Not only is that a big fat investment, it takes a lot of time and energy. And I get particularly anxious about finding and buying stuff that I have large expectations for. Now that I'm ramping up my running, I really need everything to work the way exactly the way it's supposed to. Finding supportive, comfortable shoes that won't lead to an injury is the biggest issue, of course. But I also need socks that won't contribute to blisters, a sport bra that's supportive and won't give me uniboob, pants that won't chafe on a 10+ mile run, tops that breathe and cover my super-long torso, a jacket that sheds water but won't make me feel like I'm running inside a greenhouse, a contraption that I can comfortably wear to carry water and fuel, the fuel itself, stuff, more stuff, and stuff again!
Let me say it right now: I don't like shopping. I like making an uninformed decision even less. So when it's time to shop, I do a lot of looking around and double-checking to make sure I'm getting the best thing for my needs. What a hassle.
So this week has been filled with shopping. First (and completely unrelated to running), I bought a bike. Little C and I have been riding back and forth to school every day, and I've been trying to ride when I'm doing things around the neighborhood -- especially when I go to the gym. I've been riding my husband's bike but it's pretty junky and not a good fit for me. So I finally bit the bullet and bought my own bike, which I am completely in love with. It's a Cannondale Adventure 5 -- a big fat bike, designed to keep me completely upright, with a gigantic cushy seat. It's like a rolling Barcalounger and I am in heaven riding it around. I bought it at Bikesport here in Ballard and they were fantastic. Plus, what a great domain name!
The successful purchase of my new bike, along with a lock and helmet, gave me some much-needed energy to tackle the other items I needed. I will not bore you with the long tale of the many stores I visited, the countless items I tried on, and the inestimable number of times I scratched my head and tried to decide what to buy. But I did come away with new shoes, a new bra, new socks, and a water/fuel contraption. Am I done? Unfortunately no. But at least I'm covered for my next long run or two.
Want to know where I got my stuff? Shoes, socks and water/fuel contraption came from Road Runner Sports. I feel guilty not patronizing a locally owned business but the Road Runner return policy can't be beat. I'm not sure how I feel about their whole "VIP membership" thing, which gives you 10% off on your purchases and some other stuff I didn't pay attention to -- are they just marking up the prices so they can charge you $20 for an annual membership that entitles you to 10% off the stuff you buy? Probably. But the swank return policy is worth a little funny business as far as I'm concerned. Here's a link to their site:
If return policy matters less to you, I have a huge thumbs up for the service and expertise at two local Seattle shops: Market Street Athlete and Super Jock-n-Jill. The folks there really know their stuff ... the businesses are just too small to be able to offer a cushy 60-day return policy like the one at Road Runner. Here's links to them:
My new sport bra came from Lululemon Athletica and I looooove it. Here's a link to their website and the bra I got.
I'm a little embarrassed buying a bra called the "Ta Ta Tamer," but man, this one does the job.
Now I'm going to rest -- propping up our flagging economy is tiring!
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