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The Little Jogger

  By an exercise-loving Registered Dietitian

Running Favorites: The Clothing

4/4/2016

3 Comments

 
Happy April! Running season has officially kicked off in Chicago with the Shamrock Shuffle  on Sunday. I was thinking about registering for it late last year, but then I pulled my lower back and didn't want to stress myself out physically and mentally with training for a race in early 2016. In retrospect, I could have done it!

I'm starting the week off with a post about my favorite running clothes. I was planning a post on this last week, but I got too wordy talking about my six-mile run.  Without further ado, here are some of my most coveted wearable jogging possessions. 
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Favorite running capri: the Relay Capri by Athleta. These capris are comfortable and breathable and hold up pretty well for all of the wearing and washing I've done since acquiring them in January 2015. Like many of the nicer capris and leggings, these have an inner (invisible) drawstring that makes it easy to tighten your pants if they feel loose (or if you're wearing them to Pilates or yoga and don't want them to slide too low at inappropriate times). Another one of my favorite features of these capris is the back zipper pocket that makes it easy to stash my keys when I'm out for a fun. I have them in black, but I really like the purple too!


​Photo source

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Honorable mention: the Fabletics Salar Capri. I like having a Fabletics membership for a bunch of different reasons, but the Salar Capri is one of my favorites. They're $45 (and select colors go on sale), which is not bad for a well-made capri. They come in a bunch of different prints. I currently have three. They fit well and are flattering. I never expected these pants to hold up during a long run, but they've been extremely comfortable for my previous six and seven-mile runs. Granted, I'm not sure if I'd want to wear them on a hot summer day. They seem to be suitable for cooler spring/fall runs. They're also cute enough to wear while running errands, too. I'm a big fan. 



Photo source

Favorite running socks: Balega and Feetures. The first sock picture is of my foot in a Balega Second Skin sock. I have one pair of the Hidden Comfort socks (second photo) and one pair of the Second Skin Ultralight No Show socks. I want to get 100 more pairs of the Hidden Comfort socks because they're lightweight but make your feet feel like they have several extra layers of padding. The Second Skin sock, as you can probably guess, is thinner and hugs your foot more tightly than the Hidden Comfort. Both socks have a heel tab that prevents the sock from migrating down into the the running shoe and have mesh panels for ventilation.

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I also have two pairs of the Feetures Elite Light Cushion No-Show Tab socks. These socks are anatomically correct, meaning that there actually is a Left sock and a Right sock. Per the website, this is for maximum comfort and decreasing incidence of blisters (and I have never had a blister while wearing these!). They also have sweat wicking technology. Like the Balega Second Skin socks, they hug my feet and keep them snug and dry on longer runs. 

Balega photo source
Feetures photo source 
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Favorite running shoes: Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 32. I've been running in the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus shoes for a while now. They're comfortable and leave me blister-free. A visit to a podiatrist last spring confirmed that I do indeed have flat feet (I've been told that I have flat feet AND high arches in the past, so it was nice to have a doctor set the record straight). While my arches appear to be high, they collapse when I put weight on them. I need good support in addition to my shoe, so I get custom-made insoles at the Road Runner Sports stores. This was a much-welcomed alternative to spending $500 on a custom-made pair of insoles through the podiatrist (which my insurance wouldn't cover), and they work wonders. They have significantly decreased my foot cramps that I used to get when running. They're definitely worth it for me!

​Photo source

Favorite Running Bras: Moving Comfort Rebound Racer (left) and Moving Comfort Juno (right). For larger-chested ladies, having a supportive bra is non-negotiable. As somebody who once needed to wear two bras for adequate stability, I can say with full confidence that only one bra is required when wearing these. They're also relatively reasonably-priced, come in fun patterns, and have the racerback for the no-show effect (depending on what kind of shirt you're wearing). I love these bras and so far have not been able to find anything that I like better. 
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​Photo source Rebound Racer

Photo source Juno
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Running Recap

I did my seven-mile run on Friday. My average pace was a 9.38-minute mile, and I was tired for a lot of it. Ugh. I'll do my eight-mile run this coming weekend, and then I'll be in uncharted territory after that. My goal is to go at a comfortable pace and to not obsess about speed. There will be good runs and bad runs, and only ugly things will happen if I push myself too hard. 

I also signed up to run for a charity! I'll reveal more on that later once I set up my fundraising page. The charity will be a no-brainer if you know me well! 

Total miles run last week: ​10 (3 on treadmill, 7 outside)
Aches and pains: None while running. Lower back is achy. 
Goals for next week: Do yoga stretches for back (I did it twice last week) and stop obsessing over my speed!

Until next time!
3 Comments
Barb
4/4/2016 07:48:40 am

Love these suggestions! I wear Features socks, but may try the Balega now! Some of the best marathon runners I know wear them and love them.

And, yes, stop obsessing about your speed! You should train slower and then once you're in a race, you can run faster. Take care of your back!

Reply
Jen
4/6/2016 10:19:57 am

The Balega socks are great! I'll do my best to stop obsessing. It's all about finishing!

Reply
143Records link
4/26/2021 11:28:09 pm

This was lovely too read

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    ABOUT jennifer Martin, MS, RD, LDN

    I am  a Chicago-based Registered Dietitian working primarily in Acute Clinical Care. I started this blog in 2010, before I even knew that I wanted to be an RD! Now, as an active dietitian, this blog will become part of my life again. Read about my current healthy habits, but please peruse my old posts (from 2014 and before) to read about life as an RD student and my previous years in Australia!


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