel fits in the stirrups of the rowing machine and doesn't slip out. 
• Easy on due to toebox being separate from heel.
• Dislike: 
• High back - digs into my Achilles, causing some issues when running. 
• Not as light as I prefer but good for someone who wants moderately light with structure. 
• Runs big - based on reviews, I ordered the same size that I usually wear in a street shoe (instead of half a size up like most show experts reco) and it's still very roomy around my middle toes.
• Rubs against a bone on the inner part of my foot. I've learned that, on most people, this bone doesn't stick out, so this shoe should work for others better than for me. 

 

UA mesh short and tank plus Micro G shoe

• UA Micro G Toxic Six
• Summary: not my go-to, but a great running shoe when I'm traveling because they pack small. 
• Also like: 
• Soft heel - very gentle on the damaged Achilles. 
• Light - not as light as the Kinvara but definitely breezy. 
• Good fit - I ordered half a size up from my street shoes and they fit perfectly. 
• I get compliments on these odd-looking babies.
• Dislike: 
• Zany color choices - sort of a leopard print on a green background. 
• Unstructured toe box can cause feet to slip.
• Unsure: the laces are on the outer part of the foot, instead of running up the top. It's supposed to reduce pressure on top of the foot. This isn't a problem for me usually and I haven't noticed a difference except that it's a little odd looking.
• Note: because of the very cushioned ankle, remember to wear thin or low-anklet socks.

Convert a T-shirt into a tank

For various reasons, a lot of athletes don't like short sleeves. Long sleeves - great if it's cold or your muscles haven't warmed up yet. Sleeveless tank - great for freedom of movement and showing off your biceps. But the T-shirt? The sleeve lives in no man's land. It's nondescript, not flattering, not functional. Just gives you a farmer's tan and, in the worst case, makes your shoulders look extra broad.

Here's an easy tip (mostly for women) on how to turn a t-shirt into a tank without cutting off the sleeves and looking like a power lifter:

I saw this at the Under Armour store in Baltimore. It looked so cute (better than I've done here), that I actually asked where they were selling the little ties. Turns out (and here comes the tip for how to make your t-shirt a tank), they had cut up their own head bands and made them into ties. Because of the grippy rubber on one side, they stay tied, so your sleeves stay up. One headband makes about three ties.

Why do it: You might have a drawer full of athletic t-shirts that you don't wear because they just aren't good looking. Instead of shelling out another $20-40 for a new tank, go to the hair products section of your local drug store and buy one of those multipacks of fun-colored (or black, if that's more your style), skinny headbands. Go home, get crafty and get happy with your new gear!

Stay healthy.

Review of Biking Skirts

This is a semi-cyclist's review of two biking skirts (or biking skorts, if you like word mash ups).

Why wear a bike skirt: Bike skirts are not promoted as serious training gear. They are for women who like to use their bike as transportation when going to far away places. The padded short protects your bum during the ride. The skirt hides your padded diaper butt when you get to your destination.

Note: You can also buy bike shorts that are hidden within an ordinary short. I opted for the skirt because the padding made the seat of the ordinary shorts look a little full. I also could have gone for the baggy style shorts, which would have hidden the padding better. However, my personal look is a bit more fitted/classic, rather than baggy surfer/biker chick. Choose what works for you!

How does the bike skirt work? Easy. The bike skirt has two layers. The inner layer is bike shorts made of spandex with a padded seat and a griping band around the thighs. The outer layer is a skirt. Preferably, the skirt is made of something stretchy and quick drying, so it will be comfortable for riding and won't hold sweat.

Bike skorts reviewed: I reviewed the Flare bike skirt by Terry,

which says they design for women, and the Cruiser Bike Girl skort by Skirt Sports.


The skirt: Both skirts are made of quick-drying, stretchy fabric. Both have side slits. Both are sewn to the short at the wide waistband, rather than being attached at the hips by tethers, like some combo gear I saw. When riding, both skirts blew up, revealing the short. I tucked the hem into the short to keep the skirts in place. Differences:

• Terry's Flare has outside pockets on the hips of the skirt. 
• Upside: two pockets that are easy to reach. You might be able to stuff a tennis ball in this pocket so, if your goal is to ride and then hit some balls, this is perfect. 
• Downside: the pockets aren't reliable when you're cycling because they are loose and don't have closures. Visually, the loose hip pockets also make the wearer look wide.
• Skirt Sports' Cruiser Bike Girl had higher slits. 
• Upside: more freedom of movement. 
• Downside: It was a little harder to make sure I was riding on the skirt, instead of trailing it behind. Also, if you're walking in a windy place, you're more likely to give a show.

The short: Both shorts had just two panels per leg. Better bike shorts have more panels. Both had

Terry's thin shorts materials

padding that the designer claimed was woman-friendly. Both were made of stretchy material. Both had grips around the thigh. However, the differences in the short are why I ended up choosing the skort by Skirt Sports.

• Terry's material was thin. Aside from ventilation, this is all downside. The shorts are see-thru and don't compress as well as bike shorts should. The thin material allows the shorts to sag so that, when I got off my bike after a 4-mile ride, the padding hung between my legs and required serious adjusting, in public. Charming.
• Terry's padding was not as sturdy as I like
• Skirt Sports used traditional bike short spandex for their short. Upside: compressing, stability,

  

  Skirt Sports' thick shorts material

  not see-thru.
• Skirt Sports padding has contours that reflect a woman's anatomy. Also, the material feels sturdy and appropriately thick. I have yet to find padding that makes cycling feel like riding on air, but this will do.
• Skirt Sports short includes a pocket on each thigh that is big enough to hold an iPhone. The pocket is tight - made of the same material as the short - so nothing is falling out of it and it has a low profile when you're walking around. A hole in the skirt allows your phone's headphone cable to reach your ears.

Cost:  I bought both skorts on sale. The Terry was about $45 at REI and Skirt Sports was about $60 from Competitive Cyclist (now on sale even more from Skirt Sports). The upsides of the Skirt Sports bike short made it worth the extra $15. If you don't ride much, the Terry bike skirt's price is tempting, but I think you'll be getting what you pay for - a cheap skort that you won't want to wear.

Summary: I recommend Skirt Sports' Cruiser Bike Girl. It works well and looks good.

Good luck and enjoy the ride!

Running gear: what to look for when trying on

Buying running gear should be easy but it varies in quality, cut and function so much that it's easy to be overwhelmed. Here's a couple of things to look for when shopping for running clothes.

On the rack/online:

• Function is key
• Shorts - Men: buy shorts with a liner so your junk doesn't jump around. Women: buy shorts with a liner so you don't have to wear your cute underthings and don't give a show while stretching
• Top - Everyone should have a quality wicking top. This is the one area where it's worth spending a little more. A lot of companies claim their shirts wick away sweat but many don't. I recommend Nike, Asics, Brooks, Under Armour and sometimes Road Runner Sports.



Champion sausage bra

• Sports bra - ladies, consider these two things: poke through and jiggle. A lightly padded sports bra will handle poke through. If you don't have much to poke, focus on compression. A tight fit will hold you in place and flatten your pokey parts. HOWEVER, too much compression and you'll be squishing out like a sausage. Check the flesh around your armpits to make sure you aren't oozing out (yep, that's as sexy as it sounds).
• Think big picture
• This is for the ladies. There are a lot of cute tops out there. Many of them have

  

  Cute but bad for layering

  interesting tank styles. This is great looking, until you put your sports bra underneath and most of it shows.If it doesn't have a built in bra, go for a slightly more traditional cut.

In the dressing room

• Comfort is king
• When trying on your gear, hold still for 30 seconds. Can you feel the clothes? Good gear should sit on your body, almost weightlessly. If it feels tight under the arms, it won't get better and may lead to chafing. If it's pinching off the circulation in your thighs, you'll have a hard time running. Don't look in the mirror, just FEEL.
• Now, swing your arms, try to touch your toes and squat. Again, feel the gear. Do the shorts ride up? Does the shirt twist or ride up? Are you already getting overheated as if you were wearing a polyester blanket? If it's not comfortable, you're not going to want to wear it.
• Take look
• Once you know how it feels, see if you like how it looks. Does seeing yourself all geared up make you wanna run? Do you feel faster already? Jump up and down - are you putting on a bouncy show? Hopefully the answers are yes, yes and no.

If the price is right and your gear meets the criteria above, buy! And then get out there and RUN!

Happy trails.

What to Wear for Tennis: Women's Tennis Skirt

"Dress for the job you want" applies to tennis as well as the office.

In other words, don't show up for tennis in running shorts, pocketless sweatpants, yoga tights or jeggings. Wear whatever you want on top, as far as I'm concerned, but what you wear on the bottom is important for three reasons:

Ralph Lauren tennis skirt with undershort. Note pocket!

1. Tennis requires on-going access to balls. Don't waste time and energy constantly picking them up. Wear bottoms that have ball-sized pockets.
2. Tennis demands footwork. Tripping on your yoga pants is a good way to end your tennis "career."
3. Tennis takes itself a little seriously. Even if you play well, someone will give you the stank eye if you treat the sport like laundry day.

So, what to wear for tennis? Shorts with deep pockets that open wide enough to hold a tennis ball. A skirt with undershorts. Either the skirt or the undershort must have pockets. If you're a woman, wear a sports bra; you will be running. If you're playing outdoors, I recommend a hat to shade your eyes from the sun so you can watch the ball. I'm not a tennis shoe expert but strongly recommend a stable, strong-holding shoe. Tennis involves too much lateral movement for today's light-weight running shoes.

Most of all, tennis requires an ability to laugh at yourself. Mad dashes across the court, crazy lunges, wild swings and bad shots that send the ball a mile high are just the beginning of the folly and fun of tennis. Enjoy!

These are not my shoes: Under Armour Spine Men's shoes

Men's Under Armour Spine shoe

These are not my shoes.

These are the shoes of a professional basketball player who wears a men's size 13.5.
I wear a women's 7.5 (approximately a men's 5). My toes barely reach the end of the laces and I couldn't get my heel to touch in the back. They are well designed for a big-a$$ foot.

These shoes belong to my friend's friend and when I saw them I could not resist putting them on (they are new, so no foot fungus among us). I imagined what it would be like to have feet this big. I bet I would never tip over; my base would be too big and my center of gravity too low.

These are not my shoes. But if they were, I would rock them!