I am a Skirt Sports Ambassador and therefore, receive some compensation from their company. However, any and all posts I write about them are purely because I love their brand!

Monday, September 17, 2018

Fuzzy Socks, Sandals & Sweats And Other Clothing Options For Camping

*I am a Skirt Sports Ambassador and do receive discounts on clothing for sharing their awesomeness with my following.  However, my opinions of their line are my own and I share because I do actually love their clothes and think you will, too!  If you'd like to try them yourself you can use my discounts code, 754Rens, for 15% off your order at skirtsports.com.

Vacation!  There's lots to think about as you're planning a trip, not least of which is what the heck to pack to wear! All of our trips this year were camping trips, or as my kids would say, glamping trips.  We have a 26 foot bunkhouse travel trailer.  It's nothing super duper fancy. The kids don't have their own separate room away from us but rather curtains.  My husband and I, however, have sliding doors that block our "room" away from the main living area.  It's got a U shaped dinette, a couch, and a 32 inch TV.  The kitchen has the typical microwave and tiny oven and we love it!  So yes, it's not super glamorous but I agree with them, it's certainly more glamping than camping. 

Our home away from home! And my Lotta Breeze Capris are great for hanging out and travel
 That said, we still like to hang out in the woods, enjoy campfires and hiking so as far as clothes go ... it's comfort and functionality! I want something that travels well, layers well, and works for hiking, running and maybe some yoga or picnic table workouts because sometimes, you can't get out for a hike or run. And cross-training still happens in the woods! 
 I workout however I can! My Jette Skirt is keeping me looking good, if not a bit embarrassing to my kids, while I do it. 

Yoga mat does fit! We can actually get two in here so hubs and I can workout together. He lines his mat up behind me because he likes the view.  I stay in front because I'm scared to be behind him during some of those poses for fear of being blasted by not so pleasant sounds and aromas.  Need I say more? 

 Clothing needs to be cozy for around the fire as well as lounging inside reading a book or watching movies.  And if it can pack small and stay wrinkle free well, that's a bonus! 

Of course, there's the obligatory couple pairs of jeans, jean capris or jean shorts.  I mean, what's camping without denim! While we're talking denim I have to bring my denim jacket! It's an accessory as much as a warm layer, am I right?  And just as important is the mass array of sweatshirts I must bring.  It gets chilly in the mornings and evenings! However, this stuff takes up a lot of room so I try to limit it.  That's hard with sweatshirts.  I love a cozy sweatshirt. 
Denim with length aka, jeans at Yellowstone National Park!

Let's hear it for the shorts!
I am in love with my denim jacket.  It makes any skirt dressier and yet more casual all at the same time!  It's magic! I wore this Gym Girl Ultra Skirt for beach combing and shopping downtown and then a couple days later was able to wear it for a run along the beach!  Nothing like packing for double the use! 


As long as we're talking about layers how about that layer for your head?  I'm really loving the Trucker hat look.  I've got a bunch of them and I like that they are so versatile.  Camp hair, don't care!

I'd be amiss if I didn't mention a rain jacket!  Heavens!  I live in Western WA!  We do get rained on when we're camping.  Of course, I discovered that sometimes we take the rain with us, like when we camped at Yellowstone.  I love a lightweight jacket that I can layer over a sweatshirt or t-shirt depending on the amount of warmth I need.  A hood is a bonus! 
Yes, my son wouldn't wear a rain jacket.  His head got wet.  He survived. 

Se beyond all those basics what else do I pack?  Skirt Sports! Lucky for me, I'm an ambassador for them so I've got quite the collection of their stuff going, some of which you've already seen in these photos. If you've followed me at all you're probably aware of that fact.  I absolutely love bringing their stuff camping because it really does fit the "go anywhere, do anything" vacation requirements.  And it's very wrinkle resistant!  Considering I normally pack far more than I need, and my original super neat packing job goes to shame by about two days in, this is good.  I need something that I can literally roll up and jam into an overstuffed cabinet without it being destroyed in the process. Skirt Sports clothing fits this bill!

From short skirts for running and working out to a longer skirt for touristy moments in town, I know I will be comfortable in their stuff.  And the large pockets mean I often don't have to bring a purse along with me.  
Look! No purse! My Happy Girl keeps me happy when I'm shopping during a trip into town.

Of course, hiking happens a lot on our trips and I love that I can take Skirt Sports with me on a trail and hike in comfort.  It appears their Cascade is a popular hiking choice for me as it's what I'm wearing in all of these photos!  
Multnomah Falls area of OR







Glacier National Park
When the temps drop I can easily throw on tights or capris or sweats.  Oh my gosh, I love sweats and tights or leggings for camping!  You're in the woods!  Who cares if your butt is sagging in those super comfy pants made of soft forgiving material that stretches and moves with you as you eat more S'mores than your weight.  That's what camping is all about, right!  I'll work it off the next hike!  (Please, oh please, scale, show me that's what really happens!)  



Last, I like bringing along one of their active dresses just in case I want to dress up a bit.  I can still take these suckers hiking with me for more rugged active wear but they easily transform to a pretty outfit if dinner out is on the agenda.  Sometimes one can get tired of grilling hamburgers!  And vacation shouldn't mean mom has to cook every evening!  So yes, we eat out if the opportunity avails itself.  And sometimes we stop for coffee because ... coffee.  Need I say more? 

There you have it, my required packing list for any camping trips.  Long, short, or somewhere in between, it doesn't matter.  I check the weather app to figure out an appropriate ratio of warm to cold clothes and then over-pack it all! 

How about you?  What are your must have camping clothes?  Got some favorites?  Did I forget something that you can't believe I wouldn't list here?  Sad I left out the fuzzy socks?  Well, I like those, too!  Who wants to step on a cold camper floor in the morning?  Ah, sweats, socks, and sandals.  It's the best look out there, am I right?  Happy fall camping everyone!  *Bear socks not required for fall camping but they do help and are suggested.

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Why I Run. A Conversation With My Younger Self.

I imagine I'm having a conversation with my younger self.  She just found out that future Pam will be a runner.  She will run marathons and ultra marathons.  She will have done sprint triathlons. She's a Skirt Sports Ambassador because she runs that much and wears workout clothes everywhere. Future Pam is nuts! Look at this evidence stacked against her!  Photos of running for no reason, photos of race participation, photos of running on vacation!  Who does that?!








Maybe younger Pam is 16 and hates when the cheer coach asks the squad to run the track, maybe she's 20 and a friend in college suggests going for a run, perhaps she's 28 and her husband announces he's going for a run.  It doesn't matter the age in that span of her life ... the idea of a run is met with a scowl, contempt, laughter, confusion (why would anyone willingly choose to run?) or just a flat out, "No thank you!"  I was not a runner.  That's not to say I wasn't active or declined exercise in general.  I did the dance required for cheer, I enjoyed a good workout DVD ... err ... VHS tape.  Yes, I'm that old.  I walked a lot.  I even worked at a health club in High School and would use the facility.  I wasn't anti-fitness, just anti-running.

So how did I go from being a non-runner to the girl I am today, the crazy runner who has run lots of marathons and even done ultras? I had kids!  Truth!

I had my daughter when I was 27.  I gained 40lbs and within the first 2 weeks had lost all but 10 of it.  Easy peasy, right?  And then came my pregnancy with my son.  As with my daughter, I gained 40 lbs. People had warned me it might not be as easy to lose the weight now that I was 30.  I didn't believe them.  I should have listened because maybe I would have eaten better and started exercising more while I was pregnant but I figured I'd drop it all like before. How much different could it be this time?  Oh you silly, silly young thing, you! So naive! So unaware of how a woman's body and metabolism can change on a dime! (That's older me talking to younger me again). He was a late July baby and we were experiencing a heat wave.  It was hot.  Not only did I not lose a lot of weight after I had him but I experienced horrible water retention.  I lost 10lbs in the first 2 weeks and then nothing.  He was 7lbs 10oz.  You do the math and don't forget all the other stuff you lose along with baby that adds weight. So, yeah. Everything else I gained was mine to keep! Our pediatrician tried to offer me some consolation by telling me I was not the only new mother this summer who hadn't been able to shed weight in this heat.  She told me to hang in there and see if I had an easier time in the fall when cooler weather moved in.  I held on to the hope of fall like a leaf hangs onto a branch!  Tight, tight, tight and then "Ahhh...I'm falling!"  Yep, when September and October and November and December rolled around and the weight had only dropped maybe another 8 lbs, my hope fell.  Just like those fall leaves.

I had experienced weight gain in my past but we're talking 10 lbs when I was in college and another 5lbs after marriage. Quite frankly, it was probably healthy weight gain and I was still a S/M in clothes.  This new body was unrecognizable to me. Who was this woman who had to wear her maternity clothes long after her baby was here. I still recall the devastation I felt at having to wear my husband's jeans because mine were no where near fitting. I knew I had to figure something out.

 I was sitting in our family room with my wide awake baby. It was the wee hours of the morning and I had finally given up the hope that he would go back to sleep. I signaled my surrender by turning on the television and was met with an ever present infomercial (this was pre-streaming endless programs at my fingertips). Seeing as there wasn't much else on and I was too sleepy to expend the energy pushing the channel button on my remote control, I watched. It was full of a lot of happy people talking about the benefits of Pilate's. I heard my pre-baby self-image tell me to listen up. At first my sleep deprived body resisted. "I'm too tired for any workout," it protested.
     "Nonsense!" was the response. "Look at what they are doing". So I looked. And lo and behold what I saw was every tired new mother's dream.

 They were lying down.

Now this was a workout I could get into. The sleepy fog lifted as excitement began to pulse through my veins. "I can get skinny lying down in my pajamas!" I picked up the phone, dialed the number, spoke to the representative, and ordered my miracle weight loss workout.

It was a couple weeks later when my DVD's arrived in the mail. The next day I excitedly put one in the player, sat my son on the floor in his bouncy seat, and laid down beside him (yes, I was in my Jammie's). I was ready! It's a sad moment when giddy optimism and self-delusion are crushed. Okay, I wasn't crushed but I did have a rude awakening. The first rude truth was that this wasn't an easy workout. The second rude truth was that pregnancy had taken my ab muscles and demolished them. They appeared to have been squished, stretched and pulled like play-dough in the hands of a two year old. I had a long way to go. Still, I reasoned, I was lying down ... in my pajamas. If I made excuses not to do this exercise then how did I ever expect to do a workout that actually required putting on shoes? I stuck with it. And you know what? It got easier. I lost weight. I lost inches.  I was making progress, I gave my husband his jeans back and purchased new ones for me in a size 10. Oh, happy day! I was content for the time being.

Eventually, I began walking. The kids loved getting outside and so did I as long as the weather was nice but what to do in the rain and cold? I convinced my husband a treadmill would be a great investment. I had every intention of using it simply for walking but at some point there was a switch in my brain that got flipped. I can't recall exactly when it happened or even why but one day I upped the speed and found myself running.

That day a runner was born.
That day, that runner was me.

Eventually, I found myself with this strange sensation, a longing to run when I had my son in his stroller at the trail. Walking wasn't cutting it.  I wanted to RUN. But it was one of those big and bulky strollers and not conducive to running. Once more, I approached my husband about another investment in my health - a jogging stroller. I do believe at this point he was checking under our bed for the pod the body snatcher left behind when it took over his wife's body. How many times had he heard me utter, "Running is stupid. Why would anyone want to run?" My husband enjoyed running and this change in his wife was interesting if not even a little inspiring so he gave me the go ahead. My son was now 2 years old and my daughter was in kindergarten.  While she was at school my son and I would happily fly down the trail together.  He screaming, "Faster, mommy, faster!" and me huffing and puffing, "This is as fast as I go!" back at him.  My son is now a 14 year old and starting high school next year.  I remember those shared runs fondly as I pass other mommy's and strollers.  Some of them look as frazzled as I remember feeling at times, with the endless stops to pick up dropped sippy cups and slows to "see the horsie's, mommy".  I want to yell at them, "Enjoy it while you can! In a heartbeat you'll be running by yourself, wondering what happened to your tiny running partner".  But I don't because that would make me sound like every other mom whose kids are growing up too fast. We all intrinsically recognize our time is limited with our kids in each stage of their lives.  So I just smile and run past them, sometimes offering a wave at a kiddo.

As my confidence grew in my running ability I let a friend at church, Nelson, talk me into my first 5K. It was February, 2007 and we registered for the Smelt 5K in LaConner, WA.  Nelson talked a few of us into running the race with him.  I am so grateful for Nelson.  He truly became my running mentor, encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone.  He was talking about a half marathon before I'd even run the 5K. And I was listening to him.  Ha ha. Yep, he had me signing up for my first half marathon not long after that 5K, September of 2008, in fact. But I digress...
I was super nervous in the days prior to the 5K all the way up to the start line but once the gun went off ... I knew I'd found a happy place in my life. I cannot express the pure joy, elation, and sense of pride I felt as I crossed that finish line! I had run in a real race! Me! Non-runner girl!  I did it!
Nervously awaiting the start.  Notice, no Skirt Sports!  This was before I knew about real running attire. Check the bottom of this post for a link to their website along with a code for a discount! 

Here we come! My husband and I ran it together.  Until the very last 50 yards or so when he surged ahead and dropped me.  Yea, he didn't hear the end of that one!  Husband fail!    

Our group minus the famous Nelson who enlisted us all!  

There's Nelson!  Cancer took him from us a few years ago but I'm sure he's running the streets of heaven and happy! I am grateful to him for the gift he left me ... the faith he had in my abilities.

Happy finishers!  




"Why would anyone want to run?"
 Anyone, or in this case me, had discovered the joy that comes from shedding my pajamas, putting on my running gear, lacing up my shoes and pushing my legs and lungs beyond what I had ever thought possible. I could go beyond my self-inflicted boundaries. It didn't matter if I was running on the roads or running through life I could do whatever I put my mind to. Road blocks and life blocks can be moved, run around, jumped over or avoided all together by taking a new path.

I read a devotion that made the point, “If you try to pull back each time you reach what seems like your limit, you’ll never know how much you can trust God – or how much He can trust you.” In the beginning of my running life, it hurt to run longer than just a minute or two. I had to push beyond what was comfortable, what I thought was my limit. Eventually, I got to five minutes, 10 minutes, 2 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles and so on and so forth. Eventually, the progressions got easier simply because I was becoming more confident in my ability to push forward. Because of that confidence I found myself able to entertain the idea of the marathon and eventually ultra's and even triathlons, feats and accomplishments I never would have imagined doing pre-Pilate's, pre-baby, pre-marriage or even post first half marathon, for that matter. The same thing goes for trusting God. The more I allow Him to push me beyond my comfort zone, past my self-inflicted boundaries and all the road blocks I myself put in my path, the easier it will be to go the distance with Him and reach heights I now can’t even begin to fathom. It’s an exciting thought!

     When I see photos of my pre-Pilate's self I realize I found my new path. I am no longer that woman who wishes she was in shape. I am in shape. I am that mom who runs. My kids don't know me as anything else. Mom is a runner.  My son told me just the other day, "It's kind of cool to say to friends, "My mom ran 50 miles".  Of course, he said that on the heels of saying, "It's embarrassing that you are leading dance fitness classes".  Win some, lose some, I guess!  Ha ha!

I'd like to make note that this post went from "I started running to lose weight" to simply, "I am a runner". While running had that fortunate benefit it became about so much more than a way to tackle weight loss.  It became part of my identity. I define myself as a runner. It's where I meet new people.  Oh, the friends I have made on this running journey.  It is my social time! It's also my quiet time. It's a way to workout stress and keeps me sane in an insane world.  It offers bonding moments for my husband and me as we enjoy miles, races, and experiences together.  It gives me opportunity to encourage and inspire others while simultaneously being encouraged and inspired by those same people.  It lets me set a good example to my kids about not only healthy living but hard work, effort, taking chances, facing fears, and also recognizing when to back off.

So younger, Pam, yes, this future Pam is a little crazy.  But she's crazy about life, about her body, about her husband, her kids, her faith, her friends, and this little thing called running which helps her navigate it all. One day you'll understand. One day you'll say, "Ah ha.  That's what future Pam was talking about".




*As a Skirt Sports Ambassador I get to share a discount code with all of my followers.  Use 754Rens at Skirt Sports on all full priced items to receive 15% off.

Monday, January 29, 2018

When Run Plans Run Awry - Run Anyway!

Have you ever had one of those days?  You know, a Monday!  Typically, I don't mind Monday.  It's not any worse than Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday.  But today ... today was a Monday.  It started at 5:40 when I woke up and had to pee.  This isn't bad in and of itself other than being annoying, because I risk waking the cats, who then think it's time to eat.  But on my walk from the bed to the bathroom and back again I felt a twinge in my calf.  It was a twinge I'd felt after my run on Saturday.  I had hoped my Sunday rest day plus some stretches would have been all it needed but that twinge told me maybe not.  I figured my Monday run was probably not going to happen as I climbed back into bed (fortunately, no cats had risen with me) and reset the alarm for a later time. I wasn't going to need the extra hour to wake up with coffee.  At 7:00 I woke up, texted K, my BRF, telling her I was going to have to skip out, and tried to go back to sleep.  Of course, sleep was a lost cause so I got up.  As I was moving around I realized I wasn't feeling that twinge anymore.  And even though it was raining outside, the outside was calling to me.  I really wanted to go run.  I debated for a second and texted K back telling her "never mind.  I'll be there!" 

At this point I didn't have time for coffee.  Hmmm ... a run without coffee.  But we were only planning on 4 miles so I figured I could muster through without it. No breakfast either but again, only 4 miles and slow miles to boot because, hey, babying my calf here.  I'd be fine without caffeine and food, right? I also didn't bother to bring any hydration or cash with me.  I mean, 4 miles.  I grabbed my rain and wind resistant bolero, my ID, phone, and headed out the door.


When I arrived at the trail head and exited my car I heard a hissing noise.  It was coming from my car. K pulled up just then and upon hearing it said, "I think it's coming from your tire."  Sure enough, she spied bubbles on my tire where the air was seeping past the raindrops and tucked in beside it was a rock.  Great.  I had a flat in the making.  We both knew that meant our 4 miler together was toast.  Mmm...toast.  That would have been a good breakfast with some PB spread on it.  But I digress.  I called my husband and he said he was fairly certain we got the tires at Les Schwab (from here on out known as LS) and so I could take the car straight there even though I didn't have any money on me.  They shouldn't charge me for a fix.  We parted ways, me to LS and she to home.  She didn't want to run the trail by herself since it was secluded.  She was going to run elsewhere.


I arrived at LS ready to sit for a bit while I waited on my car.  When they told me it would be an hour at least to even get my car looked at my heart sunk.  This was not how I planned on spending my day.  I wanted to run.  I blame the slow connections going on in my brain here on the lack of my daily cup o' joe but eventually all cylinders fired and I realized I could start my run from here!  Duh!  I happily proclaimed, "That's fine.  I'm going to go run and I'll be back".  I quickly sent K a text to share my good news that I'd realized I could still get a run in.  She quickly responded saying she'd stopped at the Post Office and could join me.  I ran the half mile or so to the PO and met her. Yay! This was working out after all!  We managed to get in a nice 3 miles together before she had to take off for a work thing.  I carried on for a couple more miles.  I didn't want to go back to LS until my car was done.  It was pouring rain and I knew if I stopped I'd quickly get chilled.  I was going to have to keep moving until my tire was fixed. 
I took this after I parted ways with K, about 5 miles into my run and my first pass through to see if my car was ready. Nope!

Usually, I'm a sipper.  That means, I like to sip on water or electrolyte when I'm running anything over 4 miles.  I was now in the 5 mile range and kicking myself for not bringing my handheld but thanks to the rain, I wasn't feeling thirsty.  This was good news!  And my dinner of tacos and cauliflower rice (don't ask about that combo) was doing a good job of carrying me over because I wasn't hungry either.  I figured if they were done when I got back in a few minutes I'd be golden.  I ran up in front of their building only to see my car still left where I parked it.  Uh oh.  I dashed inside to get a status report.  It was going to be at least another 30 minutes.  Super!  That was sarcastic, in case you didn't catch the inflection in my writing.  I was a little concerned with how more miles was going to go over with my lack of hydration and food but again, stopping movement wasn't going to be an option. This was a No Post Run Chills Zone! LS may offer free popcorn but something tells me they didn't have a sauna or hot tub available to warm me back up. Since my calf wasn't hurting and my energy was still good I kept on keeping on.  I figured I could run to the library where I could get a drink of water and use the restroom.  Looking back, I could have done all that at LS but again, no coffee meant all cylinders weren't firing in my brain.  And at this point, I had runner's brain to boot! Oh well!  The library gave me a goal destination. 
Hey! It's the library!  


Finally, a little sip of water!



I took a few photos at this point because I realized I could blog this whole adventure!  What to do when your plans get disrupted!  As K said, "Good job making lemonade out of lemons!" There were lots of bright moments in my day! I was getting extra mileage (7.5 all said and done), I was feeling fairly strong and getting some good hill work in, the rain was at least warm at 48 degrees, and my body was doing really well for not getting its sip of water every half mile. And best of all, my calf wasn't bothering me at all!  My mood was actually pretty good.  Until I was ready to be done.  Ha! Obviously, as one who has run ultras I can run 7.5 miles but my mind and body hadn't prepped for it and I had other things to do at home. Time to wrap this side trip up!

I circled back to LS and saw that my car was now in the docks being worked on.  My inner self frowned as I looked up the road toward Starbucks and wished I had brought at least a few bucks to buy a coffee.  Okay, it's Starbucks, it might require more than a few bucks but you get the idea.  I started to run that way anyway because I still had time to kill and then it dawned on me (no coffee brain, remember) I had my phone on me and my phone had the Starbucks app.  Would it work? It had been a long time since I'd used it.  I've been really good about tapering off my Starbucks habit and drinking Keurig at home with just a splash of cashew or coconut milk.  I stopped on the sidewalk in the pouring rain and opened the app.  After a few minutes I had loaded it up with 10 bucks and proceeded into the heavenly aroma of coffee.  It was a very long wait as they had a large order ahead of me but at least it was warm inside. I kept a smile on my face and a cheery disposition despite my frustration. What else could I expect on this particular Monday? 


Finally, I had my coffee in hand, a smoked butterscotch with coconut milk! It was like a liquid candy bar.  Yummy!

My vehicle calling to me with it's heated seats!

Of course, this meant I had to walk back to LS instead of run because it's hard to run with a hot coffee in your hand.  Walking meant I could feel the rain soaking me.  When you're running you don't really notice how wet you're getting but walking, walking is a different story.  As I approached LS I saw my vehicle was sitting in the parking lot.  Hurray!  This meant it was ready to go!

I went inside to retrieve my keys and was instead met with the information that they couldn't fix the tire.  Apparently, my tires were really worn down and all needed to be replaced.  What? My tire is still punctured?  All that and I still have a flat in progress?  And how can my tires be that bad?  They aren't that old!  I shared the info with my husband later and we're still not sure how the tires wore down so quickly but as soon as he can he's gonna check it out (he's still at work as I type this).  He's usually really on top of our tire wear (he used to work at LS in our college days) so having them in such bad shape is not normal for our household. 

Well, there was no way I could pay for new tires right then and there, especially without talking to my husband about it.  Oh, and that little matter of having NO MONEY on me! Did I mention I was now literally dripping wet? What to do?  How am I supposed to get home, I asked. They assured me I'd be okay to drive home and they'd make sure there was good air pressure before sending me on my way.  What choice did I have?  I pulled around to one of the docks so they could give me a quick shot of air.  Here a different employee met me.  He kindly showed me where the wear was on the tires and then went around to check on the bad tire.  "Oh," he said, "I see the problem.  You've got a rock puncture.  If you've got 5 minutes I'll just patch it for you.  I don't feel safe sending you on your way like that."  Can we say grateful?  I'm not sure if he was supposed to fix it or not or if it was a case of "in the eyes of the beholder" depending on if they were below "fixable" range but I'm so very thankful that he took the 5 minutes to patch the tire.  I assured him my husband would look at the tires and we'd get them replaced before driving the vehicle anymore.  Which we will do. I felt so much better making the drive home knowing my tire wasn't going to wonk out on me and really, it's gotta be safer than sending me home with a punctured tire.  I was driving home either way so ...

Now my car sits and waits and I drove our big F350 to the movie theater with my kiddo this afternoon where we met my mom and dad to celebrate my mom's birthday with a viewing of The Greatest Showman. I ate a soft pretzel and Jr. Mints.  My lunch.  My first food of the day other than that coffee because it's the first chance I had to eat.  Monday ya' all!  But hey, the movie was great and who can argue with seeing a really well done movie on a Monday?  Maybe Monday isn't so bad, after all? 


Saturday, January 27, 2018

Ode to My First Skirt Sports Skirt ... the Gym Girl Ultra

A little poem about my first Skirt, the Gym Girl Ultra, from Skirt Sports.  I loved it so much I became an ambassador for them! And yes, I do get a bit of compensation from them as an ambassador but I share them with you because I Looove them!  Sooo much!  Through the end of January (that's soon, act fast!) you can get 20% off of a non-sale item using my discount code, FALL20WIN.    And now, onto the super clever poem!  Ha ha!  





Ode to My First Skirt
by Pamela Rensch

It was my first half marathon and I was naive
Of the cruelties of miles on shorts that would heave.
Upwards and forwards to places unseen,
Captured by camera it was all just so mean.

My finishing photo and anticipation,
Quickly turned to mortification.
Those shorts had climbed and they'd crept and they'd creeped!
There had to be better, to shopping I leaped!

I'd seen out on course a really cute concept,
A girl in a Skirt, covering her asset.
The search was on to find such attire.
I landed on Gym Girl, my heart was on fire!

Yes, it was love at first sight with its pink and its pockets.
And the shorties stayed put, didn't ride up like rockets!
The skirt swayed and it swished and it covered my booty,
And it did it all without being snooty!

I'm a true Skirt Convert as many now know.
I wear it everywhere I might go.
To the store, vacation, church and at home.
And oh yes, running, on roads where I roam.

And best of all, I can safely attest,
The camera lens loves Skirt Sports the best!
From in front or behind the view is sublime.
I no longer fear the running shorts climb!



Friday, January 19, 2018

2018 Fitness Goals Reactivated!



It's 2018,  mid-January, to be exact and I just yesterday got all my Christmas decorations taken down and put back in their bins. I simply have not had the motivation to do it before yesterday. The bins have yet to be moved into the garage.  So for now they sit in my living room looking like ugly cat climbing toys (because that's what they're being used as currently). I'm waiting to task my teenage son with the job of carrying them away. I'm really enjoying that my son outweighs me now.  He gets all those heavy lifting tasks now instead of me.

So other than purging my house of all signs "Christmas" what else does January have in store for me?  New fitness goals, of course!  Well, new recycled goals.  They're really the same goals from last year.  And the year before that.  They're always my goals.  Why? Because it's so easy to SAY I'm going to do these things but when it comes down to actually making them a habit I struggle.  So before I say anything else let's talk about what these goals are!  Here's a little video I made full of optimism and hope! And yes, the shirt in the photo above sums up my feelings exactly! But I'm going to really try and keep it factual and not delusional!  Ha!



In case you're in a place that won't allow you to watch the video here's a quick summary of my goals (but I encourage you to watch the video.  I tried to be funny and entertaining).
1. Hill repeats
2. Speed Play
3. Pilates and Yoga
4. Consistent Foam Rolling

How am I doing so far?  Well, while they weren't hill repeats I did get a very hilly 6 miles in last weekend.  And I've been consistent about doing my Pilates for Runner's DVD and, happily, feeling stronger at it! My foam rolling has been going okay. Still not as regular as it should be but better than before. As for my speed work ... not so much ...yet.  I've been feeling like I'm fighting whatever germy nastiness has been percolating and circulating in these parts and my energy level has simply not been on par.  Yes, I'm using that as an excuse but it feels pretty legit when I can barely climb out of bed every morning.  So. Tired.  I've got all year to muster up the energy for speed work, right?  And I'm not feeling too bad about really focusing on one goal at a time until it's a strong habit, at which point, I can add in a second goal.  So for now, I'm really focusing on the Pilates (and yoga).  My thought is start with the base and build up.  Pilates will help strengthen and lengthen my muscles which will only be beneficial when I start doing more hill and speed work.  A stronger and more flexible body is less likely to get injured doing the hard work of running.  In other words, I'm not beating myself up about taking it one thing and one day at a time.

I'm also having fun trying new workouts!  I recently discovered Refit Revolution which is a dance based workout.  It's a lot of fun and works my brain as well as my body.  Learning and remembering dance moves isn't exactly easy for me!  I'm hoping it gets easier though as I signed up for a Refit Revolution Instructor Course in February and would love to teach classes at my church in the near future.  It would be so fun to do with friends!  And let's face it, it appeals to the once Cheerleader in me as it totally reminds me of some of the dances we did back in the day.  I just wish my body remembered how to move like it did when I was a younger.  Ha ha!  I feel like after all these years of running my body has forgotten how to step it out and let the hips sway and move.  Why I can hoola hoop with ease and not hit those Latin and hip hop type body rolls is beyond me!  But I'll get there.  And if not, I'll be a good example that you don't have to be perfect in your movement in order to move.  You just have to move.

So what fitness goals have you set for yourself in the New Year?  How do you plan on attacking them?  Feel free to share in the comments!