[25] Cherry Blossom Mafia Princess

Part of my race ritual is planning for my trips in advance. Color me crazy, but I love planning, making lists, and color coding... everything.

Fuse Sports Complex, Tottori City, Japan 2008

My circle of runners are recreational. We we jog. We chat. We run when we feel like it. At race expos, we hunt for the free stuff and buy little trinkets. Lately, I've been hearing a lot on talk about compression apparel, but I do not know any runners who regularly use them. Many of the student athletes I work with use compression sleeves while they play sports, but I haven't really had the chance to discuss its effectiveness with them. After reading The Killer Inside (Runner's World; April 2011), my curiosity has been piqued.

While at Westchester Road Runner the other day, I picked through the compression wear section. There was lots and lots of black, but I craved color. Luckily, I came across the Zensah Leg Compression Sleeves! They had seven colors, including a nice spring pink! One of my biggest health concerns as a runner (and athlete in general) is shin splints. When I play volleyball and tennis, I often have to ice after an intense workout. Reading up on the technical aspects of the leg sleeves, I was relieved to know that I made a smart investment. While running, my lower legs are a point of contention. In the Nike Half, I had calf cramping around miles eight through ten which resulted in some loss time for stretching (and several awkward days of walking afterward).

According to the event page, the anticipated race day weather will be in the 40s-50s, meaning I will need layers to keep me warm. At Christmas, Santa stuffed a pair of Sugoi Tatu Arm Warmers into my stockings. I have only had the chance to wear them once because it was far too warm in Florida when I ran last month. The start time will be 8:40AM, so it will give the sun a chance to burn off some of the morning chill. I can work up a decent sweat with a 5K, so I want to have just the essentials warm and not have to fight with removing layers.

Now comes time for the big reveal: "Mafia Princess in D.C." Though George Washington is famed for chopping down pop's cherry tree and not lying about it, for me cherry blossoms remind me of Japan. It was the first place I saw them, and I have countless wonderful memories (and photos) of them. While at The Fit for a Princess Expo, I bought my first running skirt and its matching long sleeved zip top. I'll pair them with my pink leg sleeves and Tatu sleeves and wear the white technical t-shirt from the Princess Half, too. In Japan, individuals who with ink are often associated (whether they like it or not) with the Japanese mafia, so pairing my 'Tatus' with my black & princess princess duds, gives you the general idea. I am thinking about what to do with my hair, too. Since I've layered it, my options are limited, but I can still do nubby pony or pig tails. I am thinking I may need a funky hair band or some flowers to clip in my hair. 

All that is left to sort out is socks and sports bra. My tried and true nude Freya Active Sports Bra which I wore at San Fran, is sadly too loose now, and the elastic in my white Champion sports bra is completely shot. Time to invest in new ones anyway. It's recommended to replace sports bras every six months, and both of my lighter ones are past the one year mark (and the sizes are now wrong).

[24] Cycling Through

It has been a while since I visited Westchester Road Runner (White Plains, NY). I think the last time I dropped by was prior to going to San Francisco for the Nike Women's Half back in October. Usually I gravitate to the back of the store where the women's running, but today it was the cycling shirts which caught my eye. With the First Day of Spring rapidly approaching, my cabin fever is at full tilt. I want the wind, rain, sleet, snow, ice, and hail to finally take a hike, so I can get my Vitamin D filled sunshine! I found several cycling shirts (Dolce, Sparrow, Aphrodite, Sakura, Spritzer & Solyaris) by Primal Wear which I really like. Several of them have matching bottoms which when purchased together are slightly cheaper, but I am leaning toward a standard padded short in black and then a couple of shirts.

Primal Wear's Lotus Women's Cycling Jersey ($66.95)

Unlike running, cycling is a much more considerable investment. This is largely due to the fact that I currently do not possess a bicycle (unless the stationary bikes in the South Gym count). The local roads are hilly and without adequate sidewalks or biking lanes, so for the time being, my route would be limited to closed circuits like Manhattanville College, SUNY Purchase, and the PepsiCo Campus. I would love to take my bike to the City and hit up Central Park and Riverside Park on a sunny day.My concern is primarily safety, so before I can even think about fashion, I need the essentials: bike, helmet, and gloves (and maybe a bike lock and car rack).

I remember when I last visited Tarrytown, I passed by Tarrytown Cycles. As they are a specialty retailer, if I pursue cycling, I may pop over there for advice and product selection. I have a hunch that I will hesitate before entering the shop. It took several passes by WRR and lululemon athletica before I actually plucked up the courage to walk through the doors. Pro shops have a tendency of being very intimidating, so I prefer larger retailers like Sports Authority. Unfortunately, there is a trade off as my local SA lacks in the customer service satisfaction and product knowledge departments. My hope is that the staff at TC are as lovely, helpful, and down-to-Earth like the folks at WRR. Again, if I find things I like in store, I will try to hunt down a bargain online before dropping the plastic.

I picked up a discarded issue of Competitor Magazine (February 2011; New York) and some local race information on my way out of the store. After pouring over the pages (and pulling up homepages) for several hours, I have pulled together a list of races I would love to attempt. Plus, I got the 2011 Westchester Track Club's Race Calendar for the metropolitan New York Region (NY, NJ, PA, & CT). So many things to read over!

[1o] Heart on My Sleeves

Santa Claus stopped by and gave me more treats for being a good little runner. I lived in Japan for five years, and I am too chicken to get an permanent ink, so this is a nice way to show off my love for my second home without going under the needle. Training and running in the winter is still new, but I feel that I am starting to get the hang of it. At San Francisco, I saw many runners wearing removable sleeves in lieu of an additional under layer. Though I think they may look a little flashy, I really want to rock these at the Disney Princess Half-Marathon in February.

Awesome ink without the neddle?

The Swag: Sugoi Tatu Midzero Arm Warmers ($40.00 retail)
The Size: Men's Medium (a snug, but study fit)
The Materials: 84% Polyester & 12% Spandex ("Designed and Made in Canada!")
The Technology: S2 Insulation, "Warm Wick",  and "Breathable"
The Patterns: four swallows, one golden carp, dice, large pink flowers, stars, and a "Sugoi Forever" scrolling banner

In Japanese, 'Sugoi' means to be "incredible" or "outstanding", so their "Be Incredible" mantra is quite fitting and heartwarming. I will be curious to see what my coworkers and students think about my 'mafia sleeves'. I think they'll actually get a kick out of it.The next challenge is coordinating it with my workout gear, so I can show them off without being a blindingly bright rainbow of color. The sleeves were listed under biking gear, so its one more reason to get a bike. 

I will have to keep my eyes out for the Sakura and Moo-It! Cow sleeves!