If you have eyeballs and can do basic math, you'll see that my long run was actually split into two parts and you'll calculate that these two runs were actually about a quarter of a mile short of 18 miles. The reason for the shortness is because of my watch not being calibrated for the treadmill--my runs always come up short on the 'mill. Believe me, the treadmill said I ran 11.0 miles, and I tend to side with the treadmill over my watch.
Anyway, why the split? Well, the original plan was to do 7 miles with large dog and then drop him off and continue the run. But after I was out there and ran into the cold wind for an hour I realized two things:
1) I was SO over running into the cold wind, and
2) My brand-new running tights were falling down and I was slowly losing whatever was left of my running sanity pulling them up every 5 nanoseconds.
Because of these two things, when I was back inside I didn't go back out. I put on summer clothing (including a pair of capris that do NOT fall down) and slogged it out on the treadmill for 11 miles. And when I mean "slog" I mean "almost quit 6 times because I really was not feeling this run." I stopped on the treadmill several times intending to just give up and do it the next day (today), but during the 6th time I had the presence of mind to actually check the weather for the next day...and found out it was supposed to look like the picture below, only with 20 mph winds in addition to the snow:
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| It's like it's winter or something. |
And that made me decide to just suck it up, buttercup, and freaking finish the run on the treadmill. I rented a movie off Amazon (Thor: The Dark World) and did my "one mile easy/two miles a little bit faster" strategy to throw in some variety and an easy mile every now and then I could look forward to doing. Because that's how you get through a really really long treadmill run--force yourself to run the run in smaller mental bits.
But making it through those 18 miles any way I could isn't really what I want to focus on right now. What do I want to talk about? Running tights.
You see, for runners training for races in the winter (and any other runner that just likes to get out there when the weather turns to crap every winter), running tights can make or break your run. Well, they make or break my run, anyway. Below is my list of demands out of any pair of running tights I own:
- They are warm enough for the weather in which they are intended for a runner to run
- They do not fall down during a run.
- They are the most brightly-colored tights I can find in that style and/or brand
- If they have zippers near the ankles, they do not dig into your ankles during the run
- They have pockets somewhere. Pockets along each side are preferable to just having a small zippered pocket in the back.
- They do not fall down during a run and start sagging, untucking your base layer and letting the wind whip around your naked waist.
- They are made from a quick-dry material so you don't feel like a soggy mess after a run.
- Have I mentioned I don't like it when they freaking fall down and sag while I'm running?
- They hold up after being washed over and over again because they can be really freaking expensive.
This week I've worn two different pairs of running tights that are new to me: RBX's Prime Fleece Lined Tech Pocket running tights and Under Armour's Coldgear Infrared Evo Tights. The RBX tights were relatively inexpensive ($36), had large pockets on each leg, were a boring grey color, and really were lined with fleece. The Under Armour tights were more expensive ($50 on sale after Xmas), had no pockets whatsoever, were lined with that silvery infrared lining they have which I suspect is just mylar, and were a way more fun color/pattern. After wearing both of them for runs of 5 miles or more, I can clearly state that one pair of these tights far surpassed the other in terms of meeting my criteria:
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| RBX is the WINNER! |
Even though they were an extremely boring color, the RBX tights came out ahead in my little running tights competition this week not just because of their extra pockets or their fleece-warming goodness. They came out ahead because they didn't try and fall down to my knees whilst I was doing my running thing, completely unlike the more fun-colored and expensive but extremely saggy and pocket-free Under Armour tights.
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| Oh they look fun and playful...until you run in them. |
Don't be fooled by pretty, expensive running tights like I was. Pretty doesn't mean functional. Or anti-sagging.
Having said that, anyone want to take a pair of slightly-used expensive and pretty running tights off my hands?
End-of-long-post learnings below:
- I'm just not into running into strong, cold winds anymore. I'm over it.
- I should get out early in the morning for my long runs, when the wind isn't as strong. I'm working on it.
- Just because a pair of tights (or any piece of running gear for that matter) costs more doesn't mean they will perform well.
- And just because my tights sag for 7 miles while attached to a dog that's trying to drag you into the ditch at random intervals doesn't mean I will want to kill the first person I see.
- But I wouldn't be that "first person I see" if I were you.
Tomorrow's workout: Speed intervals, baby. 2 x 1200 and 4 x 800.
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