The Right Fits in the News and More Winter Running Tips

If you didn't see it on Facebook or twitter, here is the article from the "photo shoot" I hinted about last week. It was published today in the Lifestyle section of the Star Tribune.

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/243013561.html

The author was a really nice guy, who just happened to be my pacer from the Get Ready to Rock 20 miler race two years ago! (Remember that race? Read the recap here)

I also knew one of the other runners from the Surly trail races this summer, and recognized another girl just from running around the lakes! Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs really aren't that small, but sometimes its remarkable just how small our running community is.

It was so nice of the Star Tribune to list my blog in the article. One of the other girls, Caryn Mohr, also has a blog- you can check it out HERE- it's called "Chasing Maslow".

I gave the writer many bits of advice, though he only had room for two of mine to be included. For any new readers to the Right Fits, I did a post about winter running essentials a few weeks ago, but I'll share that list again for you!

WINTER RUNNING ESSENTIALS FROM THE RIGHT FITS:

1. Dress for Success Chart:  Keep this chart handy, runner friends. This helpful chart from Runner's World is definitely one of my winter running essentials. I reference this chart all the time before runs to figure out what to wear.

Dress for Success
Here’s a cheat sheet to help you dress appropriately for your runs, no matter what the thermometer says. This chart factors in the 10-Degree Rule but doesn’t account for a significant windchill. On very windy days, you may need to dress warmer.
TEMP (in degrees)	BASIC APPAREL
above 70	Lightweight/light-colored singlet and shorts
60 to 69	Tank top or singlet and shorts
50 to 59	T-shirt and shorts
40 to 49	Long-sleeve shirt and tights or shorts
30 to 39	Long-sleeve shirt and tights
20 to 29	Two upper-body layers and one lower-body layer
10 to 19	Two upper-body layers and one lower-body layer
0 to 9	Two/three upper-body layers, one/two lower-body layers
below 0	Three upper-body layers, two lower-body layers

2. YakTrax Run I did a full post on the YakTrax Run HERE. Now, if you don't want to pay up for the YakTrax Run, you can try a pair of regular YakTrax, and you'll be alright for a little while. But honestly, the YakTrax Run version will last so much longer. They are designed specifically for running and they can hold up to the wear and tear of cold weather training.  Order a pair today at R.E.I.  HERE

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3. A Great Sports Bra- Well, this running essential applies in both warm or cold weather, but a great sports bra is just as important in the winter, even though it's going to be covered up with multiple layers. You know that I love the Serena bra by Moving Comfort and the Bitty Bracer by Lululemon. Chafing can still happen in the cold temps, so find a bra that fits you!

4. A Wicking Baselayer: There are a lot of great options out there for base layers, so stock up on a bunch. I love my new Long Sleeve Twist Top from Athleta, but the Brooks Heater Hog is definitely a good one, and I've had good luck with the base layers at Lululemon like this one

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5. Warm Socks: When its really cold, I actually wear my snowboarding socks. They're wool and very warm.SmartWool brand is probably one of the best. Find them at REI

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6. A Wind-Stopping Softshell/Jacket- This Craft one looks awesome. One or two really great winter running jackets is all you need. (You probably don't have to wash them every time you run, if you have several wicking base layers underneath.)

7. Warm Running Tights: Again, Craft makes a really good pair, and you can always go down the SportHillroute (though they are somehow the least flattering pants in the world!) Brooks makes a fleece lined pair that is pretty warm as well. Here's a great list by Runner's World of good winter running pants.

8. Quality Running Gloves- I have a pair of Craft gloves that are extremely warm. The two-finger split makes this glove more like a mitten, and my hands stay super cozy in these.

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9. Fleece Neck Warmer: A fleece neck gator (like this one) will really make a difference in your winter running. It will keep your neck and chin warm while also helping to prevent burning lungs.

10. A Warm Hat or Ear Band: I like the ear bands the best, but sometimes you'll need a really warm hat likethis one or this one.

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I also love running hats that have a hole for your pony tail as well, like this one by Saucony:

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11. Lip balm with SPF: The wind and cold can make your kissers pretty chapped. I load up on Aquaphor before a cold run.

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11. Knuckle Lights: Okay, you can get away with a head lamp, but you know I prefer the knuckle lights. (They were Friday's Favorite Fit a few weeks ago!) Knuckle lights are a winter running essential for both the early morning runners and the evening runners, now that our daylight hours are limited.

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12. A Face Mask. Unfortunately, when its really windy and cold, you need to protect your face with more than just some SPF/Moisturizer.  Sexy? Not so much, but unfortunately a face mask is definitely a winter running necessity.

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Now, if you just can't face the cold, there is always the treadmill. But if you purchase the items I have listed above, I think you'll find that winter running isn't so bad after all! It's invigorating! It keeps it interesting! It toughens us up, and that's what makes us real Minnesotans!


Previous posts by the Right Fits about cold weather running:
Fit Fanatic: So Cold
Fitting Debate: Running in Cold vs. Hot Temperatures
Fitting Debate: Running in Cold vs. Hot Temperatures Pt. 2

Fits Do Product Reviews: YakTrax Run 

Fit Fanatic: So Cold....

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Oh, Minneapolis, you can be so cruel...

Weather for Minneapolis, MN

7°F | °C

Sun

Overcast

Wind: W at 8 mph

Humidity: 70%

19°

-4°

Our outdoor thermometer read 0 degrees F when we woke up this morning. I debated whether to go to the gym, or be tough and run outside. The idea of waiting in line for a treadmill, (which is definitely a possibility on a cold Sunday morning), actually sounded worse than the cold. I knew that my gym would be busy and I only wanted to do a short run. The whole process of driving to the gym, etc. just didn't appeal to me. In fact, it sounded more daunting than the single digit temperature.

The D-man and I waited awhile to see if it would warm up a bit. We cleaned the house and did the laundry until about 10:30, when the thermometer read a whopping 2 degrees. 

So we bundled up and headed out the door.

And it wasn't that bad. I actually felt overdressed and was quite sweaty at the end. 

The Right Fit for this temperature?

• Face mask
• Craft running tights- buy them HERE and a pair of Brooks running tights. Double it up!
• Nike Women's Pro Combat Hyperwarm Half-Zip Training Jacket- buy it HERE and an old school Patagonia jacket- Double it up!
• Brooks Adrenaline running shoes
• Craft split finger running gloves- buy them HERE. (I love the split finger gloves; they are more like a mitten, and your hands stay a lot warmer.)

I think I felt so warm because the wind wasn't very strong. The same temperatures with a strong wind would have been dangerous, but with the sun shining and moderate winds, it was actually the right fit for me to close out the weekend.

Failed Fit: The Sleeping Bag Jacket

By Cool J in Minneapolis

This week was pretty mild here in Minneapolis, and I took advantage of it with a lot of running mixed with a variety of classes. It felt like a well balanced week that mixed in different types of activities.

Sunday: Orange Theory Fitness class and Moksha yoga class
Monday: AM run
Tuesday: AM run, Orange Theory Fitness class
Wednesday: Kettlebells at Balance Fitness
Thursday: AM run
Friday: Long run after work!
Saturday: Barre class at Align Pilates, Moksha yoga 90 minutes class

Yes, I did my long run (about 13 miles) yesterday after work. It was nearly 40 degrees yesterday, but the temperature was set to drop overnight. So my running buddy Abby and I switched things up a bit and did our long run on a Friday night. I was very, very glad that we did, as the wind was brutal this morning. The temperature had dropped to about 15 degrees, and all the melted snow and rain from the warm week had frozen overnight into treacherous conditions.

But Friday night was great. We had warm temperatures, and could take advantage of a local community center that was open on our route. We passed it twice and were able to use it as our water spot! With the city fountains turned off for the winter, it's nice to have a little hydration for a longer run.

{Thanks Minneapolis Park & Rec!}

The trails were mostly clear of any ice, and other than some wet shoes from a few puddles, it was a lovely run. Thanks Abby!

So this morning, I didn't have to get up and face the brutal temps. Instead, I got in my daily sweat via barre and yoga.

After barre and yoga, Matilda, Dusters, and I headed to a dog park for some more running around, but it didn't last long. That melted snow that froze overnight turned Tilda's favorite dogpark into a dirty ice skating rink. Though Tilda still sprinted around like it was no big deal, I worried that she might break one of her long deer legs.

{picture from the cabin on Christmas}

And it was at this dirty ice skating rink that I committed a personal failed fit.

The sleeping bag jacket.

My version isn't quite as much a true sleeping bag jacket like the above. But close enough!.

I don't think the sleeping bag jacket is  flattering on anyone. Boxy. Puffy. An instant 10 pound weight gain.

The sleeping bag jacket is not the right fit for someone like me with broad shoulders and an athletic build.

I mean, it could be anyone in there.

Male, female..who knows?

It might not even be human!

The sleeping bag jacket. 

Failed Fit for sure...

But in Minnesota in January, it was the functional fit that I needed.

Fit Fanatic: Christmas Morning Run!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Christmas was almost a week ago, so this is definitely a little belated. However, I just had to post about our fit fanatic run on Christmas Day!

Running on Christmas morning is a bit non-traditional in itself, but the 0F degree raw temperature and frigid winds made it even more of a fit fanatic event.

Five hardy souls joined together on this frigid Christmas morn. 

{Apologies for the blurry picture; my iphone screen froze during the run! It was that cold...}

We only covered about 7 miles, but it felt much longer. Our frozen cheeks and red noses were ready for a post-run warm-up, and Abby's husband provided the right fits in food for Christmas morning brunching!

{plenty of Christmas cookies}

{scrumptious lattes topped with cinnamon}

{The D-man doing the honors with some champagne for mimosas}

There were also cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon, and toast. Such a lovely treat!

Running on such a cold day almost seemed dangerous. I think I'm pretty tough, but those temperatures were close to my lower limits, and the wind made frostbite an actual possibility. It seemed kind of hard on the body...but we weren't the only ones out there that morning. There were plenty of other runners, and they all smiled and wished us Merry Christmas!

And despite the cold, it still felt great afterwards! I was glad we did it, and it was special to spend Christmas morning with such good friends, doing what we love to do...RUN!

Merry belated Christmas everyone!

Fit Fanatic: Winter Running at the Cabin

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Happy holidays readers! We're back home after a weekend "up north" celebrating Christmas with my husband's side of the family.

I've written about the cabin many times, but it's usually been in the summer (read about it HERE, HERE HERE, and HERE) but there's lots of activities to do in the winter as well, such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding, and of course...running!

I did my "long" run up at the cabin, which was only 10 miles but a challenging 10 miles.

The temperature? About 10 degrees. My eyelashes were frozen by the end. The hills, cold temperatures, and icy roads made it a tough run. I was prepared though, with the right gear!

GEAR:

• Facemask
• Craft running tights- buy them HERE
• Nike Women's Pro Combat Hyperwarm Half-Zip Training Jacket- buy it HERE
• Brooks Adrenaline running shoes
• Yak-traks!
• Two Nike dri-fit layers under the jacket
• Craft split finger running gloves- buy them HERE. I love the split finger gloves; they are more like a mitten, and your hands stay a lot warmer.

{Off I go, over the river and through the woods!}

It was a little too cold for Matilda to join me on my run..(well she joined me for about 2 miles, but she kept picking up her paws as though the salty icy roads were stinging her too much, so I felt bad for bringing her along). 

She preferred to stay close to the yummy treats her grandma gave her...they look like cookies for people to eat, right? But no, they were for the dogs!

The treats were from Sophie's Dog Bakery in Hayward, Wisconsin. They are all-natural and all-homemade! Matilda definitley loved them.

{More treats please!} 

Matilda preferred to run as fast as she could across the frozen lake. 

She always prefers to be off-leash running versus on-leash running with us...And I don't blame her. Off-leash, she can go as fast as she wants. She doesn't have to wait up for the slow-pokes!

There wasn't enough snow to really need the snowshoes, and we didn't have enough time to go cross country skiing. However, we burned plenty of calories doing some runs, and then chasing Matilda around the lake. Cross country skiing will have to wait for the next visit!

 {Beautiful frozen lake}

Failed Fit: Sometimes Running Sucks...

By Cool J

I will admit that I often put a positive spin on most of my posts. I try to keep the negativity off the internet, and instead use this as a venue to try to motivate, share my experiences, and learn from others' experiences!

I bet you think I always love running. And that my running club is perfect! And that I think I live in the best city ever, (or at least the best city in the Midwest.) And most of the time, I really do like to run, and most of the time, I really do love my running club. And my city.

But honestly? Sometimes running sucks. Sometimes living in Minneapolis sucks.

And last night was one of those nights.

We have been pretty spoiled here in Minneapolis, with a very mild fall, and a very mild start to the winter. But that all changed on Sunday, when snowstorm Chelsea poured its heart out on top of us.

Sure, the snow is pretty.
Sure, it's fun to snowshoe through the dog park with your fun-loving sister...

 And snowshoeing is a great calorie burn. 

Read last year's post about it HERE

But after Sunday's storm, the temperature dropped to about 5 degrees. All that wet, pretty snow? Well, it froze overnight. 

The trails around the lakes were plowed, but even plowed, they were still crazy slick. And I didn't plan ahead and bring my yak-traks.  Instead, I arrived at run club after a stressful day at the office. I even ended the work day by slipping in the parking lot and falling hard on my butt, spilling my red Kate Spade purse and getting it covered in salty mushy snow...boo...

{Poor purse before it hit the snow...}

This purse had a rough day...and I love this purse! It was a birthday gift from my 4 lovely sisters.

So, after the rough end to the day, I was in quite the grumpy mood when I arrived at the club. There were very few people there, and no one at my pace, which meant I would be running alone in the crazy cold and dark. Even with my head lamp, and even with the trails mostly plowed, it was a brutal, uncomfortable run.

• It was four degrees. Enough said.
• The paths were really slippery.
• My face mask was frozen by the end.
• I borrowed Dusters' nano (god bless him), and I guess it was stuck on repeat. I did start to wonder if that Phish jam session was going on even longer than necessary...
• The trails may have been plowed, but the trail to the trails were not plowed, which meant cold snow in the Brooks running shoes.
• I was going seriously slow. Snail slow. I'm not sure if it even counted as cardio.

Well, enough negativity. 

Point is- everyone has a bad run, and last night was definitely mine. I decided to hit the treadmill this morning instead of suffering through the -4 degree forecast, and it was actually a nice reprieve.

Treadmill workout: 1 mile warm-up, then a reverse pyramid: 5 min. fast, 2.5 min.slow, 4 min.fast, 2 min. slow, 3 min.fast, 1.5 min.slow, 2 min. fast, 1 min.slow, 1 min. fast as I could- then a cooldown.

{Matilda enjoying the snow. She doesn't know any better!}

Even though the run was tough, I did feel less stressed afterwards. Ah, the power of running....

Throwing a Fit: Purple Wool Coat

By: LL
As I watched my Midwestern friends "enjoy" their first snowfall of the season, I began making a mental checklist of the winter weather items that I will need to pack for the holidays when I return to the frozen tundra - otherwise known as Wisconsin. As duly noted here, here and here, I have a thing for scarves, so I have plenty of those to pack, as well as cute gloves, hats, boots, and sweaters. However, I noted that my winter coat selection has dwindled since moving below the Mason-Dixon line. Yes, I did buy an awesome gray, mid-length wool coat last season, with one of those fun cowl-esque collars. But, truth be told, after wandering around a park to see a Christmas light show last year in sub-10 degree weather, no matter how cute the coat is, it is not warm enough. So, I am setting out on a mission to find a wool coat that is both stylish, classic, and functional in the Midwestern winter.

After looking around, and being inspired by this awesome J.Crew plum wool coat that Cool J has, I am now throwing a fit for a new wool coat in a warm shade of purple, like these:

J.Crew Double Cloth Metro Coat 

(available with/without Thinsulate)

TopShop

(50% wool 50% polyester)

Soia & Kyo Double Breasted Ines Wool Coat

(Heavy Wool/Cashmere Blend)



I love the purples because they are a departure from the neutrals that I currently have, yet are almost a neutral in that they go with so many colors. Here's hoping that I find something in time for my trip back! It is just so hard to go coat shopping when the local weather is not cold - it seems foolish!