Affordable Bottoms - Gear Review

One day I am going to have a closet full of lululemon outfits, including the accessories like this Scuba Hoodie II, which, in my opinion, is the most unnecessary item you could spend $108 on while at lululemon. It's unclear why I feel such animosity towards the Scuba Hoodie II, but I do and I have since its original incarnation as the Scuba Hoodie. Until that day, I like to peruse more affordable stores to stock my fitness drawers (plural).

Because nothing says, "I am a fitness badass," like a floral jacket with a stylized A* on it.

source

*That's really what the logo is. I can't make this shit up.

I realize this post is a lot of lululemon bashing, but I actually do love most of their clothing, and now I'm ready to actually review two pieces of apparel I have recently purchased.

Casual Jog to Walmart

Greetings from Centerville, Iowa! Right now I'm at a Super 8 for the night on a small road trip down to Missouri and back. This morning I was in Independence, Iowa, where my grandma lives, and where my amazing friend Jacqie will be getting married this weekend. Eeek!

Anyway, since I have a bridesmaid dress to fit into this weekend, I went for a casual run around town. My knee was killing me on my flight yesterday and I swear it felt like it was trying to get out of my leg by any means necessary. Thankfully I was able to keep a nice consistent pace going today for my 3.52 mile excursion.

I recently went to the Champion store at the Tanger Outlets and picked up some sick new gear. I wore these fitted bike shorts, performance tank, and sports bra today for a test run and I love them.

These shorts are great because they are on the longer side and they stay where they are. I hate when my shorts ride up my ass making me look like a hoochie mama and then I spend the entire run picking a wedgie. I think these are perfect for my 50 mile bike ride next month.

The fushia sports bra is the same C9 by Champion sports bra I always wear but in a better color. The tank is performance material and the back is mesh. I am a big fan but I think it could stay in place a bit better. I'm also rocking a sick pinot grigio gut so that might have something to do with it. On a side note, my mother says I am looking slimmer these days.

I ran from my grandma's house to the Walmart, cut through the parking lot, and then ran down the highway and back through town. I'm okay with my pace for each mile because I was really just trying to shake my legs out.

I saw this couple on the way to Wally World. One day I hope I have someone who will walk along my Jazzy. Although, to be honest, I'll probably be running circles around the Jazzy, but I hope to have someone who will scoot along beside me. Taking applications at inshapeoutofmind@gmail.com.

#truelove

I was greeted at the back door my the little cat. His name is Alex and he's actually huge, but his brother Alvin is even bigger, which is why we call him the little one.

I was gross anyway so I hung out on the porch to dry off.

sweaty on the back porch

Do these pictures look out of focus to anyone else? I'm wondering if the new version of Blogger for iPhone screwed around with the pixels. Let me know.

Zumba with Coco

This morning I headed back over to MC Dance Fitness for Zumba with Coco. I love Coco, I love her classes, and I love her style. I was experiencing some serious envy over her DC Shoes today. I wasn't able to find the exact pair on the DC Shoes website, but I am a fan of most of their high top shoes.

I wore a pair of Under Armour black pants, my neon yellow C9 for Champion sports bra, and a hot pink tank top I found in the closet in the guest bedroom. My green K-Swiss tubes and a hunting camouflage pullover completed my own Zumba look. I prefer Coco's.

quick pic in the only full-length mirror left in my parents' house

I haven't gotten any better at Zumba but I still like it and it's a great workout. You burn an average of 750 calories per class and now Zumba is running the Great Calorie Drive to help combat world hunger. When you check in at a Zumba class, $0.14 is donated. I know this seems like a low amount, but with all the crazed Zumba fans out there, I don't doubt they will reach the $1 million mark.

Learn more about this Great Calorie Drive and get the app.

check in using the Zumba app

Just an awkward group shot of my fellow Zumba classmates and me before we got our dance on.

50K Style Guide

What do you wear for a 50K?

If you lose a bet, like Keith Straw, you wear the most beautiful running outfit in the world.

Keith was a good sport and let everyone who asked take photo, including me and my mother.

It snowed the night before the race. This is my car 10 minutes before I left for the course.

The weather has been colder each year I have run the Caumsett. I ran the 25K in 2011 in shorts and a tank top in the pouring rain. I ran the 50K in 2012 in the same black shorts with a tank top and a red pullover. This year I wore capris by Yoga Bella (I never run in capris), a C9 by Champion for Target tank with built-in sports bra, and the red C9 by Champion for Target pullover.

oh hey, it's just after 6 AM on a Sunday

I also busted out a fresh pair of Knockarounds. I buy the red, white, and blue pairs in bulk because I love them and I love America. Many people I meet also love them, so if I'm wearing an older pair, I'll just give them the ones I have on me.

I love me some good color-coordination so I made sure to wear my red Brooks Adrenaline 11s. I ran the 50K in these last year so I figured I couldn't go wrong in the same shoes.

courtesy of GLIRC. All Rights Reserved.

I'm blaming this photo on an unflattering angle. It never got warm enough for me to take off my red pullover, so my patriotism wasn't obvious to everyone. I wore my Brooks gloves for most of the race and frequently lamented that the neon yellow detracted from my overall outfit.

Caring For Your Clothing

Alyssa recommended that I write a post on how to care for your high-end workout apparel because apparently she didn't know how to care for hers. We were in the sauna testing our shared ability to withstand high temperatures when she complained to me that her Athleta pants were pilling. I asked if she had put them in the dryer and when she told me that she had, I began to feel a little faint and it had nothing to do with the sauna. You don't put your fancy pants in the dryer. Period.

I separate my workout clothing into two camps - expensive stuff that needs to be babied and intelligently made items that can be tossed in the wash like anything else. If you only have enough laundry for one load, you can treat the normal stuff with tender loving care, but not vice versa.

Speaking of camps, what the hell was going on between Brandi and Adrienne last night on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?

Make sure that you never wash something new, especially something new and black/navy/red, with the rest of your clothing. Do you want your $64 light grey, exceptionally flattering Back On Track Tank covered tinged with colored splotches? Wash that stuff with your real sweats and make sure the colors don't run.

I wash my laundry in cold water. I prefer to use Woolite on my workout gear and run it through the delicate cycle. I think that's the best way to keep these items safe. However, if Woolite is unavailable or I am washing all my C9 by Champion for Target gear and a bunch of leggings, I will use Tide in the regular cycle. Do not use fabric softener.

DO NOT go near the dryer until you sort your clothes.

Take everything lululemon and put it aside. Take anything that has tech in the name and put it aside. Take anything that has odor-blocking technology and put it aside. You should only have leggings, your middle-end sports bras and shorts, and maybe your Under Armour depending on how old it is and how long you've been abusing it. These items can be put in the dryer with or without a dryer sheet.

The remaining items should be hung up or laid flat to dry. If you would like to expedite this process, you can set the dryer to air dry or fluff but never ever use fabric softener or dryer sheets as these will break down tech materials and the treatment used to make odor-blocking fabric.

Scotland 10K

Saturday was the Scotland 10K. I woke up, I got dressed, drastically miscalculated the weather, and headed for the M79.

Don't talk to me. I'm jamming to One Direction.

I ate a peanut butter and honey on Ezekiel 4:9 toast sandwich on the way. My coffee machine is broken, yes broken!, so I had to do without before the race.

I took the bus over to Central Park West, couldn't figure out why I couldn't see any runners, and then started calling the Professor. Oh wait, we're not starting in the middle of the street like in the Mini 10K? You're in the park? By 59th Street? And I'm on 79th? Yeah, I love starting a race with a nice sprint to the starting line.

I knew I'd be cold on the way to the race, so I wore the Professor's Ted Corbitt 15K long-sleeved shirt. He didn't run it, so he couldn't have it, and I've been wearing it around my apartment as a shress (shirt + dress = shress) since I picked it up from NYRR. I figured I could drop it at the beginning of the race and not care about it because I have my own that fits. I got one block away from my apartment when I realized I should've worn a long-sleeved tech shirt. It was too late to turn back, but in the end I was fine. I made myself run faster to warm up.

"Take a Xanax." Thought about it...

While I didn't PR, I ran a solid 48:13, which comes out to 7:46 minute miles. I didn't try to weave (for once) and I'm not sure how that affected my time. The hills were harder than I remember. T and I run clockwise around the loop from time to time, but we don't do it very fast. I always run counterclockwise if I'm by myself. The Harlem Hills feel so much worse when running clockwise but at least you get to avoid ascending Cat Hill.

This hill could have been more pleasant.

I ran this race with music. I used to feel very strongly against this, but lately I have needed a little pep in my step. I don't feel that competitive (maybe because there's absolutely no little chance I'll win an NYRR race?) and I listening to Cut Copy makes me feel badass and floaty. Yeah, I can't really describe how Cut Copy equals badass and floaty, but it does.

As a Choate and Trinity graduate, I am a big fan of this bib's color scheme.

I pushed myself but not that hard. I kept thinking that I should have slept more, gone out less, and avoided the five beers I had had the night before. My quads were screaming from kettle bell class but I was trucking along. I spent 48 minutes and 13 seconds thinking about sex. Really great sex. The kind of sex that moves your furniture and annoys your neighbors. There were times when I was running sub 6:30s but I had a smile on my face because I had Cut Copy and my dirty imagination.

I'll be honest, I'm super jealous of the Ridiculously Photogenic Guy and all that smiling was a ploy to get myself a sick NYRR photo. I was also very happy though.

I finished the race, made sure the Professor hadn't beaten me, and then went in search of Gatorade. I found my friend from work. I couldn't find the Professor with a cell phone, GPS, and a few identifying landmarks, but I was able to find my work friend. Then we both found my old boss. Ed reformers - it's like we're drawn together by some magnetic force field that we can't escape if we tried.

I wore my C9 by Champion for Target shorts in neon yellow with the matching sports bra, neon yellow Hidden Comfort Balega socks, a Brooks Equilibrium Racer Back tank, and my old blue Adrenaline 11s. I really wish I had white sneakers with neon yellow accents. Hint hint.

Fighting the February Funk

I tend to get in a February funk each year, characterized by spending long periods of time in bed, bad food choices, and drinking too much. Surprisingly this has nothing to do with Valentine's Day, and yet it tends to overlap. After sleeping 2.5 days and chasing Cheerios with prosciutto, sopresetta, and Swiss sandwiches, I signed up for Tripp Doherty's Monday night spin class. (I actually planned ahead for this and brought my cycling shoes home for the weekend.)

Target capris and a high school gym shirt miraculously disguise my binge eating.
I got that shirt for calling alumni during the Choate/Deerfield Challenge. Choate won obviously.

Tripp's classes make me feel alive, that I am confident and capable. I feel up for the challenge and can get out of my head for a while. Sometimes his classes allow me to tap into my emotions. I have trouble expressing emotions that aren't anger (those I express quite nicely since I started practicing what I preach about non-violence conflict resolution) and I tend to stay quiet until those emotions turn to anger.

There I am on bike #1, in front of the entire room like the egoist that I am.
Maybe I should have used the flash?

Tripp's class was a feel good class, but I didn't experience any emotional breakthroughs. That's why I signed up for Tuesday's 9:45 AM class. Maybe there will be some tears this time.

It's difficult to cycle and take pictures in the dark at the same time.
It was so hot in there that I had to ditch the shirt. It's a safe space
to bare your love handles.

Valentine's Day 5K

Last year I signed up for the Valentine's Day 5K in Prospect Park, but I had had a crappy weekend, flipping out about some boy (this seems to be a trend, no?) and my running buddy Palindrome ditched me because his foot hurt. Really? Your foot hurts? You're a runner. Most runners have feet that hurt. I sent an email to the race organizer, Mike, and being the great guy that he is, Mike said I could run this year instead.

I went to my parents' house for the weekend (doesn't that sound so much more grown-up than saying my house?) and decided it was best to drive to the race. I worked in Brooklyn for two years, and there is no excuse for how I managed to miss all the exits I did yesterday, adding thirty minutes to my trip. My GPS just hates Brooklyn. We don't have problems anywhere else, but the minute we get over the Jackie Robinson, she's adding distance, removing streets, and claiming all other sorts of nonsense. I managed to get my bib from PS 154 before the race began and I found parking right next to the park's entrance.

I decided to finally take my red Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11s out of the box. The Adrenaline GTS 11s went on sale last month and I snapped these pretty babies up. I was saving them for my birthday, but then realistically assessed the situation and decided I couldn't wait that long. I want to wear them for the Caumsett 50K, but I couldn't resist wearing red shoes for a Valentine's Day run.

I love brand new white shoe laces.

I obviously made my mother take a picture of me.

I wore black matty m leggings, my red C9 by Champion for Target pullover, white Old Navy athletic socks (3.1 miles didn't warrant ruining my outfit with day-glo Balega socks), my patriotic Knockaround sunglasses, and an awesome faux-fur headband. I had planned on wearing my bright yellow Brooks gloves but I decided I didn't need them and left them in the car. Poor decision.

Female finishers received red carnations at the finish line.

We all lined up for the race somewhere between the entrance closest to 10th Avenue and Center Drive. I do not understand Prospect Park and I spent four and a half hours running around it. It confuses me, the landmarks look all the same, and I wouldn't be able to find you if without a compass and a map. I thought I had placed myself up towards the front, but the race volunteers asked everyone to get in the rec lane and suddenly I found many more people up ahead of me. I surged forward at the start and found that I was running something like 4:37 miles. Obviously not sustainable, but it got me out of that crowd. I reined it back in and finished my first mile in 6:37*. (These times are subject to change. My Garmin is on my kitchen table and I am at work, so I am writing this from memory.)

Leaving the park after the race.

I was feeling pretty great heading into the second mile. The second mile is the never-ending hill that the Professor and I battled over and over and over and over again during the Brooklyn Marathon. It's not that steep, you don't even really notice it at first, but it just keeps coming at you. I kept telling my legs to speed up, but my mind had my body trapped in marathon mode. I was able to run at 6:58 pace a few times, but I also kept stalling out at 8 somethings. I think I completed mile 2 in 8:02 (need Garmin verification.)

I am a big fan of the t-shirts.

The last mile remind me of mile 20 of the marathon. It was either run it and shut up or cry and go home. I started chanting beast in an even more beastly voice than usual. My real-life friends can attest to how years of smoking, chanting, and chugging has given me a deep and sometimes sexy voice. It's usually strongly disliked by children and high-strung women, but it has given me a fall-back career in the adult phone industry.

I came in at 22:40 according to the Garmin. The course was exactly 3.1 miles. I like consistency between my wrist and the race officials, so I am looking forward to when the official results are released.

I had to work after the race, so I didn't return to the school for celebratory cups of hot cocoa. Instead I drove into Manhattan to drop off my clean clothing (thanks Mom!) and pick up my FWF (favorite work friend) before heading back to Brooklyn. We were site leaders for administering a survey on Universal Pre-K in Bed Stuy. When I am not running drunk, I care deeply about ed reform. I am multi-faceted. FWF shared her new ginger treats with me after we each inhaled a #13 while we waited at McDonald's for our volunteers to check back in. They're really tasty and would probably have killed me appetite if I wasn't already stuffed from chicken mcnuggets and fries.

Whatever Happened to Clearly Canadian?

Today I went to the Great Neck Equinox for Coco's Cardio Kickbox and Zumba classes. Awesome workouts as always. Highlights included a woman telling me I am in amazing shape (booyah!) and dancing the Macarena. Who doesn't love a 90s flashback?

Crazy Hat Day 1996

I was pretty impressed with my outfit today: neon yellow C9 by Champion shorts and sports bra (the bra was free!), a grey Mossimo tank, and my bright green K-Swiss Micro Tubes.

I seriously struggle with self-timer pictures.

Now finally to the purpose of this post: what the hell happened to Clearly Canadian? That drink was the sh*t. I remember coming home after school and drinking an entire bottle of bubbly, berry goodness while doing my homework. It came in a glass bottle and the top made a horrible screeching sound every time you tried to close it.

While Clearly Canadian has been MIA, I have found Clear American at Wal-Mart. It's not only delicious, it's less than a dollar for a liter! Like, WTF? This proves that Americans produce products of equal value for better prices. (It's probably made in Taiwan.)

Key Lime is my favorite flavor.

This used to be a treat for me when I visited the Wal-Mart in Iowa, until I realized yesterday that we too have Wal-Mart in New York. I bought myself a bottle of Raspberry Apple and could barely contain my excitement while I waited for it to get cold in the back of the best friend's Jeep.

To learn all of the flavors go to Clear American's website.

Cycling with Tripp

I was incredibly psyched to score a bike for Tripp Doherty's 9:45 AM studio cycling class at Roslyn. Working out with Tripp is incredible because he motivates you to push yourself past your comfort zone, and even past anything you can imagine you can do. With anyone else I'm tired after thirty minutes of spinning, but with Tripp I can find the energy to sprint at 8 out of 10 throughout the hour.

I love Tripp's classes because he creates a room where everyone is working towards being better and stronger. Today Tripp told us about a classmate (he didn't name him/her) who had heard about how people were paying off Target lay-aways for strangers and decided to do the same. Anonymous acts of kindness get to me, and I think that paying for a stranger's Christmas gifts without asking for recognition is testament to the goodness of people.

Tripp also questioned why we don't get to know the people around us. He took the time to share things he knew about the people in the class and asked others to share things about themselves. Tripp even identified two cyclers as neighbors. I tend to like the anonymity of living in a large city, but Tripp makes a good point about the people we see regularly but never really get to know.

Cute capris, not cute photo.

I wore my C9 by Champion for Target capri pants to Tripp's class. I got these pants at the C9 by Champion for Target event at Flywheel for free. I can't figure out which pair they are from the Target website, but if/when I do, I'll let you know. These capris are flattering (even if this picture doesn't do them justice) and they fit nicely. The have a drawstring at the waist but I never tie it. I normally cannot stand to wear pants when working out indoors, but I have gone spinning twice in these and they are unobtrusive.

I downloaded this photo app for my phone called 7.0 MPX because I wanted a timer for my camera. I think these pictures came out badly. Do they look as crappy on your computer as they do on mine? I was also running late and couldn't figure out a good surface to prop up my phone. That's how much I wanted you to see my capri pants. I made myself late for class and posted unflattering photos of myself on the Internet.

I ran a bunch of errands today, including the grocery store. Stop and Shop is having a sale on frozen, steam-in-the-bag edamame. I popped a bag in the microwave and then seasoned them with Goya vegetable seasoning. Awesome afternoon snack.

How does this picture look to you?

I used to bring Goya in my bag with my everywhere. I lived in a dorm for seven years of my life - lots of access to salad bars. This delicious yellow seasoning can be found in most supermarkets now. I highly recommend you get some for yourself.

C9's Hooded Soft Shell Jacket

C9 by Champion for Target gave me some awesome gear when I attended their event at Flywheel on December 13th. This hooded soft shell jacket is one of them.

This is a picture of the hooded soft shell jacket from the Target.com website

I worked from home today (hello pajamas!) but needed to put on some real clothing to take Cookie for a walk over to New York Road Runners. Packet pick-up for Saturday races is a killer. It wasn't a problem when I was teaching, but now the 1 - 7 PM window is cramping my work style. I try to wear workout gear when I walk Cookie because she likes to run, but choosing the right hear to stay warm can be tough. One minute I'm sweating while running down the street and the next I'm shivering while she's introducing herself to a new dog. She has fur, but I have C9.

I like the hood.

I wasn't sure what to make of this jacket at first but now I really like it. It's made of a thick material that holds its shape, but it's not too big or boxy. The hood adequately covers my head and stays in place, which is important if you're going to be running, jogging, or chasing after a pit pull puppy in it. When the jacket is completely zippered, it is fastened securely under your neck to keep out the cold. I don't really like things that high up on my neck, but I'd appreciate it in really cold weather. The only things I would change about this jacket are the pockets. They are a convenient, rounded shape located at the midsection but without zippers or snaps, I wouldn't trust leaving valuables in them.

Does anyone know if there's a timer function
for the camera on the iPhone?

I wasn't sure if it was going to be able to keep me warm so I layered a long-sleeved and short-sleeved shirt underneath it. I wasn't chilly and would probably drop a layer if I were running or cycling in it.

Yeah. We let her in my bed.

At $33, this jacket is both attractive and affordable. I think it's more suitable for traveling to and from the gym, but others might enjoying running in it. Get yours here.

C9 by Champion for Target gave me this hooded soft shell jacket. They did not ask for anything in return. All the opinions in this post are mine. It's no secret I like C9 by Champion for Target apparel. 

C9 by Champion for Target Flywheel Event

A few weeks ago, Katie from the marketing and public relations firm Missy Farren and Associates, Ltd., contacted me about attending a C9 by Champion for Target event at Flywheel. My post about C9 by Champion for Target shorts had set off a Google alert and she found In Shape Out of Mind and my obsession with all things C9 (except for that one pair of pants.)

the invitation

This event was free to attend (Flywheel spin classes are normally $30) and we all received free C9 by Champion for Target apparel. As my sister says, "What's better than ice cream? FREE ice cream!" I immediately rearranged my work schedule to make sure I could attend the 2 - 4 PM event.

I snuck out left the office and headed over to Flywheel Sports Flatiron. I met Katie at the door and she handed me a big white shopping bag filled with C9 by Champion for Target gear. I felt like it was my birthday. No really. Most of my birthday gifts were C9 by Champion for Target items.

I went to get changed into my new workout gear. I chose a pair of black capri pants and the Cosmo Pink cardio tank with inner bra. I never wear pants to spin class but I have to admit that these worked out pretty well. I didn't feel trapped or overly sweaty. I am a huge fan of C9's cardio tank with inner bra. I wore my blue one during the 18 Mile Tune-Up.

The tank is no longer available but this one is similar.

The Flywheel class was a lot of fun. I've never been there before, but the space was really clean and the staff was really helpful. We spent most of the forty-five minutes spinning, but we did a short arm workout with these bars that are stashed on the sides of the bike. The arm workout was ridiculously hard (maybe because I was already tired?) and you're supposed to continue spinning while you do it. I'm not going to quit Equinox to start going, but I enjoyed incorporating arms into my cardio. Flywheel has these flatscreens called the Torq Board and everyone's bike appears on it. It's supposed to help generate friendly competition. For the record, I won.

A lot of cool bloggers attended including Fit Chick in the City and Bari Lieberman, Editor of Vital Juice New York. One, I was a little starstruck (I spend my lunch break reading Fit Chick in the City and I am obsessed with my Vital Juice e-mails) and two, I felt like a small fish in a big pond. In Shape Out of Mind started as a venue for me to tell my workout stories because no one I knew in real life wanted to listen (and yet many of them seem to read...) and these other bloggers manage to get paid to write. No worries. I was psyched to be there anyway.

Group shot post-workout.

C9 by Champion for Target sent along some messaging they would like to share with you:

Whether it’s the perfect gift for fitness enthusiasts this holiday season or making New Year’s resolutions more affordable, C9 by Champion offers quality activewear for men, women and kids – with every item priced less than $50. C9 by Champion, Target’s exclusive fitness and apparel line, offers options that work for a variety of training needs including basketball shorts, seamless sports bras, Power-Core compression shirts and premium yoga pants. The line’s on-trend colors and bright patterns make getting dressed for a workout fun. In addition to the stylish pieces, C9 by Champion incorporates technical features similar to those found in the high-end fitness brands, such as moisture wicking, ventilation, antimicrobial, and Duo-Dry™ technology, but without the high-end price tag.

C9 by Champion for Target invited me to a free spinning class at Flywheel and gave me some supersweet workout gear. They did not require that I write favorable things about the event or their gear. They didn't even require me to write about it. I love C9 by Champion for Target and I recommend it to my readers, my friends, and strangers I meet in the street. Stay tuned for posts reviewing the individual pieces I received. For a preview, take a look at the photos (from Target) below.

I got this awesome shirt in white.

similar shirt available from Champion

C9 by Champion for Target gave me a red one of these pull-overs.

similar pullover available from from Champion

We all know how much I love these shorts.
If someone wants to buy me this pair for Christmas, I would be very happy.

Champion makes printed and two-tone pairs

I was very fortunate to receive this jacket in pink.

similar jacket sans hood available from Champion