Tilda Tuesdays: Run MSP Hoodies...for Dogs!

Last fall, I posted about my favorite tees, the Run MSP tees from Gear Running Store. (Check out that post HERE). I love this tee- so cute and comfy. One of my personal favorites!

I happened to swing by Gear Running Store on my way home from work a few weeks ago for some more Hammer Gels and I saw that they are now carrying Run MSP hoodies...for DOGS!!! Well, of course I bought one.

Yes! You know you want one for your dog. 

Tilda's sweatshirt was a size large. They carry a variety of sizes from x-small to x-large. They only cost $18, so even though I don't know how much she'll actually wear it...why not? I mean, Matilda runs MSP just as much as I do!

Just chilling in her hoodie on her bench...

This sweatshirt is legit. It has a hood and a zipper. It has a hole in the top for your dog's leash to come out.

She loves it...

I suppose that Matilda is still growing to love her Run MSP sweatshirt, but I am still loving mine. We're twinsies!

If you can't make it to Gear Running Store to buy one of these, you can call and order over the phone. 

Run MSP for dogs- its what's hot in dog fashion for fall!

Fits Do Race Reviews: The City of Lakes Half Marathon

This past Sunday, I ran the Jeff Winter City of Lakes half marathon. I believe this race was the original Minneapolis marathon (you can read about the history of the race HERE). Then it was changed to a 25k. This year was the first year that it was changed to a half marathon.

The course starts at Beard's Plaisance on Lake Harriet. It goes around Lake Harriet to Lake Calhoun back to Lake Harriet and back to Calhoun!

source

I was a little worried about the monotony of running each lake twice, especially since I run these two lakes ALL. THE. TIME. (though I'm not complaining, I live where I live so I can run the lakes!)

However, I realized that its actually pretty rare that I race around these lakes. I found it to be a nice change because it was a race, if that makes sense.

It was also a huge bonus that a lot of our friends from the Calhoun Beach Running Club came out to cheer for the racers! Knowing where they would be after passing them the first time really gave me something to look forward to the second time around.

There were two support stops on the course that we hit twice, which I think was perfect for a somewhat cooler morning.

The finish line was right after the bandshell.

Everyone received a pint glass and a medal.

I haven't received a medal for a half in awhile and this one was pretty nice.

I took two Hammer Gels during this half marathon- one around mile 6 and one around mile 10. The support stops offered both Powerade and water, so I would drink water with my gels and Powerade the other times I passed the support stops.

I did try out a singlet that I might wear for the full marathon <- test out your marathon outfit before race day people!

No chafing with this tank, so that was a win. It's from Gear Running Store if you like it.

I'm so proud of Dustin who broke 1:30 at the race! He ran a 1:29:06 which is a 6:48 min/mile average! Yay for Dustin!

My performance...I ran 1:49:37. I had hoped to run closer to a 1:46-7, but it definitely did not happen. Sure it was a PR by about 15 seconds (got to update the PR page at least), but I didn't race smart at all. Based on my splits (below) I should have started more conservatively, as I clearly lost my speed in the last three miles.  I think I need to go out slower than I did- well, clearly I need to go out slower than I did, but I felt so great and the weather was cool...lesson learned. Start slow folks so you can finish strong!

Splits:
Mile 1: 8:00
Mile 2: 8:12
Mile 3: 8:04
Mile 4: 8:03
Mile 5: 8:02
Mile 6: 8:17
Mile 7: 8:09
Mile 8: 8:13
Mile 9: 8:20
Mile 10: 8:32
Mile 11: 8:40
Mile 12: 8:42
Mile 13: 8:49
Last 0.22 (on my Garmin): 7:41 min/mile pace

There were a lot of PR's on the course on Sunday. Congrats to all the runners out there, especially my CBRC friends (below) as well as Dustin's old boss Curt. Curt is training for his FIRST marathon and he passed me by in the last few miles for a great race! Nice work Curt. He will #crushit at his first marathon!

Weekly Recap: Two Races in a Week and a Run MSP Singlet

A really short weekly recap today for you guys...

I am so glad you enjoyed this morning's interview with Elizabeth Turner! I will pass along all your incredible feedback to her. She is definitely an inspiration. I loved her tips for staying mentally strong the most. I plan to try them out at the OBX marathon!

I just returned from a hill workout, which probably wasn't my smartest idea after doing a half marathon yesterday. Tomorrow will definitely a rest day from running.

Here's how things turned out last week in Fitness and Fitness Fashon:

Monday: MDRA Victory Labor Day 10k (warm-up approx. 2 miles for about 8 miles total)

Tuesday: Complete rest. I needed it!

Wednesday:  7 miles easy with Matilda, 1 hour strength conditioning class at the Calhoun Beach Club

Thursday:  Close to 9.5 miles…before work! I met two friends in the morning who were doing a tempo run, but I had 5-7 miles at marathon pace (8-10 miles total) on my schedule. I started with them, but then did my own thing. Even though we weren’t doing the same workout, having friends to meet before work really helped me get my butt out of bed!

Friday: C2 vinyasa yoga class at Corepower Yoga

Saturday: 5.5 mile run with Matilda before walking to Woofstock (pics to come on tomorrow’s Tilda Tuesday!)

Sunday: Yes two races in one week, yowsa! This time it was the City of Lakes Half Marathon. We did 1.5 miles to warm up and then walked the same route back home after the race (I couldn’t stomach running on the way home…I guess walking would have to do as my cooldown!) Total running distance- about 15 miles

Summary: 5 days of running, 1 complete rest day, 1 yoga, 1 strength

Here's what's happening in Fitness Fashion:

This Asics singlet from Gear Running Store is what's happening in fitness fashion! I wore it for the City of Lakes Half Marathon (race recap to come later this week) and I think it's my new favorite. Light-weight, no chafing. Simple logo in my favorite color- blue!

That's all for the week. Stop by tomorrow for Tilda Tuesday!

Fit Fanatic: 10 Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for the Runner in Your Life

Valentine’s Day is this Friday!

I am pretty excited, as I actually have the day off of work. I will be attending a friend’s wedding (the same friend for whom we ran the Securian Half Marathon for her bachelorette party!)

I suppose Dustin got off easy this year for Valentine’s Day- he doesn’t have to plan anything, as we’ll be eating, drinking, and merry-making with all of our friends downtown, celebrating love in the best way possible.

Anyways, no matter what you’re doing to celebrate Valentine’s Day, you might still be looking for a few ideas to make your Valentine feel special this Friday. Flowers are always great, but let’s assume your Valentine is a runner (though flowers are great for runners too!). If your Valentine is a runner, here’s a list from the Right Fits of 10 Valentine’s Gift Ideas for Runners!

1. Carbs! Valentine’s Day is on a Friday, and most runners do their long runs Saturday morning. So take your Valentine out for some pasta Friday night. Treat him or her to some lovely carbo-loading  Locally, I am a fan of Broder’s Pasta Bar, or you could just have a casual evening at Punch Pizza (or buy a gift card for your runner to enjoy at a later date) For a fancier pasta meal, head to Bar La Grassa for really a scrumptious dinner.

2. Race Registration: Races are expensive, and the prices are only going up, (unless of course, you’re registering for the Ron Dawes 25k- that race is only $5- I signed up!) So if you know your Valentine is training for an upcoming race, but hasn’t registered, sign him/her up yourself! That's not a bad idea for me...Dustin hasn't registered for Flying Pig yet- maybe I should sign him up!

3. Running Gear: This is an easy one- just check out my winter running essentials list, and pick up one of those items that your runner doesn’t have yet…Knuckle lights, Craft gloves, Yak-Traks, so many ideas!

4. Run MSP T-shirts or Sweatshirts. I can’t say enough about these comfy sweatshirts and tees from Gear Running Store. They make the BEST gifts!

5. A running themed gift basket: I posted HERE and HERE about creating running/fitness themed gift baskets. They are a fun way to gift your Valentine’s a bunch of small gifts that equal one great gift basket!

6. Splurge on a new Garmin for your Valentine! My friend Kelly has the new Garmin 220, and it’s pretty awesome. If you’re a big spender this year, I bet your Valentine would appreciate this! (It will set you back about $250)

7. A Subscription to Kona Kase or Runner Box: These monthly subscriptions are a gift that keeps on giving! Both are memberships to receive a shoebox full of running goodies each month. They include a variety of running fuel and a few other fun items.

8. BIC Bands! Probably not the best gift for a male Valentine, but I bet most ladies would like these fun headbands that don’t slip- really!

9. Yoga- let’s be honest, most runners could use a little more yoga in their lives. Pick up a gift card to CorePower Yoga or Modo Yoga for your running Valentine, and give the gift that says, “I want you to be able to run injury free in 2014!"

10. The final gift idea for your running Valentine? A new pair of running shoes!  Its easy to figure out what kind they wear. Pick them up the same pair in the same size, and they’ll be very grateful for the functional fit!

The Olympics, A Goodbye Party, and Another Fitness Themed Basket!

Hi all!

I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Mine was pretty busy. Friday night, we went to a party to watch the opening ceremonies for the Olympics. We were encouraged to dress up in our best Olympic outfits, so Dustin wore his best old school ski attire, and I wore pretty much every red, white, and blue piece of clothing I had. (That Chinese Crested dog in the picture is a sweet rescue dog named Vegas!)

Saturday morning of course was the usual long run (a little over 16 miles), a trip to TC Running Company for those awesome Craft pants I wrote about yesterday, and plenty of other errands. 

Saturday night, we said goodbye to one of our run club friends. She's moving to New York City for her job. We're all sad to see her go, but wish her the best of luck in her new adventure!

We met up for an awesome dinner at Marin downtown, and she actually was able to get us the private barrel room for our group. 

I really loved my dinner there- I had the kale salad, and the papperdelle with roasted cauliflower and sage pesto. It was all really tasty- I highly recommend this restaurant!

My group of girlfriends wanted to said goodbye in a special way, and to give her a few items to remember us by. I enjoyed creating the birthday gift basket for my friend's 30th back in December, so I suggested that we do something similar again. Creating a gift basket is a great way for a group of friends to all chip in a little bit in a fun way, and you end up with quite a gift! 

This basket included a lot of running related items- some Body Glide, Nuun, an iTunes gift card, Honey Stingers, GU's, and more.

I also gave her one of the last Calhoun Beach Running Club BIC Bands...only three of these left!

We included some lululemon undies- light as air!

This friend is a barre-ista as well, so the gift basket needed an extra pair of grippy socks:

The basket wouldn't be complete without one of the Gear Running store's RUN MSP t-shirts. Softest shirts ever!

We included a framed picture from a Capital Run that she was a part of. Ah, remember when we were running in shorts and tanks? The good ol' days...

The basket came together nicely, and I think she really liked it.

It was a fun evening, and I'm glad we had the opportunity to send her off in style. 

Good luck in NYC, running buddy!

And the winner is....

...watch the video! My first ever vblog? Is that what its called? Whatever it is, I wanted to show you that I put all of your names into a little box and drew one randomly. All is fair at the Right Fits!

Congratulations Katie!  Katie's favorite workout right now is C2 classes at Corepower, and she loves Athleta and JCrew, but also has been finding great workout gear at Target lately. She said she'll probably spend her gift card on some warm running tights- good call Katie! Contact me at right.fit.sisters@gmail.com and I'll send you your gift card.

A big thank you to all who entered into the giveaway. It was really fun to read your responses. Yes, most of you were friends or family, but its cool to know that there are a few of you out there reading about Fitness and Fitness Fashion from far-away lands like Oregon, Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, and Missouri. Thank you for stopping by. I really appreciate it!

Gear Running Store Gift Card Giveaway!

Guess what, friends, family, and readers! I’m doing the first give-away for the Right Fits! Hold onto your running shoes, it’s a good one.

Yep, I have a $50 gift card to Gear Running Store, and it could be YOURS! 

I have mentioned Gear many times on the Right Fits; they are one of my favorite local running stores. But don’t worry if you’re not local. You can order some signature items online at www.gearrunningstore.com OR you can just call and order shoes, gear, whatever, and they will ship it to you!

Here’s the catch. You have to comment ON THE BLOG- not on facebook, not on twitter, but actually ON THE BLOG, by answering the below 5 easy questions. I will then put all the commenters' names in a drawing, and pick one of you to win this awesome gift card!

 

Wall of shoes at Gear (source)

In order to comment on the blog, you will need a google log in, but it is super easy to set up.  I have confidence that you can figure it out.

I’ll accept “entries”/commenters until next Thursday. I will then contact the winner to obtain a shipping address for the gift card.

But first, you have to answer these 5 questions in the comments. I have answered them too to get you started. Answer away for your chance to win!

1.   What is your FAVORITE workout of the moment? (running, boxing, tae kwon do, yoga, you tell me!): I would say barre for me…or of course, running, but that’s always a fav.

2.  Where do you live? I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota! (Google analytics does give me some info about my readers, but I’m curious where you are located)

3.    If you could only shop at one clothing store, what would you pick? Probably Athleta..or JCrew.

4.    How do you stay in touch with The Right Fits? (computer, phone, via Bloglovin’, via Twitter, via Feedly)?: 

      I read tons of blogs, mostly on my phone (via BlogLovin and/or Feedly) or on my laptop if I want to comment on the posts. I wish there was a way to comment on the blog via BlogLovin’ or Feedly.

5.   If you win, what do you think you will use your gift card on? If it were MY gift card, I would buy the Run MSP hoodie. So cozy!

Featured Fit: A Birthday Gift Basket for a Runner.

By Jess in Minneapolis

Today marks a special day for one of my running friends. She turns 30!

To celebrate this momentous birthday, a group of us went to Chicago (Fits on the Road posts to come!) but I dropped off her birthday present last week for her husband to give to her today, on her actual birthday.

I got the idea for her birthday present from a charity gift basket auction that we recently had at work. My work team put together a "Complete Your Look" accessories basket, full of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. (including some unique pieces by LL, my younger sister)

LL's necklaces for the charity gift basket

The gift basket was auctioned off for United Way. I believe the winning bid was nearly $300! The accessories basket was great, but this time, I wanted to customize a gift basket for my dear running friend.

Do you have a running friend with an upcoming birthday? Still looking for a Christmas present for one of the runners in your life? Try a running gift basket!

Here's what I did:

First, I purchased the basket from Jo-Ann fabrics, as well as a cello wrap for the basket, a bow, and some matching shreds for basket filler:

Then...the fun part: picking out running related items for the basket!

I had to include some Sweaty Bands. They are my favorites (as well as BIC bands), and I know the birthday girl likes them too. (They don't slip, seriously!) I bought her one of the reflective ones (the green and white stripe) for night running. The red-and-white polka dot Sweaty Band reminds me of Minnie Mouse, don't you think?

Remember my post about the Runner's World Cookbook? (read it HERE) I loved the cookbook so much that I purchased an extra copy for a future gift, and this birthday basket was the perfect place to use it!

Next, I stopped by one of my favorite local running stores, Gear Running Store, for more running favorites. The people at Gear were so helpful, and they seemed to enjoy helping me with my birthday basket idea!

What else was included in the basket? Let's see..there was some Body Glide. What runner couldn't use an extra one of those? I also picked up some "Gear Bombs" at Gear , which are odor eliminators for your shoes.  I included some FitSox (love those!) and of course some runner fuel: a GU, some Honey Stinger chews, Honey Stinger gels, and a Honey Stinger waffle.  I also included some NUUN, which is one of my favorite ways to hydrate on a run.

One of my winter running essentials from this post was Aquaphor to prevent chapped lips. 

I figured why not throw one of those in this runner birthday basket as well for good measure?

And you can't forget the card. 

30 does look good on you, my friend!

The Finished Product

Happy birthday!

Friday's Favorite Fit: RUN MSP

By Jess in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is a great city for a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest reasons I love this city is that it is such a runner friendly place. 

I know that I might be a little biased, but I’m really not the only one that feels this way. In fact, Minneapolis/St. Paul gets ranked over and over again as one of the best running cities in the nation.

Just check out a couple of the following articles, and you’ll see what I mean!

1. Active.com ranks Minneapolis the #3 best running city in the US! Read it HERE
2. Forbes gives Minneapolis runners props for being so tough! "Training for a distance race as far north as Minnesota can be tough, especially with its icy winters. But runners are hearty here, with than 50 miles of trail to keep your mind engaged as your body does the work. A slew of running groups help keep runners motivated during the freezing winters- and come springtime, the path around the Chain of Lakes is about as gorgeous as it gets." Check out the whole list HERE
3. Outside Magazine lauds Minneapolis/St. Paul as one its favorite running cities HERE

There you have it- its not just me who feels so strongly about the Twin Cities as a runner's haven!

We have miles and miles of running (and biking) trails. We have a plethora of road races and trail races, including two full marathons- one of which, the Twin Cities Marathon, is often praised as a must-do by Runner's World. 

Just take a quick peak at this website for a list of all of the running trails in our fair city: http://www.twincitiesrunning.org/tcrc-running-routes

We also are very lucky to have a multitude of running clubs here. Of course, there's the Calhoun Beach Running Club, which is near and dear to my heart. There's Club Run, Minnesota RED, Lifetime Run, Running Room Run Club , MDRA, a run club associated with TC Running Company, a run club associated with Gear Running Store, a YMCA run club, a YWCA run club...seriously, the list goes on and on. I know that I'm missing a ton of them. But that's the thing- there's a run club for every type of runner here!

With that said, you can understand why I wear the label of a 'Minnesota Runner' with pride. Likewise, I was very excited to come across these unique “RUN MSP” shirts the other day. I needed to stock up on GU's for the marathon,  so I swung by Gear Running Store on my way home from work, and was distracted by these super cute tees. I couldn't resist purchasing one to show my Minnesota runner pride.

The t-shirts are super cozy. I’ve been throwing mine on after a run (and after a shower of course) nearly every day since I bought it. With that said,  I have decided that these t-shirts from Gear are Friday’s Favorite Fit!

After I bought the t-shirt for myself, Dustin was a little jealous. I just had to buy him one too. Twinsies!

They also have some cozy looking hoodies, as well as these dri-fit tees in a variety of colors:

If you are also a proud Minneapolis/St. Paul runner, head on over to Gear to pick up your own t-shirt, hoodie, or dri-fit running top with the "RUN MSP" logo for this Friday’s Favorite Fit!

Curious about past Friday's Favorite Fits? Here is the whole list!

9/13: bkr resusable water bottle
9/6: knuckle lights
8/30: the best carbo loading recipe
8/23: nine west polka dot heels
8/16: the lululemon bitty bracer
8/9: tasteful animal prints
7/26: trigger point foam roller
7/21: outdoor yoga in mpls
6/28: bold colors and patterns
6/21: trail running
6/14 gal pal garment deodorant remover
6/7 the sock bun
5/31 the white oxford shirt
5/17 toms shoes
5/10 bic bands
5/3 race day with a first timer
4/26 cobalt blue
4/19 lululemon wunder under crop
4/12 i run this body t-shirt

Fits Do Product Reviews: Travel Foam Roller, Nike Flyknit shoes, and Knuckle Lights!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Today was definitely a running focused day. It started with a strong 12 mile run with the Calhoun Beach Running Club. The trails were a little slippery, but the temperature was a little more tolerable, and the company was great.

After a quick shower and a coffee run, we zipped over to a suburban dog park, the Bryant Lake Dog Park to give Matilda an opportunity to do her "running" off-leash! The Bryant Lake Dog Park is part of the Three Rivers Park District of dog parks, and Matilda had a great time there with some new friends.

The reason we went all the way to the suburbs is because we wanted to stop by the TC Running Company after the dog park stop.

 TC Running Company  is a great running store located in Eden Prairie. Even though there are other running stores closer to home, TC Running Company is still (in my opinion) one of the best in the Twin Cities area.  They carry a wide variety of shoes and a great selection of apparel. The employees are very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. They are all great runners, and they know their stuff!

While there, I picked up a few "necessities," such as a travel sized foam roller:

Only $15! I wanted to have one to bring to the cabin and other weekend getaways, as my normal sized foam roller is a bit cumbersome to bring along. I figure this tiny one could fit into my suitcase on flights as well.

And another reason I went to TC Running Company today? Because I got to pick up my FREE Nike Flyknit shoes!  Free, you say? Yes, free! I won them as part of a Facebook promotion for the Moustache Run.  *Remember the Moustache Run? If you missed it, read about it HERE

So, yes, I got a pair of Flynit shoes, courtesy of the Moustache Run. Bright, aren't they? They're definitely not a winter shoe, but I plan to test them out on the treadmill soon. They're supposed to form to your feet as you wear them.

According to Nike's website, "the innovative Nike Flyknit Racer Unisex Running Shoe gets its structure and support from Nike Flyknit technology. As a result, it's incredibly lightweight, with a precision that feels like a second skin.The one-piece knit upper seamlessly integrates areas of high support, breathability and stretch where you need them most—without overlays, which add weight. For an adaptive fit, lightweight dynamic Flywire wraps the foot and is adjustable through the laces."

So yes, it's a unisex shoe, which means I got a size 7. The retail price is $150 (though free to me, thank you Moustache Run!). The entire shoe front is made from one continuous thread.

 I'll give a full review after I try them out!

I couldn't walk away without throwing in a new Brooks running top and headband. 

Subtle, right? A girl can never have enough winter running tops.

And the FINAL running purchase of the day? 

Knuckle Lights!

TC Running Company actually didn't carry Knuckle Lights, but a helpful friend told me I could find them at Gear Running Store. Gear Running Store is much closer to home, and I also am a fan of this store, though it's definitely a bit smaller with less selection, But indeed, they did carry the knuckle lights! I'm excited to try them out on a morning run next week to see how they compare to my headlamp. Hopefully they won't lead to as much negative backlash as the headlamp did (in this post)!