Gapster

My take on the new Gap Logo.

Singing and Dancing in the Rain!

I just returned from shopping at Nordstrom.  As I perused the fabulous shoe department (1/4 of the floor at my Nord's), I saw something new.  Smack dab on the aisle was a Hunter Boot display that was made even more colorful with their new boot socks,-- yep, they were specially created to be worn with rain boots.  I live in the Pacific Northwest where we have lots and lots of wet weather and therefore many opportunities to wear rain boots.  We've been wearing rain boots long before they were trendy.  Because Nordsrom didn't have the color (black and white/see below) that I wanted I didn't buy a pair (yet), but I think Hunter has a good idea with this product.

I Can See! I Can See!

Please meet, Mewowza, my brand new Tory Burch Cat Eye prescription sunglasses from Lens Crafters (who is now offering 30%off).  The glamorous tortoise-shell frame and graduated brown lens go perfectly with my copper-colored hair and freckles. I feel like a new person!

Old Movies

Movies inspire me; Morally, visually, style-wise, writing-wise, humor-wise and otherwise.  I've noticed that many of the style/fashion blogs that I follow draw inspiration from old movies.  (I'm a sucker for romantic movies and avoid violent ones, so these are all chick flicks.)

How many of these old movies have you seen?

I Know Where I'm Going; 1945

Summertime 1955

High Society 1956

Love in the Afternoon 1957

Bell Book and Candle 1958

Gigi 1958

Pillow Talk 1959

The Apartment1960

Breakfast at Tiffanys 1961

That Touch of Mink 1962

If A Man Answers 1962

Gypsy 1962

Love With The Proper Stranger 1963

My Fair Lady 1964

The Graduate 1967

Barefoot in the Park 1967

What Makes Me High! (part 5 of 5)

When I first started running (inside, around the track, over and over; round and round), I ran to local radio station music. I noticed that some of the songs matched the rhythm of my foot placement. I wondered if running would be more fun if all the music matched my pace, so, I created a pace-matching music mix. Some music was at a slower pace; some medium; some faster.

My distance increased, my enjoyment increased and my speed increased. Try it - you'll like it!


How to do it

• Make a play list of your favorite songs
• Run a short distance to each song
  
• Note which songs best fit your pace
• Note your perceived pace speed (slow, med or fast)
  

Find Your Beats

• Count the downbeats for 10 or 15 seconds
• Use a free internet app or purchase a smart phone app for counting down beats
• Once you find the downbeat count for your paces you can discover appropriate running songs by counting their downbeats rather than test-running them
• Create play lists to match your running paces
  
• To build up your speed, order your songs so that the first couple are slow; then a medium; then a slow; then a fast; then a slow. It works!
• When you first start running to your pace music do it in this order: slow; slow; medium;slow; slow; medium;slow;slow.
• Start with your slowest perfect pace! Be careful on your first run - running to your perfect pace-tunes can make you run too fast which can cause injury.
  

Cherry On Top

For optimal enjoyment: Quietly sing along or lip sync with your songs. Although, I sing along under my breath quietly, it feels like I'm singing out loud. You can't help but feel great when you run and sing-a-long. Really!

Never has anyone stared or even noticed my singing.

Partial List of My Running Pace Music

• A Thousand Miles / Vanessa Carlton
• Big Yellow Taxi / Counting Crows
• Californication /Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Come Back to Me / David Cook
• Dance, Dance /Fall Out Boy
• Dilemma / Nelly
• Everything You Want / Vertical Horizon
• Fireflies /Owl City
• From Where You Are/ Lifehouse
• Gives You Hell / The All-American Rejects
• Hanging by a Moment / Lifehouse
• Heres to tonight 4:11 Eve six
• I Gotta Feeling / Black Eyed Peas
• I'm with You /Avril Lavigne
• It's Been Awhile / Staind
• Just Dance / Lady GaGa & Colby O'Donis
• Kryptonite / Three Doors Down
• Lullaby 5:32 Soul's Core Shawn Mullins
• Major Tom /Shiny Toy Guns
• My Life Would Suck Without You / Kelly Clarkson
• Pinch Me / Barenaked Ladies
• Right Here / Staind
• Save Tonight / Eagle-Eye Cherry
• Say It Right / Nelly Furtado
• Scar Tissue /Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Shadow of the Day/Linkin Park
• Speed of Sound / Coldplay
• Stop and Stare /OneRepublic
• Such Great Heights / The Postal Service
• The Heart Remains A Child /Everything But The Girl
• The Last Resort /The Eagles
• The Reason / Hoobastank
• Today Was a Fairytale / Taylor Swift
• Unwritten / Natasha Bedingfield
• What Goes Around Comes Around /Justin Timberlake
• What I've Done / Linkin Park
• You Belong With Me / Taylor Swift

What Makes Me High! (Part 4 of 5)

AVOIDING INJURIES: Stretches and Weight Training

Running is easy and so is getting injured while running.

Injuries occur from running too far too soon, running too fast, not resting between runs, falling, and being hit by a car or bike.

• Build up your distance and speed slowly and gradually. Add small increments of distance each week. If you run 2 miles three times a week add distance by increasing one run to 2.5 miles. The next week run 2 miles twice and 3 miles once.
  
  
• Your speed will increase naturally, don't force it. Running downhill is hard on your knees; slow down!
  
  
• Watch where you place your feet. Raised sidewalks, rocks and path/sidewalk depressions are hazards if you don't see them.
  
  
• Stretch AFTER running. When I first started running someone told me to stretch before running. The experts now say to stretch afterward when your muscles are warmed up.
  
  
• Weight training strengthens your muscles and prevents injuries.

More information:

REI: Running Training Tips

The Stretching Institute

Runners' World The 10 Laws of Injury Prevention

Next Blog Post (Part 5 - Music my running secret! & Sing-a-long running!)

What Makes Me High! (Part 3 of 5)

Image from wellnesstaskforce.org

Running clothes have their own form of chic. I live a few miles from Nike (and have run on their campus) so I see a lot of cool people running. Sports apparel companies define their own style. (You won't find polka dot bras or nautical striped running shoes.). But, you can find clothes in fun, stylish colors.

Choose washable, sturdy, clothes that fit well. Think about warmth in cold weather and coolness when it's hot. Even slight discomfort can ruin an otherwise great run.


What to Wear

Your first priorities are comfort and safety. After those needs are met be cute. When I look good, I have a better run. You know how your car runs better when it's clean?

My favorite running attire isn't chic it's functional.

SHOES:

Running shoes are the MOST important components of your running outfit. The ONLY place to buy them is at a running store.Store experts will observe how you run and select shoes that match your feet placements as they hit the ground.

I've worn the same shoe brand for 12 years. My choice: Asics Gel GT 2150 (I'm lusting for a black pair in addition to my white pair). Your running store will suggest how often you should buy new shoes and may suggest that you own two pairs and alternate wearing them.

Asics Gel GT-2150

HATS:

I wear three different styles of running hats: Head covering caps for average weather or misting rain, visors for warm weather, and fuzzy-warm caps for very cold runs.

Nike Daybreak Cap

During long runs I wear this hat (it has a blinking light on the back - and it's washable)
Brooks NightLife Hat.

Visors keep the sun out of your eyes and the hair out of your mouth in warm weather.
Nike Daybreak Visor

Cold weather cap like Outdoor Research Riot Cap
(OK not cool-looking, but you'll be glad you're wearing it.)

BRA

No painful bouncing boobies for me. I wear a very supportive bra that can be worn alone when it's hot.

Nike 'Dedication' Short Sports Top

VEST

I wear this vest over a jacket or a bra. Its mesh ventilation sides make it cool in the summer and its bright color makes me visible when crossing streets or on paths and sidewalks.

Brooks Nightlife Vest

TOP

Wear short dri-fit tops over your bra if you prefer to cover-up a little.

Women's ASICS Favorite Shimmel

JACKET

Choose a full zipper jacket that can be easily removed and tied around your waist when it's warm.

Nike 'Poly Good' Dri-FIT Jacket

BOTTOMS

A perfect outfit is one you never think about while running. Make sure your clothes don't ride up your bottom or slip down your hips.

Women's Ultra 7" Team Compression Short

Nike Tech Capris

Cold weather long pants:
Women's Nike Be Strong Pant

GLOVES

Glove liners worn as gloves will keep your hands warm during cold weather. Store them in your waist pack or your jacket pocket.

The North Face Glove Liners

SOCKS

Hot weather runs are cooler when you wear
WrightSock Running II Low Sock.

In cool weather try
Wright.Sock Double Layer Running Crew sock.

ACCOUTREMENTS

STORAGE PACK

I alternate between two waist storage packs.

The Amphipod AirFlow Lite Waistpack for short runs.
It holds your keys, ID, cash and iPhone.

The REI Lode Waistpack is perfect for long runs.
It holds keys, ID, tissues, cash, sunscreen, lip salve, water bottle, iPhone
and earbuds (just in case my bluetooth headphones die).

SUNGLASSES

Fashion sunglasses may bounce around on your face while running. I use prescription sunglasses that hook behind my ears (so I can read the iPhone if needed.)

Next Post (Part 4: Injuries, Stretches, Weight Training)