Moving Comfort - Alexis Printed Bra

I never paid much attention to what kind of bra I would buy for running. I'd pretty much just go to Target and grab whatever "generic", cheap, "sports bras" they had in size small and not give it much thought. My main peeve about these bras, though, is how the shirt (even the coolmax ones) will "stick" to the bra instead of just flowing freely.

So when I was offered my unique choice of Moving Comfort SportsBras to try out I was both curious and skeptical. Maybe I would finally find out what is so special about bras made SPECIFICALLY for running, as opposed to those flat, stretchy pieces of cotton I was used to wearing. Or would I?

I picked the Moving Comfort Alexis Printed Bra for two reasons: it's PURPLE! and it does not have complicated straps (some bras had straps that cross in back and I'm sure my clumsiness could cause me to choke). The bra and its uncomplicated straps are true to size, and I mean REAL bra sizes. I got the size that was supposed to fit a 32A and it did. Perfectly! (The ones at Target only came in small, medium or large, with not much attention to cup size or inches around).

The overall "feeling" of this bra is comfortable, definitely not tight, and supporting (as much as an A-cup person can claim that a bra provides enough support). One thing I did not understand or care much about was the padding. I never buy any kind of bra that has padding, so it felt weird to have those on. Especially while running. I got used to them after a few runs, but I did look like a an alien without nipples.

The material is wicking, and the shirt WON'T STICK to it, yay! The fabric did not hold any odor after washing either (I sweat a lot, so I can vouch for that). I washed it quite a few times and the soft, comfortable feeling was never lost.

This is a well constructed bra, and even the seams go unnoticed. I had no chafing, sliding or dig marks from either the straps or the chest band. It is by far now my best running bra and I need to buy a couple more. I'm not sure I can go back to the other stuff I have, plus they are pretty old, so I won't feel bad replacing them. I will just try to find a model without the padding (this has proved quite difficult with regular bras) as I did not care much for the alien look...

So it turns out the running bra issue is pretty much like the coolmax issue for shirts, shorts and socks. Once you try it there is no going back to cotton gear, or cheap, generic bras.

KN Cool Socks

Let me guess... runners across the country are currently training for Marathons such as Chicago, Nike Women's, New York... and hundreds others. It may also be that these runners have already selected their race-day gear (shoes, shorts, tops, watches, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.) but I'm willing to bet my VIP hell entry-pass (hand basket not included) that most have overlooked one key component to finish a race with happy feet, along with a smile on their faces (as opposed to that ever ubiquitous blister cringe). If fact a pair of low quality socks can make even the most fancy-schmancy pair of shoes feel terrible. I bet that is not what you had in mind when forking out $100+ for it!

It's been a while now since I've first discovered the many benefits of socks made specifically with runners in mind (they are designed to protect your feet during a run and can assist with the prevention of injury, blisters, calluses and even odor!) but I still enjoy trying out new brands and concepts, from the ones that have a different sock for your left and right foot, to thick ones with extra padding, to double-layer, to toe-socks, to ultra-slim wicking, and what not.

KN Karen Neuburger, a lifestyle company dedicated to bringing comfort into people’s lives through their products, is thrilled to introduce a new sport sock that keep runners safe and cool while they run. Their sport socks incorporate special moisture control yarn that wick away moisture and allows your feet to breathe. As if this weren't enough, the folks at KN Karen Neuburger were awesomely cool enough to send me a trial pair of their KN Cool socks.

After several runs wearing these socks (in different shoes as well) and wearing them again after machine washing a few times, here are my personal impressions on the KN Cool socks (most impressive first; again from my own point-of-view and sock needs):

• I checked the contents of the package read the insert that these socks sell for $10 for a set of TWO pairs! Now, for the benefits listed below, these would be a great value for the money even at twice the price. (I've paid $13+ for one pair of socks in the past).
  
• After getting over the "reverse-sticker-shock" I unwrapped the socks and was a in for a nice surprise. These socks feature arch support by offer a slightly compression around the arch of your foot. Another winner for me.
  
• The sock is overall soft and stretchy, great for the "no-show" style, AND the cuff holds it well in place.
  
• It is made of wicking material, which takes care of the moisture and heat* elements of the blister triad (moisture, heat, friction). Happy feet!
• the seams on top of the toes are very smooth (I turned it inside out and tried to feel them, they don't protrude are are very soft) so that takes care of the friction element of the blister triad, too. No other seams along the body of the sock, except around the cuff where the softness magic was applied one again.
  
• The sock was just the right size; it's snug, stays in place, and no bunching or wrinkling resulted (even with my being known to lacing my shoes (way) too loose...)
  
• Washing them did not make them stiff or uncomfortable. (I do use softener and drier sheets, though)
  

* shoes with mesh on its sides or upper can help keep your feel cool as well, aiding the sock in its wicking and cooling properties.

PS: Of course this review highlights what I see as benefits of running socks. There were no downsides in my opinion, but as usual, your mileage may very.

prowash activewear detergent

a few years ago i was in group therapy and on one session we were asked to create a motivational card for ourselves. i created a card that said "i will beat procrastination" and pasted it on my fridge. (my husband's wise friend greg, knowing me, took a pen and wrote "tomorrow" to complete my mantra and give the card "nattie character"). and so it is. i guess the only time in my life i did not procrastinate was to get out of the womb, as i was a premature baby. other than that i cannot remember not having to mull over getting things done. ugh.

back in december ryan wines from prowash sent me a container of prowash activewear detergent in the mail for me to try out and review. i had fallen off the running wagon after my tonsillectomy, then i had the mother of all ingrown toenails, then i traveled to ny, then christmas rolled in, then next thing i know it is 2009 and there goes another task whose deadline was now last year. (my friend darrell from kansas knows that well, given it once took me a year to reply to one of his emails). anyhow, i was up to renting 5 storage spaces to keep all my dirty laundry, so back in march i washed everything and was welcomed back into polite society with my clean and fresh smelling clothes.

the folks at prowash sent me a nice and soft gym towel along with the detergent and i appreciated that! thanks! my first reaction upon opening the package was that the pouch was kind of small. (it turns out those folks at prowash are not only extremely cool, they are also enviromentally conscious, as the stand up pouch has 9x less impact on our earth than hard plastic bottles). so back to the pouch, prowash is highly concentrated, so 2 fl oz will take care of an entire load of sweaty, grimy, stinky, running clothes. (if you have one of those high efficiency washers you can use 1 fl oz only). and yes, the activewear factor in the detergent does make it so that it cleans (and gets rid of the smell!) better than regular detergents. one word of caution: dispense carefully, as the liquid is not as viscous as other detergents, and you don't want to use more than necessary and waste product. all you need is the 2 fl oz measure for a nasty smelling medium load.

i can only give prowash a 10 out of 10. i sweat A LOT, so i was no gentle test on the detergent, either. i thank you ryan one more time for sending me this great product. you can count on me to become a lifetime customer! wanna try it yourself? you can buy prowash activewear detergent HERE.

bending sound

you know the feeling when you are listening to a killer song, and you're totally immersed in it, eyes closed, head tilted back, and the sound touches your being in such a pleasurable way it almost hurts, and you soar to the heights of euphoria, and your body opens up in millions of different places, and each of these openings turns inside out, and its smaller constituents start to break open and turn inside out as well, in an orgasmic fractal dismemberment... inside out, outside in, recursively, ad infinitum, and in the process, exhausted and exhilarated you become light and your breath paints the room and the colorful droplets come dancing down on your skin until they become sound again, teasing the mind's eye, and you begin to perceive things with your cells, and every sense is infinitely magnified so that the music is now actually absorbed through your pores... yeah, that's how it feels right now.

on ultras and tonsillectomies

i'm still in the process of trying to thank all who offered their encouraging words, positive vibes and pep talks before, during, and after the san francisco 1 day. the outpour of emails, "real-time" messages submitted via the form on the race website, voice messages, text messages, all the hugs and high-fives... it all meant so much more to me than any feeble attempt to express my gratitute through use of our limited means of communication could convey.

it would have been all too easy for me to label the entire endeavor a "failure", since I did not stay at it for the entire 24 hours (i sucumbed after 19 hours) and ended up way short of my expectations by logging a meager 57.6 miles. thanks for helping reframe that, allowing myself to break free from the tangled web of my impaired judgement.

on a different subject, (it's been an action-packed past 10 days!), i had surgery to remove my tonsils 5 days ago and am immensely glad that the doctor (and pretty much everyone i talked to prior to surgery) gave me an overly bleak picture of what the next couple of weeks would look like. equipped with advice to arrange for two weeks off work, a prescription for heavy narcotics with 3(!) refills, and a sentence of "two weeks of no driving". i was mentally ready for the most miserable two weeks until i could begin to feel like myself again. (the consensus is that it is a fairly quick and painless recovery for children, but very painful and at a higher risk of bleeding on adult patients).

i was on the pain medication for exactly 2 and a half days, and had two very productive days at work yesterday and today. i did yoga and calisthenics this morning and plan to go on an easy run tomorrow. i'm back to my awfully bizarre eating habits and now my fridge is stocked with 2 weeks worth of jello and apple sauce that will most likely end up going to waste. (hey, if you're local and would like an ample flavor spectrum of free jello 100 calorie packs you're welcome to have them!)

the only positive account of someone who has had a tonsillectomy as an adult came from my ultra-running buddy Pete, and it suddenly made sense to me during my drive from work this afternoon: it is a much valid argument that it is rather hard to assimilate the fact we eagerly PAY to run an ultra in full awareness that we will experience long, miserable hours of pain and agony, and then spend a great deal of time (and more money) planning for the opportunity do it again.

the stuff dreams are made of

so last weekend i took part in the san francisco 1-day, another spectacular event put on by the pctr (pacific coast trail runs). they put on some thirty races every year, covering much of the northern, central and southern california coast. i've done some of their events, most recently the sycamore canyon 30k (last may). rds wendell and sarah are two of the most selfless people you'll ever meet, and they'll go out of their way if there is anything they feel they can do to help you.

if you're looking to experience some of beauty, fun and camraderie, i strongly suggest you sign up for the santa monica mountains, coming up on the 23rd. with hikers welcome, and options such as 9 km, 18 km, 30 km, and 50 km, it is certain to be a successful solo or family event. (i'll be there)! the views are stunning, and hey, how else could you start thanksgiving week on a caloric deficit?

San Francisco 1-Day

what follows is an email i tried to send earlier this afternoon. i couldn't get around gmail's spam detector (mass 'bcc') so here it is, with pictures added.

OK, some of you may know it, some may not (where HAVE you been?), but I will be in San Francisco this weekend for the famous PCTR San Francisco 1 Day.

My goal is to stay awake and on my feet. With focus on staying awake. Heck, I've been living on 3-4 sleep/night for the past month, this should not be a problem for moi. Still, caffeine will be my good friend (as always).

Anyhow, the purpose of this message is to draw a positive vibe from all of you! This is a major running event for me, and I will surely be thinking of my family and friends while doing 1 mile laps on Chrissy Field for 24 hours. (Hey, the views should be stunning, hope for a clear day and night).

Oh, if you feel so inclined, there will be a live webcast, so you can check out how I'm doing (or IF I'm doing...) now if you're feeling really sorry for this hopelessly insane person who claims to be an adult woman, you can send me an encouraging email, too! (Of course you might as well be wondering just how the heck our paths have even crossed... what, mom?) Anyway, they will give runners their messages as they run by the station -- why am I using 3rd person here? Denial? (Hey you folks from the East, if all goes well and you don't sleep past noon on Sunday, I'll still be going when you get up...)

Stay tuned for more gory pictures of blistered toes and hanging toenails.

Take care, y'all, and have a great weekend!!!

post-dinner slump

if i were 30 years older, this would have been my senior high yearbook picture:

from today's vsl, "that 70's web tool".