A (Mostly) Good Run

A view from my run.

We had some fantastically warm days last week, and I took advantage fully by running on the boardwalk.  Finally, after months of snow and ice covering my favorite running spot, it's clear!  The sky was overcast, which I sort of like.  There was practically no one around, mostly just me and the sea gulls.  I was perfectly warm in shorts, a long sleeve shirt, and a windbreaker.  It's been so long since I ran this route, it felt amazing!  In fact, I pushed myself a little too far to cover my usual route too quickly.  Weirdly, my hip started to get a little pinch to it when I was almost home.  I didn't really think too much of it, because I was almost done and it wasn't too bad.  The thing is, it got worse as the day went on.  I've never experienced a hip injury, and as you can imagine, it sucks.  I've been icing and resting it, and I keep hoping it will heal up so I can get back out there.  There is nothing quite like the soft ocean breeze, the sound of the waves and the boards, and the feeling that warm spring weather is coming soon.

Vegan Running

Though I've maintained a gym membership for years, last summer I decided to start running for real.  I went for the longest run I could handle in the humid Jersey Shore heat on the boardwalk.  Though I went far, I felt like my lungs were turning inside out and my leg muscles turned into jello!  Bad way to start running.  I was sore for a week, and I quickly realized that the way I went about it was all wrong.  Zero to 5K=bad idea.  Even though I ran on the treadmill for months and felt ready to run outside, I wasn't really prepared for the difference between treadmill running and real running.  

I had a busy summer, but by the time August rolled around, I was ready to start running outside again.  I  got an 8 week plan by googling "how to start running" and clicking on the first link that popped up.    Starting out slow is the way to go!  As the weeks went by, the summer humidity gave way to cool autumn breezes, the crowds parted, and the boardwalk became filled with mostly runners. 

Walking back from a run in November.

Now that I'm officially a "runner", I find that I feel stronger and have more energy.  These days, the challenge lies in staying warm when it's in the 30's and super windy and dark.  After running outside for months now, I tried treadmill running again to beat the cold.   Weirdly, I hated it.  I used to enjoy running on the treadmill, but now that I'm used to the sound of the boards under my feet and the waves on the beach, the wind and the fresh sea air, I couldn't deal with the stale and boring treadmill.  Outside, the yoga pants that provided enough warmth for the fall are now woefully inadequate.  I did splurge on a rain jacket after a chilly rain soaked me to the core, but now I'm thinking I need running tights, long sleeve shirts, and gloves.  Thankfully, most running shoes and clothes are vegan, and it's pretty easy to avoid leather or wool.

Here are some vegan/vegetarian blogs I've been reading for running inspiration: 

No Meat Athlete- Matt Frazier is a vegetarian marathoner.  As a beginning runner, I'm learning a lot about endurance reading this blog.

The New Me-  Chrissy is a vegan runner in East Texas.  I especially liked her recent post about a perfect run. 

Run Fast. Run Vegan. is written by a 15+ year competitive vegan runner whose accomplishments are waaayyy beyond anything I could do or care to do, but it's cool.

Jeffrey Eggleston is another crazy accomplished runner that's vegan. A 14 minute 5K?  Damn.

Healthy Ashley-She's an ironman!

The Search for a Vegan Winter Coat

The days are getting colder, the nights are growing longer...sigh, winter's coming.  Definitely not my favorite season!  I'm always on the search for cute, warm, vegan clothing to stay comfortable.  Here's what my search turned up:

Vaute Couture's Kinder coat is TOO CUTE, but at $365, the price gave me pause...even with a 25% off VegNews offer ($273.75, plus shipping).

This faux fur trimmed Betsey Johnson coat is awesome ($119 at Bluefly.com), but will it be warm enough for east coast January? It's described as "mid-weight" with a polyester fill.  Not sure if that will do.

From what I've read, primaloft is a vegan coat's best friend.  It's a synthetic alternative to down.  Have you ever seen a cheap coat filled with down?  It spews feathers and pokes at you.  So gross.

Patagonia's Women's Micro Puffed Hooded Jacket uses primaloft, and is covered with recycled polyester.  Eco-friendly and $229.

This LL Bean Rugged Ridge Parka also uses primaloft.  I like how the LL Bean website offers you three categories for viewing their coats: warm, warmer, and warmest.  This one is considered warmest with a range of comfort from 10 degrees to -40.  Realistically, I'm not going to be exposed to that kind of temperature range in New Jersey, $159.

This LL Bean Snowfield jacket has a comfort range of 30 degrees to -20.  It's filled with polyester ThermaTEK.  That should do nicely, and at $99 with free shipping, the price is right.

The North Face offers a three in one jacket at $249. The Kira Triclimate jacket has Heatseeker Eco insulation.  There are a few variations of this coat, one for $199.

This North Face Whitby Deluxe jacket also has Heatseeker Eco insulation, priced at $349 (ouch!).

This fab Sparkle and Fade Faux Leopard Coat sure looks warm, though I'm guessing it  doesn't do well in wet weather.  $168 from Urban Outfitters.

I'm not sure what I'm going to buy yet, but it's nice to know they are so many vegan options out there!