What I Wore (On My Run)
Welcome to my running "style" blog. I love wearing matching brands and am an easy sell for top/short sets but above all I dress for the weather and wear what feels the most comfortable.
I currently work at Indiana Running Company while pursuing my graduate degree in Kinesiology at Indiana University. Enjoy my blog as I take you on my journey as a runner, one outfit at a time.
Partners:
Date: April 27-28, 2012
Time: 7:30 am - 9:00 pm
Weather: Windy/Overcast/43 degrees F
Location: Drake University/Des Moines, IA
What I Wore:
Top(s): Under Armour Cold Gear; Asics official-issued polo; Asics Drake Relays 100th Anniversary long sleeve; Brooks ID Elite Jacket; Columbia rain jacket; Asics official-issued jacket
Bottom(s): Asics long tights; Aberombie and Fitch khakis; Rain pants
Hat(s): Generic headband; Asics Stadium Cap
Why: Every April I have the privilege of serving as an official at Drake Relays. While the job often requires standing for hours in the cold and rain, it is one of the highlights of my spring.
Often stereotyped as a role for retired old men, I began officiating at age 23 at the 100th Anniversary of Drake Relays. As one of the nation’s premiere track meets, my love for Drake Relays stems not just from being able to witness some of the greatest performances of the season, but through giving back to the track and field community.
Serving as a track umpire, my duty is to diligently watch each race to ensure every athlete has the opportunity to enjoy safe and impartial competition. In doing so, I strive to be one of the least memorable people in the stadium, making calls only in accordance with the rulebooks.
Certified through USA Track and Field, my officiating role extends beyond just Drake Relays, as I serve in paid and volunteer positions at local high school and college meets. Serving in this capacity is not always glamorous and sometimes not that fun, especially when I know calling a foul may mean an athlete’s disqualification, but it allows me to help further the sport I love.
As for what I wear when I officiate? At Drake Relays, Asics provides officials with two polo shirts, a jacket, cap and a pair of shoes. Utilizing these pieces as base and outer layers, I have learned layering is key to surviving long days as an official. With the chilly conditions at Drake this year, my wardrobe included seven layers on top and three on bottom. Although I often felt prepared for a snowstorm, my layering strategy kept me warm despite wind gusts and the occasional rain drop.
Not every meet requires such a substantial outfit nor such a large time commitment. As the highlight of my officiating year, I dedicate my weekend to Drake Relays but for the typical middle or high school meet I budget approximately 3-4 hours. Regardless of the meet or level of competition, I love my job as an official and enjoy being able to give back the track community.
Interested in becoming an official? Visit your state’s high school athletic association website to see what is necessary to serve at the middle or high school level or visit USA Track and Field to become certified for college and elite competitions.
BONUS FOOTAGE: A look at the past couple years of Drake Relays.
Photos courtesy of Lauren Hill, my best friend and fellow Drake Relays official.
Date: April 23, 2012
Time: 7:30 am
Weather: Sunny/36 degrees F
Location: B-Line Trail
What I Wore:
Top: Saucony Transition Sport Top
Bottom: Saucony Ignite Tight Capri
Why: Graduation is two weeks away and I am delighted to share I have most of my major projects and papers complete. Rather than spending the next two weeks stressing over final exams, I will surprisingly wrap up my Masters degree without too much anxiety.
With this in mind, for the first time this spring, I am actually getting into a great running routine. My mileage is starting to pick up, I have been completing workouts on a regular basis and even ran a 5k race yesterday. Although I am still in the early stages of regaining my fitness, I took on the hilly, local YMCA course to get a gauge of my speed heading into summer. I was quite pleased with the race, although my time of 19:31 was nearly two minutes behind the top female!
To help my sore calves recover from the hills, I took today’s run easy, sticking to the flat B-Line trail. While lately the weather has been gorgeous in the afternoon, the mornings have been a bit chilly, warranting the return of the classic spring running outfit: a thin long sleeve and capris.
Designed to accommodate transitional spring weather, the Saucony Transition Sport Top has a thin, meshy feel to it. Worn over simply a sports bra, it is a great weight for the days when I debate between wearing a short or long sleeve. The only drawback to the top is the sleeves become uncomfortably stretched when I attempt to use the thumb holes, otherwise it has a great fit.
The Saucony Ignite Tight Capri is a very basic, staple capri in my wardrobe; in fact, I like it so much I featured a blue pair this past November! Regardless of the weather, it is hard for me to go wrong with a comfortable, mid-weight capri such as this pair. It is tight fitting, does not ride above my knee and has a soft gusset, a feature I have often found lacking in other Saucony bottoms.
I do not anticipate needing to wear capri tights or a long sleeve much longer, but for now I am enjoying our last bit of cool spring weather. I hope your spring has been just as nice and you have had success with your training and racing!
BONUS FOOTAGE: A couple pictures from the from the start of yesterday’s YMCA race. Since it was a low-key race and it was in the upper 30s at the start, I opted to race in my favorite outfit:
Photos courtesy of Joshua Weavil.
Date: March 24, 2012
Time: 8:45 am
Weather: Sunny/74 degrees F
Location: Spartanburg, SC
What I Wore:
Top: Saucony Axion Printed Short Sleeve
Shorts: Saucony P.E. Printed Short
Why: Where has the time gone? Between school, work, applying for full-time jobs and traveling to Chicago, San Diego, and South Carolina, February and March have quickly disappeared.
Contributing to the quick pace is the abrupt change from winter to summer weather. With temperatures consistently in the seventies and eighties, it appears as though spring was completely missed this year. Not that I am complaining, but it has caused me to quickly transition my wardrobe from winter to summer apparel!
While my spring capris are still hoping to get some use, I am quite excited about the summer apparel already available. For today’s tempo run, through the quiet campus of Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, I debuted this bright Saucony ensemble. With a circular pattern subtly detailed on the sides of top and throughout the short, it was a cheerful choice for a morning workout.
The top, which also corresponds well with the printed LX Mod Tight Short and the LX Mod Tight Capri, has a comfortable weight that is perfect for the seventy degree days of early summer. It fits well and is a bit longer than previous Saucony tops, which is a welcomed improvement as other tops have been too short for my long torso.
The shorts are incredibly comfortable with a loose fit and light, airy feel. The drawstring and elastic waist band are snug, which is perfect as I often struggle with Saucony shorts being too loose in the waist but too tight around the leg to size-down. As a basic piece, it is comparable to a slightly thiner version of the Nike Fast Pace short, which is a staple short in my summer wardrobe.
While a fairly simple outfit, I love that it is both playful and cute while remaining functional in warm weather. This summer weather may not last, but I am certainly looking forward to sharing more of this season’s spring and summer apparel as we move into April and my graduate studies wrap up. I hope you are enjoying this beautiful spring!
