I have a confession. I think I might be a shopaholic – in denial. Case in point: Last week, I went on a bit of a shopping spree, but it wasn’t my fault, it had to be done. See, here’s the thing, I had a handful of Running Room coupons (20 per cent off, 15 per cent off, 10 per cent off) that were all about to expire, and given the cost of most of the stuff at the Running Room, I couldn’t possibly let the coupons go to waste now could I? So really, it’s the Running Room’s fault, not mine at all 😉
Now, while I see that as a perfectly logical explanation, most would call it a shopaholic in denial. But lucky for me, it’s only for running gear … or maybe not so lucky given that I spend a good portion of my days in a running store, being tempted everywhere I turn. And actually, I kind of have an expensive jeans addiction too … and maybe a slight shoe addiction … and okay a purse addiction too. Oh man, I’m doomed.
So, what did I buy? Well, well, well.
Let’s start off with the pouch. This was probably the most sensible item of them all as I have to carry an insane amount of stuff when I go for long runs, which includes my blood testing machine, poker, test strips, sugar tablets, GU gels, camera 😀 cell phone, ziplock bags for used GU packages, etc., etc.. And while I was a little concerned that the pouch would annoy the heck out of me as I already have one pouch, and I’m really not so keen on further weighing me down, or adding things to my fuel belt that might impede my arm swing, it was actually quite the opposite. It helped balance me out. Rather than try and stuff everything into one pouch and have me all lopsided, I’m now able to even it out between the two pouches – and this pouch zips, which is definitely handy. A+
I also got me a new top – you can never have too many running tops 😀 I first saw this top on my favourite running mother/daughter duo and I fell in love with the colour – the most luscious, rich shade of purple that is just so eye-poppingly beautiful, I just had to have it. And as much as I tried to fight the temptation, and look for another shirt, my hands were instantly drawn to it on the rack and the second they clutched onto it, it was downhill from there. Hmm … Siamese triplets? I wore it running yesterday and it didn’t slide up like another of my purchases recently did, which annoyed the hell out of me for 8 km, but this one stayed perfectly put – and it matched one my headbands! Perfection. A++
And the final, most expensive purchase of all: A Garmin 305! I’ve actually been having a bit of buyer’s remorse regarding this item, which rarely happens. But here’s the thing, I already had the Garmin 205, which is practically the same as the 305 except without a heart rate monitor, and seeing as how I bought it not even a year ago, it’s still in great shape, and isn’t removing $170 from my bank account. And when I bought the 205, I was pretty adamant that I didn’t want the heart rate monitor, I didn’t want to know if I was about to die in the middle of a run. I’m a firm believer in ignorance is bliss right to the end. But then I started listening to people talk about the benefits of training with a heart rate monitor, and I was sold. But pretty much the day after I bought it, I started thinking about having to wear the heart rate monitor and how I really don’t like to attach things to my body and am easily annoyed when running (yes, this is coming from the girl who’s attached to an insulin pump almost 24/7, but that took a LOT of getting used to). What if it annoys me, and what if I end up not using it, thus making it pretty much a 205? I’ve gotten rave reviews from some people, and absolute disdain from others, and because I haven’t yet tried it, the marks are still out on this one.
How do you feel about wearing a heart rate monitor on your runs?
TODAY’S RUN:
- 6:15 p.m. BG before: 12.1 (.20 BG correction)
- 6:45 BG: 10.1
- Temp basal -50 per cent
- 2 km warmup
- 6 hills
- .50 km cooldown
- 7:30 p.m. BG after: 11.2
I haven’t yet mastered the auto lap on my Garmin and ended up not recording about three quarters of the run. Despite going into the run with a grumbling stomach (I was starving all day, and it didn’t matter how much I ate or what I ate, my stomach just would not stop growling!) I felt great on my first hill and awesome on my fourth hill, but by my fifth hill I was pretty much done.
When you look good running, you feel good, when you feel good you run good, nuff said. You will get used to the heart rate monitor, I feel kinda naked without it and have even put it on without the watch, oops 😉
Love the shirt. 🙂 Good choice. Looks beautiful on you too!
Oh, and shopping is never a sickness. It is just the thing needed to ward off so many other things..like the blues or being bitchy or being bored – you know all those “b” words.
Look at that gear! I have a camelbak, but I have to get it JUST right so it doesn’t flop around when I run. (Speaking of which, when was the last time I REALLY ran?!)
I liked your coupon-based reasoning. I have also used such flimsy excuses to unload major bucks on stuff – just cause I wanted it 🙂 But one hopes for a modicum of restraint. It’s the middle-class thing to do, shows you haven’t TOTALLY flipped and flung yourself “down the path of wild abandon.”
Keep on shoppin 🙂