What I Wear

So this is the "running clothes I like" section.  For the most part I'm only going to post if something stands out to me as COMPLETELY AWESOME.  I just accidentally broke all of my links to these products; I'll fix them later (sorry).


Where to shop online:  Runningwarehouse.com takes the cake for the best deals around.  They do free 2 day shipping and free returns, too.  I love them.


Shoes:  Currently training in Brooks Ghost 3.  (shown left)


Socks:
Feetures! Light No-Show:  These socks are awesome.  The perfect thickness and they compress a bit around the middle so your socks don't slide around.  They wick sweat like crazy and as soon as I started wearing these socks I had fewer issues with blisters.

Sunglasses:
I love my Tifosi Alpe sunglasses... they have grippy nose and ear parts that get sticky when you sweat so they don't slide off, and I like the way they fit.  Also I got pink ones instead of the standard black or brown or whatever... so they're more unique.  They also don't really fog up unless I'm wearing a neck warmer.  The polarized version runs about $59; I got unpolarized ones and somehow got an amazing deal--these were $29 (originally $49).


Tights:
Sugoi Subzero Tights:  These tights are lined with light fleece; I wear them for temps ranging from about 30F to ... well, I wore them alone on a run that was -5F this year, and one that was -11F last year.  Basically they've eliminated my need to layer pants over tights in cold temps.  They're comfy and compress just right so you're not pulling them up constantly, too.


Shorts:
Brooks Infiniti Short II:  I picked these up at the end of the season and they're a lot more flattering and comfortable than the Brooks Epiphany Stretch Short II that I had before.  I'm looking forward to running in these shorts all season this year.  They even have a pocket for gels.


Sports Bras:
I've been on a constant, ongoing quest for the perfect running bra.  I look for a) a way to avoid stacking bras, which is hot and sweaty, b) something that looks ok enough to just wear on its own when it's warm outside, c) sweat-wicking material, d) something that allows for no movement whatsoever... I am literally looking for a bra made of iron.  I don't like bouncing.  And have I mentioned that I don't want to have to layer another bra over it?  I'm a 34c and most tanks with built-in bras and many other bras are high impact for a and b and the rest of us are just out of luck, it seems... but I've found a couple of good ones.  If you have any suggestions for me, let me know--I'm always looking for perfection. ;o)
Here are my recommendations:
  • Shock Absorber Max Sports Bra #B4490 - This one is currently in the mail to me and I have high hopes about it being even better than the Run Bra; it, too, has 4 places for adjustment.
  • Shock Absorber Run Bra - This has probably been my most successful choice so far; a bra made specifically for running to eliminate side-to-side movement as well as up-and-down.  It has a lot of clasps so you can get a customized fit.  
  • Under Armour Endure Bra - I wore these bras for about 1.5 years but started to feel that even they weren't supportive enough.  I think they're a pretty solid choice overall, providing both compression and encapsulation, but I like the lightweight material of the Shock Absorber bra and the fact that those bras are adjustable in so many places (this one has no clasps at all--it's an over-the-head affair).
Ones I didn't like:
  • Moving Comfort Fiona Bra - Women runners always seem to love this bra, but it was terrible for me and not supportive at all--I need more compression. Also the straps on the shoulders bothered me and restricted arm movement (it's a U-back not a cross back or racer back).
  • CW-X Xtra Support Bra - In theory this looked like a great choice; CW-X makes great compression gear.  I wasn't a huge fan of this bra, though... it seemed good for awhile, but after about a month it seemed less supportive.  Also it has kind of a high neckline in the front so I felt like I was being smothered a bit.  Kind of strange.  Not a fan, and it wasn't as supportive as it looks and as I'd hoped..  I wear this one for cycling now.
Watch:  I'm loyal to my Garmin Forerunner 305--I think it was a really solid choice for me.  I also always wear the heart rate strap.  I feel like my Garmin is the one purchase I've made that's done the most for my training overall.  Look for deals on amazon--I got mine at about 75% off. From what I've heard from other runners who have the 405 model, I think the 305 was a better choice because it doesn't have the twitchy touch-screen.  If I had more money I'd consider the 310tx, the triathlon model--it looks pretty awesome but was about 4x what I paid for this one.