Total Running Performance and Fitness » Apparel

FAVORITE THINGS (running): Mesh Visor from Under Armour

Andrea — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:35:50 +0000

Good running equipment is key to enjoying the sport of running. One item necessary if you live in a sunny climate is a good hat or visor. I recently found some good sun protection to wear while running when I purchased the UA Ventilator Mesh visor at a local Sports store. I’m not a fan of hats as I just don’t have the right shaped face to pull off hat wearing and I don’t like how my hair fits under a full cap. But this visor has been great. I get the sun protection I need but my head doesn’t get too hot wearing it. It’s light weight and breathable and has a more feminine look to it which looks better on my face.
Here are some of the features:

The Under Armour Ventilator II Women’s Visor features a relaxed low-crown six-panel fit with anti-microbial HeatGear sweatband to keep you cool and comfortable. New short brim provides a stylish look with a female fit. Suspension hook and loop back strap with reflective details for safety.

Hat Features:
Low crown sport mesh visor
Anti-microbial Under Armour HeatGear sweatband
New short brim with reflective sandwich brim detail
Reflective logo tape
Embroidered logo
Suspension hook and loop back strap
Fabric: 100% Polyester

I have white but it also comes in two shades of pink which might stay a bit cleaner than the white. I will definitely be purchasing one of these again.

FAVORITE THINGS (Running while pregnant): maternity belly support

Andrea — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:28:15 +0000

Exercise during pregnancy is recommended and is healthy for both the mom and the baby. And if you are a runner and looking for ways to continue this activity, good support is vital to keep your joints and ligaments protected. Provided it is OK’d by your doctor and you have been engaging in this exercise before becoming pregnant, it is possible to do as long as you feel comfortable and are having no problems. The key factor is how to stay comfortable as your belly expands and ligaments loosen.

I purchased the Babies ‘R’ Us seamless maternity support for work and also used it for running. Overall, it is fairly comfortable and provided the support my belly needed. The material is fairly thin and breathable and wraps around the entire belly in the front. It has a thicker band at the bottom and sides to help cradle and support the belly. The back did need to be readjusted (usually pulled down) after sitting in it, but it provided enough comfortable support to take the stress off of my back during moving during the day and running in my second trimester. I also had a Medela maternity support band from my previous twin pregnancy. I used this early on and when I couldn’t tolerate full coverage of my belly.

The type of support that is comfortable for running for you is going to be related to how and where you carry your baby and may take some trial and error. I carried the majority of my baby weight very out in front in my belly and my belly was mostly round shaped. There are other options out there that include:

The Amon maternity support band (this looks like the Babies R’ Us support version),

The Gabriella support band (support only under the belly if you don’t tolerate full belly coverage),

And the Mother-To-Be Maternity Support (this has a lower support panel and an upper support with a hole in the middle for some belly coverage). Good luck finding the one that works for you and happy running!

** (Do watch for any unusual symptoms such as nausea and dizziness, and remove garments-as baby could be pressing on the Vena Cava or other veins blocking blood flow for you. Although this can happen at any time even without belly support wear, depending on how and where your baby is lying. Contact your doctor if you have any concerns).

FAVORITE THINGS (running): Yogitoes

Andrea — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:58:00 +0000

Yoga what you ask? Well that was my first thought when I saw the name of the company who made these towels. If you don’t remember the name, you will remember the unusual towel if you try it out. I purchased this towel out of curiosity at a large sports store in the area to see what it was all about. The towel is a gorgeous purple color (comes in a variety of colors and larger sizes) and has little rubber dots spaced sequentially on one side. The beauty of these dots is that the towel will not move or slide when placed on a rubber surface. I found that this came in handy when lifting weights and placed my towel down to sit on a machine. Gravity did not move it an ounce. Nice. It also comes in handy when running on a treadmill. You won’t have to do the “chase my towel” as it zooms down the treadmill belt and behind you because the special yogitoes stick wonderfully to the display. It can also be used for placement on a yoga mat and won’t slide as well. Overall a good purchase for yogi’s and fitness buffs.

FAVORITE THINGS (running): Thorlos socks

Andrea — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:24:56 +0000

While perusing the sports store the other day, I noticed these socks that stated “Runners World Gear” on them and decided to try them out. I wore them earlier in the day I tested them and noticed that my feet were toasty warm the whole time. They are supposed to have an “aero-dynamic fit and protection without the weight.” The socks do feel light and during my run, they offered protection in all the right places-heels, balls of feet. However, my feet were almost too warm for me during my run. My guess is that these would keep the toes toasty in cooler environments than S. California and do great in mountain hikes etc. with cooler weather. Or perhaps with someone who suffers from cold feet around the house.

FAVORITE THINGS (running): Lucy Hillside Pants

Andrea — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:39:04 +0000

When Lucy states that they design clothes with you in mind, your active life and performance, they are serious. I was introduced to Lucy’s line of clothes about a year ago and excited to try out the wear for my fitness business. Let’s just say I love, love, love the Hillside Capri and Hillside pants. They are perfect for a quick business meeting as well as participation in a yoga class, personal training session or a quick jaunt across the country. The lucyflextm material allows you to be as flexible as you wish while maintaining a certain level of professional dress at the same time. So get out, move and enjoy life in these very comfortable pants.