Adventures in Fashion: Little Black Bag (review & coupon!)

One of my dearest friends will be married next month. My dilemma? I needed shoes to wear with the dress I already have. I have ballerina flats like whoa, but the sandals I have aren't in good enough shape to pull off with a fancier dress.

I was hunting for a fresh, fun pair in a coral color to pop from my dress, which is more demure because I'm merely a reader for this small, intimate wedding, but I didn't want anything crazy. And they had to be flat. Because I'm 6'0" and already taller than my boyfriend (and almost everyone else).

Enter Little Black Bag. I had heard about this shopping site through yet another shopping site (one of the Internet's versions of Pandora's Box). Brands include BCBG, Steve Madden, Betsey Johnson, Nila Anthony, Deux Lux, Big Buddha, Coconuts, Penny Loves Kenny, Charlotte Ronson, and Chinese Laundry, among others.

What's cool about LBB is that you browse all the wares on their site and get to purchase one chic, designer item--purse, shoes, jewelry, makeup--and then you receive two additional mystery items in your "bag."

Once you check out, you learn what your mystery items are, but the fun isn't over. You can trade any of your items with other LBB buyers. People will propose trades and you can accept or reject. Ultimately, you choose what items you'd like to have (no one can take something from your bag without your permission) and you click "buy my bag" when you're pleased with your selections.

So when I found some cute coral colored flat sandals at a great price, I bought them and got my mystery items. I went into the trading site and ended up keeping all my original items, even though some of the trades people offered were pretty cool.

Here's what I received when I got my box today:

My first Little Black Bag order

I got my Penny Loves Kenny sandals, some skyn Iceland makeup removal wipes, and a pair of All the Rage earrings. I see the wipes and earrings as a bonus because I really just wanted shoes, but these extras came at no real extra cost. I'm happy to try new things too.

So what did I pay? $32 including shipping. I say LBB FTW...

Also, my package arrived pretty quickly. The whole transaction, from purchase and trade to shipping to delivery took exactly one full week.

Have you tried Little Black Bag? My readers who use this link will receive 25% off their first order! (Discount will be automatically applied at checkout.)

Adventures with Injinji: Running Toe Socks 2.0 (review)

Okay, Injinji fans. If you loved the original running toe sock (read my first review), you are going to love Run 2.0.

I've had my original weight no-show and crew toe socks in the mix with my other running socks and I noticed myself grabbing my Injinji socks more and more often. You know exactly what I mean--it's like  those two or three favorite shirts you always gravitate towards in your closet no matter what. Whether it's subliminal or conscious, the fact is we develop preferences. I recognized that I preferred to run in my Injinji toe socks, so I bought two pairs of the Run 2.0 when I learned they were available.

As in my original review, I bought a pair of crew socks (purple) and a pair of no-shows (blue). Initial impression: I'm thrilled with the vibrant colors! Aesthetics aside, the tight knit I had come to expect from Injinji was taken to another level with the arch-hugging support, and the more open mesh-like knit on the top of the foot. 

For this review, I ran in each pair of socks twice (and washed them each twice). I'm delighted to report that both pairs have less pilling than my original running toe socks. I think the changes in knit might be the difference. (Again, I follow the instructions for washing/drying with all my running apparel; all my socks are washed in a mesh "delicates" bag.)

The named difference between the crew and the no-show is obvious with the height of the sock on the calf, but the invisible--but felt--difference is the weight of the knit. The no-show socks are original weight and the crew socks are "mid weight." The website says this design is "perfect for those who prefer 'more of a sock' for long runs and demanding workouts." You won't be able to tell the difference until you put on the socks and actually walk in them.

The mid weight really is a little cushier. I wore them on a seven mile run on a cooler evening in May. No issues with moisture management or slippage, as usual with my Injinji socks, but when my run was over I noticed my feet didn't have that feeling of being beaten. You know the feeling--it's like the soles of your feet were just pounded with cement blocks over and over again. If you're not a cushiony shoe person but still want to alleviate a little stress with sock padding, I'd say the mid weight is a pretty good choice. Again: make sure you follow their sizing guide to make sure you get the right fit!

If you haven't checked out Injinji yet, I urge you to do so. I've found their socks to be a great addition to my running wardrobe. The colors are cheerful (they do have neutrals, if color isn't your thing) and the design is great. They *only* make socks, so they're not trying to be a mega company making all things--it's a specialty. I never knew socks could be a specialty... and I certainly didn't think it would be toe socks for running!

Preparation via Pinterest: Race Day Ready

A whole bunch of Oiselle ladies got together for the Eugene Marathon this weekend (jealous!), but Oiselle's #FastFriday contest shared the love on Twitter and extended into Pinterest and through the weekend into today.

For the contest, entrants are to create a Pinterest board called "Race Day Ready" and pin their essentials. The board should, obviously, include some Oiselle items (which the winner will receive!), but entrants are free to post whatever other items are crucial to race day preparation and success.

This ended up being a really good exercise for me to think about race day preparation. I've gotten way better at preparing for races--eating better, hydrating, resting, listening to my body's demands--but thinking about all the stuff I need for this race is different because I'll be away from home (staying with a friend closer to downtown) and it's the longest, biggest race I've ever participated in.

My Pinterest board went from being just a few pieces of Oiselle clothing (which are, in my opinion, essential!) to my shoes, socks, water bottle, hydration needs, sunscreen, nutrition, and inspiration.

When I was making the board, it felt like I was pre-packing. I wasn't even making a list, but visually putting together the things that I would need in order to be successful.

Here's my Pinterest Race Day Ready board.

Earth, Wind, and Furnace: Roaring Run Earth Day 15k

Note the people running uphill. They are far
above where I am standing... Far, far above.

Saturday's 15k at Roaring Run in Apollo, PA started off great. The initial section of trail--where the 5k runners would be racing after us--was relatively flat and friendly.

The bad part about the race was the wind. Oh, the wind. It was fierce, cold, and, by all accounts, made you feel like you were running with an open parachute behind you. (Important note: no one actually had any parachutes on the course.) The cool morning wouldn't have been so bad if the wind had let up. But, no, it didn't. Pennsylvania has endured a long winter and a strange springtime. On Thursday, April 18th it was 83º. Saturday April 20th? It was 38º. Mother Nature decided to invite herself to this Earth Day celebration, I suppose.

The course remained flat until about 4 miles in. Then we ran down into what's called The Furnace. I haven't got a clue why it's called that, but the hills--involving switchbacks!--that greet you are enough to make your legs burst into flames, so perhaps that's the cause for the name.

I stopped to take a few photos because I was incredulous at how steep the hills truly were. See the photo with my notations at the right. You can see the switchbacks as well as the vertical distance.

More hills, of the less ridiculous variety, but
still a steady grade... up, up, up!

These were the steepest hills I've seen in a race. (Even steeper than this one.)

Nevertheless, when I reached the top of the hill, I smiled and accepted a cup of very strong Gatorade from a boy scout and ran on.

I had trouble catching my breath because it seemed that the wind was worse on the return. I felt like air was being plumbed down my throat. I stopped to take my asthma inhaler, which I hadn't needed in weeks during a run. I didn't bring my facemask with me, unfortunately, so I had to improvise. I took one of my gloves and held it over my mouth and nose so that I could breathe in warmed air at my own pace--not the pace of the brutal wind.

After getting along to the seven mile mark, I noticed that the course was incorrectly measured. I know my iPod nano isn't completely accurate either, but I calibrate it regularly so I get the most accurate record of my runs... And when I reached the seven mile mark, my iPod told me I had just a little more than a mile to go in order to reach my 15k.

Finished! (Dad caught me with my eyes shut.)

I kept a faster pace than for any other long run near or over double digits. I was delighted to know that, as part of my 15k, I beat my 10k time (old time 1:08:57; new time 57:15).

And, since the course was longer than 15k or 9.3 miles, I beat my 10 mile time too (old time 2:08:29; new time 1:55:27).

So as I neared the finish line, a few things about my race preparation became evident:

• I probably didn't eat well enough the day before
• I drank too much during the race (to get rid of phlegm, but I have to stop doing that)
• My lower abdomen and hip flexor muscles need to be strengthened to sustain the faster pace I kept for this race

I know my legs are still recovering from wearing shoes that were just not for me... That's been tough too. My left achilles is beginning to worry me a bit because it hurt all day Sunday and hurts this morning too... I've never had a problem with that, so I am just hoping that I can be well enough to get through my first half marathon in two weeks. Then I'll figure out what the heck is happening. :-/ Till then, it's RICE for me.

Out With the Old and... In With a Newer Version of the Old

I got new running shoes about a month ago and, after the hassle of getting them ordered, I was thrilled to have them and wear them. It was good to feel a fresh new cushion of a new pair of kicks. They were pretty and with my SuperFeet inserts they felt great.

Me in my Brooks after fording the muddy
stream to reach Penasco Blanco at Chaco
Canyon, New Mexico. No one died of
dysentery or lost any shoes. 

I switched back and forth with my old and new shoes while I wore the new ones in, mostly because the new ones were ever so slightly more neutral than my old ones. The people at my gym were probably pretty happy when I stopped wearing my old ones since I had worn them in New Mexico tromping around in the mud at Chaco Canyon with my bff in early February. I was still spreading bits of ancient desert with every step.

Once I was running every run in my new shoes, though, I started having pain. Every run brought pain. At first I chalked it up to not being diligent enough with my training. Then once I was back on track with training (after losing my job), that excuse didn't make sense. I ran races in pain. I ran training miles in pain. 

Until this point, my running life had been minimally painful (thank all things good!). I had a (fortunately) short-lived case of runner's knee in November and got stronger thanks to the physical therapy exercises my doctor told me to do. My original shoes saw me through every run of my newbieness until I started getting shin splints consistently around 350 miles. Even the fact that I broke my left foot twice in college hadn't stopped me. (The second time I broke it I got fired for it!) Sure, it hurts when the seasons change, but as long as it's not black and blue and as long as I don't feel "that" pain, I'm okay. (I know what it feels like all too well, sadly.)

Finally this week I was forced to do something about my pain. Track Tuesday with my running group went well. I felt great and did my speed pyramid without much trouble. That night my shins hurt and the fleshy part of my foot that should be an arch, but isn't, hurt. Both feet were mirrored images of pain. I iced my feet and went to bed. 

The next day I felt okay... sort of. I ran on the treadmill because we had some stellar thunderstorms brewing. I got to a mile and felt okay, but after that my legs hurt so badly that I had to stop. I got off and stretched and nothing felt better. I tried to walk on the treadmill and even that hurt. A lot. So I went home and hobbled around to make dinner, all the while wondering what the heck I'd done to myself. 

My concern grew because I now have about three weeks until my first half marathon (May 5th!). I also knew that being sidelined after just 1.5 miles is NOT okay. Something was really wrong.

I did a little investigation online about overpronation, the shin pain I was feeling, and causes. I emailed the coaches for my running group with my hypothesis. They confirmed it. "Go back to your original brand and style," they said. 

I took my new shoes back to the store and, thankfully, they were willing to exchange them. I'm very pleased that they were so kind about it (even though I felt like I was being a total pain). I'm confident that the new shoes--a newer version of my old ones--should help me feel normal again. 

I'm ready to get back to running without pain. I mean, I've worked SO hard to get to the point that I can run and breathe well... it's time to be able to enjoy that! :)

Adventures with Injinji Toe Socks (review)

Photo 1: No-show sock, Injinji.

I was completely skeptical about toe socks for running. I mean, toe socks were something of a fad when I was in middle school--knee high, rainbow striped toe socks were at every slumber party, bar none. But the concept intrigued me.

Injinji, The Original Performance Toe Sock (words I had never imagined butted against one another), lists many benefits to a toe sock for sportswear:

The advantages of toesocks are so plentiful once you experience them, you may not want to wear any other sock again. The 5 toe sleeve design and superior fiber construction provides:- Proper Toe Alignment (makes for healthier happy feet)- Superior Moisture Management (drier and less smelly feet)- Better posture, better balance (you get full use of your toes!)- Blister and hotspot prevention (relieve some of that foot pain)- Tactile Feel (enabling natural feel and movement in ANY shoe)

I jumped on the opportunity to buy my first few pairs when Injinji tweeted about launching their new website just a few weeks ago. I bought a midweight three pack--one pair of crew socks and two pairs of "no-show" socks--to take them for a spin. *5/17/13 edit: Injinji now sells Run 2.0 socks (read my review of Run 2.0 here). The version reviewed in this blog is the original run sock (now in the sale section).

Before I even received my socks, though, I was impressed with the quality of the customer service. I placed my order, my card was charged, and I was waiting patiently... So I contact them after about ten business days. They admitted to having some difficulty with the automated shipping system and upgraded me to free two-day shipping! I got my socks by the end of the week. How sweet!

Photo 2: No-show sock, Injinji; note heel slip at back.

I've taken the time since then to wear them, run in them, wash them, and see how I like the fit (since these are no ordinary socks). My overall impression is that I think my feet benefit from the feeling of having all my toes free to work individually as I run. These socks did not give me the "slip" feeling that I sometimes get with other socks, where your toes are all grouped together like a mitten.

And that's what I kept thinking--why shouldn't my toes all be separate and available to move about individually? My fingers are. Sure, I depend on my fingers quite a bit more than my toes, but as a runner, my toes are pretty important to my feet.

Photo 3: Injinji toe sock

I did noticed a little bit of pilling in my first and second washes of the socks. (I wash all my running clothes--shorts, tops, undergarments, socks, jackets, etc.--in a cold, gentle cycle and dry per the garment's instructions.) But pilling is probably common for high-friction materials like socks. At least, I've noticed it happening with my other (non-compression) running socks.

Other points of interest:

• You do need to take a bit of time to fit your toes into the toes of the sock. It's not like a dress fitting, though, so it's not going to add to your pre-run time (trust me). 
• I noticed that I needed to cut my toenails a little shorter to be comfortable. Ultimately that's not a huge deal, but I thought I'd mention it.
• Make sure you follow their sizing guide correctly. Originally I thought I was a size large (because as a lady who has always worn a size 10 or 11, I thought I'd for sure be a large). However, I'm glad I checked with someone on Injinji's Twitter account who let me know that I am, in fact, a size medium!
• The "no-show" socks also have a heel slip to protect against rubbing. (See photo #2.) Somehow I managed to not get a picture of the crew sock (pink), but it doesn't require the heel slip because it hits higher above the shoe to prevent rubbing.

All in all, I feel very positively about Injinji as a company and about their socks. The toe socks are a solid addition to my rotation of running gear now and, in time, I'd like to add more as I wear out my other socks. I like the way they feel in my shoes when I'm running. And, no (thank goodness!), they don't give me foot cramps! And the way Injinji responded to my concern about not receiving my shipment in a timely manner shows me that they care about their customers and that they want to do their best.

If you haven't given Injinji a shot yet, I recommend you do so!