What Not to Wear

Like most things in life, there's a trick to running and it doesn't have anything to do with athleticism or even stamina. No kidding.

It has everything to do with preparation. And, I'm not talking about the training, which, believe me, is important.

And, maybe at 50 I'm a little old and a little too fat to be training for my very first marathon. But, like I always tell my kids when I'm quoting George Eliot the English novelist (1819 - 1880), "It's never too late to become what you might have been", I'm taking the Nike motto to heart. I'm "just do(ing) it". And it's a serious challenge.

So, telling someone What Not to Wear is easy, at least when it comes to running.

What Not to Wear:

1) Combat boots;
2) High heels;
3) Soccer cleats;
4) An evening gown (who even has these...maybe movie stars);
5) Heavy clothes;
6) or even jeans

(See, EZ-smeazy)

But explaining what someone should wear is something else entirely.

Of course anyone starting a new exercise program should just wear what's comfortable. Because starting is the hardest part of the workout.

But, how do you know what's comfortable unless someone gives you a little guidance. And, that someone should be someone who's been doing the sport for a while.

Anyway, when I first started running, I wore whatever I had. There's no need to run out and buy new gear until you've been doing it for a while. But, equipment can make a difference or, at least, it can make the sport easier.

But, I'm not trying to talk people into wasting a lot of money. If you're working out and you're happy with what you've got, then great...no need to read on. But, if you're like me and you're trying to work up to a marathon, you might want to listen because running that 26.2 mile challenge is a good excuse to gear-up and, believe me, I need all the help I can get.

So, here are a few tips that I use and I'm hoping this might help you too.

Here's what I wear when I go for a run.

First, like most women, I have to wear some support (and this is serious)

Then I wear a tank top that breathes (it's a special material that wicks away sweat. It's called Climalite) because who wants to be sticky and sweaty and cold when they run? Not me.

Next I wear ear warmers. Not a hat. A hat is too hot for me. But, when I start out I'm cold so ear warmers are just enough.

Of course I have to wear running pants

These ones are my favorite because they have a little pocket where I can stash my house key and a debit card. These are important, especially if I'm going for a long run.


And one of the most important things for me is my running shoes. Being as old as I am and as heavy as I am, I need a lot of support so I don't wear out my joints or damage my knees.

And of course it's winter right now so I have to wear gloves. These are special running gloves that let the air flow through but keep my hands warm and toasty too

And, the reason I did this post, is I read another friend's post (JenontheEdge) and she said she wears wool socks when she runs. I know this sounds like foo-foo overkill, but I wear special running socks. When my sister first told me about them I thought it was silly but now that I've worn them, I swear by them. They are compression socks that won't slip or slide so no more blisters.

And just in case you can't tell which is which, they're labeled for ease of dressing (honestly - I'm really not that stupid, but I think it's funny) ;)

And, I almost never run without micoach.

It has a heartrate monitor so you never go too high into the danger zone

And, it has a stride sensor which I clip on my tanktop

I wear headphones so micoach can tell me how far I've run, what pace I'm running at, how many calories I've burnt and the time I've been running. This is the best accessory for any runner in training I can recommend.

Next I wear a lightweight running jacket and my sunglasses then I'm set - well as soon as I leash up Sasha. Then the two of us are on our way


I hope this helps all you wannabe runners out there. Happy trails to you!

Marathon Training

Today I signed up for the a Half Marathon in June. It's official - I'm committed, or maybe I should be. But I've been training, which is more than I usually do. In the past I've just gone out and run but you might be able to do that for a 3 or 6 mile run but not for 13 miles. You have to be in some sort of shape to run 13 miles straight. And I've been using the Adidas micoach technology to train.

So, how is training for a half-marathon like writing? Well, to be able to write you have to educate yourself (train yourself) on grammar, voice, and - yes - even pacing. Sort of like running.

I took the stride sensor and put it in my new shoe (which I just bought to break in before the marathon).
then I strapped on my heart rate sensor


and I put my earbuds in my ears so I could listen to micoach telling me what to do: speed up, slow down, maintain blue/green/yellow and even red zone then I was ready for my run.


Kind of like being in a critique group and having your peers give you advice, tips and feedback.

Using technology is also what writers need to do. You have to have (or at least should have) a decent computer with decent software. That's not to say you can't run without this technology, you can. And you can write with a piece of paper and a pencil but...having the proper equipment helps to achieve your goals faster, easier and maybe even with a little more fun. Yes, fun. It can be fun to write and to run.

When I got home I synced up my pacer with my computer. The program tells me how many miles I ran, what my pace was, my heart rate, and how many calories I burnt during my workout. It even graphs all the data for me and saves it.

Syncing up is like sending out your first manuscript. You can get feedback that lets you know if you are on track or way behind in the race.

Micoach is a great program and it has helped me (I hope) get ready for the half-marathon.

And, when a writer uses the right equipment, sets goals and works hard, he, or she, will be ready to send out his/her manuscript and have the best possible chance of publication. At least that's what I'm hoping ;)