Gets dry roads! This morning, I ran on beautifully dry safe roads even if it was insanely early in the morning. When I returned home, there were a couple flurries in the air and by the time I left for work, there was about an inch of new snow and a little slick. I'll admit that I felt quite smart and powerful to get while the getting was good!
I'm always looking for signs of spring once the holidays have past. Besides the increasing daylight, I saw two truckloads of new boats today. Boats are definitely more spring than winter. Before we know it, the birds will return, too. What signs of spring are are you noticing on your runs this week? Happy running! Missee
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My favorite tights are the Old Navy Go-Dry High-Rise Printed Compression Leggings for Women. I have them in Black Pearl (shown in the photo) and Black Jack. These tights are great for running and an exercise class that I attend a couple times per week. I also have this style in the cropped version as well.
These tights are very opaque and have a comfortable amount of compression. Because they are high-rise, I feel covered. In my exercise class, we do a fair amount of handstands and other moves in which we are upside down. With high-rise tights, I can easily tuck in my shirt for those exercises. I also use these tights for running. In the winter months, I use them as a base layer. With the high-rise styling, I can tuck in long sleeved shirts so that my mid-section stays warm. Best of all, in my opinion, is the price. With a lower price tag, I feel like I can own more than one. Happy Running! -Stephanie To keep my legs warm in winter, a good pair of tights and/or pants is necessary. When the temps fall below about 5-10 below zero, I go with tights plus pants. I feel like a stuffed sausage with too many layers, so I'm very happy when it's warm enough for tights only. My favorite pair is the Brooks Utopia tight. This model has been discontinued, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that Brooks will bring back something similar. Some of the specific features I love about these tights are the fleece lined fabric, pocket in the back, zippers on the legs for easy on/off and drawstring waist. I've actually worn these tights until I had to repair the inner leg seam from wearing them so much. My two sons have these tights in the men's model and also love them.
When the the weather gets a little warmer, I'm not quite so particular about my tights other than a drawstring waist...I hate it when the drawers feel like they are riding low. I generally stick with black tights to match with anything although I'm seeing some fun colors and patterns available now that I'd like to wear. Back in high school, my mom sewed me a number of pairs of tights in all sorts of colors and patterns so I was quite a fashion plate. Lycra tights were a brand new idea in the late 80's that no one was sure would catch on. Happy running 👍 Missee There are days in which I have a little extra energy and my run feel effortless. Today was not one of those days. I planned an hour run on the treadmill, followed by a five minute cool down walk. Within the first few minutes, I knew I was in trouble. My back was aching, my nose was running, and I could barely pick up my feet. Two bathroom stops, pain in my foot, and that nagging voice in my head that begged me to stop followed. I think most runners can relate, right? When that voice in our head tells us to stop, to put it off until tomorrow, to quit what we started…do what you can to persevere. For me, I remind myself that if I don’t finish this run today, I have to do it tomorrow. I keep in mind that finishing what you start is a great reward. Today, I found motivation in thinking about this post. How could I admit defeat on our blog? I finished my hour on the treadmill today. It wasn't pretty, but I did it. Thank you, blog! I hope that you have a great day and a great run! -Stephanie
I'm super excited to go to my daughter's track meet tomorrow. It's not only the first time we will see her throw shot put and weight throw this season, it is also the Alumni Meet. I happen to be an alum of the same school my daughter attends and competed in track and cross country. H has 2 teammates whose moms ran on the team with me in the early 90's. Three distance running moms with no distance daughters. Two of the girls are throwers and one is a sprinter. It's a fun stroll down memory lane to see old teammates and watch our daughters who happen to be coached by another former teammate. Alums are invited to compete in the races, but I will run earlier in the morning and enjoy the meet by cheering from the bleachers.
Happy running! TGIF. Missee ***Note that when Stephanie or I refer to anyone in our lives other than each other in our posts, we will refer to them by first initial only to protect their privacy. In my post yesterday, I was trying to decide if I should sign up for the St. Cloud CentraCare Health Half Marathon. When I got my mail today, I saw these FOUR postcards advertising the run. Each person in my family received one since my husband and I ran the half and our kids ran the 1K a few years ago. Is this the sign I was looking for?
Happy Running! -Stephanie April 22, 2017 Website: http://runearthday.com The Earth Day Half Marathon in St. Cloud, Minnesota will take place on April 22, 2017. I am debating whether or not I am up for a race. Signing up for a race is motivating. It would a great reason to follow a training plan and complete some long weekend runs. My sister is already entered. I've run this race before and really liked it. A half marathon is fun! Sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday! On the other hand, do I really want to commit to a half? Finding time for the training runs will be tough. Is running 13.1 miles really all that fun? If I wanted to, I could run 13.1 miles at home (but I wouldn't). My running partner is probably not interested. She and I just did a marathon in June. I will have to decide soon! What to do?
Happy Running! -Stephanie This morning, I made arrangements to meet up with a friend at the end of my speed workout and run a while longer. It was such a nice morning with such good company, that I became like Forest Gump and just kept running! My planned 80 or so minutes became nearly 2 hours and I was almost late for work. Had the whole experience not been so relaxing, I might have felt stressed, especially since I had a meeting including my boss first thing I made it just in time and the endorphins provided the calm I needed to quickly jump into my day. If I did this often, it could be a problem, but just once was a little amusing. Here's to hoping you have a run so enjoyable that you are tempted to make it last all day. Happy running! Missee
My favorite winter running jacket is the Brooks Utopia Softshell Jacket II. After hearing about this jacket, I bought the men’s version for my husband. A few months later, I used my birthday money to buy one for myself. Although this jacket is not bulky, it is very warm. I wear it from late fall, though the winter, and into early spring. It has zippered pockets, is windproof, and water-resistant. Although it has reflective piping, I also use a reflective vest when wearing this jacket before dawn. When on a quilt retreat last fall, I realized that I had forgotten my jacket. Luckily, I had my running jacket. We attended a quilt show on the retreat grounds and I wore my Utopia jacket. We were promised a photo opportunity with "A Knight in Shining Armor." :) Pictured below with the Knight in Shining Armor is Missee, our Mom, and me. Happy Running! Stephanie
I have the privilege of introducing our first gear of the week spotlight. Since we are still deep in wintertime, jackets are first up. A good jacket is an investment, but most good quality jackets will last a number of years, so I don't look for anything too trendy. A pretty, versatile, plain color is best. Save the fun prints for more inexpensive accessories such as hats and gloves. I look for several features in a jacket. It must be wind resistant, water resistant and ideally reflective. I generally run before dawn, even on Saturday, so not needing a reflective vest is a bonus. My go-to jacket for the past several years has been the Brooks Nightlife jacket. I have one each in yellow and pink. I buy my jackets a size larger than my under clothing. Depending on the weather, layers under the jacket can leave me feeling like a sausage without the extra wiggle room. Here is my furry running partner and I after our run this morning in my Brooks Nightlife jacket. Happy running! Missee
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AuthorMissee and Stephanie are two Minnesota sisters and moms who love to run. We are not experts in running, parenting or anything else, but we do have years of experiences that may be helpful or entertaining to others. Archives
May 2020
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