Fashion Fitness Hacks---'Fessing Up

It's time to come clean on a some things. Time for Keeping It Real. Time for a few more of my  Runfessions!

It's no secret that I'm a bit of a color freak. And, admittedly, I have a keen interest in fashion.

But, I have three kids, two of which are in college (and one of them is graduating in a week!). I have a rather large house that is not 100% paid for (and is impossible to keep clean, by the way). The husband and I enjoy having a social life, and that doesn't happen without spending a few dollars on fun endeavors with friends.

I also enjoy running, and we all know running does not come cheap. The biggest running expense for me is racing, particularly race registrations. I've been doing half marathons since 2008, and in the past few years I have ventured into the marathon arena. I'm also embarking on my second Ultra in July.....and the bigger the distance, usually the bigger the registration fees (#ka #ching).

Running gear is also a hefty, though quite necessary, expense. We all probably remember the first pair of running shoes we purchased...did you do a nervous gulp as you handed over upwards of $100 (or more) for a pair of shoes you wouldn't even be wearing every day? (I did!)

So....... how am I able to do these expensive events and not file for bankruptcy? It's simple....I have some fitness fashion hacks. Here are a few of them (in no particular order):

Arm Sleeves.... Have you seen or tried these little beauties?  They have all the warmth off a long-sleeved top without the under-arm bulk. I wear them with tanks for most of my races because it's usually my arms that are cold at the start of a race (not my entire torso). They are easy to slide off (and tie around my waist) if I get too warm. And they are very colorful!

Aren't they funky-cool?

I have some that were won (door prize), and a pair that I purchased at an expo. I think they cost $25-30, which may seem pricey, but I probably wear them at least a couple times a month. If you don't want to spend the money on arm sleeves, you can make your own from knee-high socks. For the Des Moines Half Marathon last October, I bought a double pack of socks at Walmart, for less than $5. My original plan was to cut off the feet and use them as "throwaway arm sleeves." Well, I liked the color and pattern so much, I still have them. They have been washed & worn several times since.

Look closely....see the frayed edge of the sock on my wrist? 

Modify and Get Crafty ...Do you love the graphics/color/theme of a favorite event, but not too crazy about the event shirt? I am a bit of a snob when it comes to fit. I don't want things sagging and bagging on me. A lot of events still have the dreaded unisex shirts (which, in my opinion, do not look good on anyone). Even when a women's cut is offered, though, it usually is still "boxy" and not as fitted as I would prefer.



My solution? Modify and get crafty. If it's tech fabric, it usually will not fray if you cut it. I have cut many of my event shirts into tank tops. At the very least, I usually cut out the neck and make it into a scoop neckline (which is much more flattering than a generic crew neck). Want some step-by-step instructions? Follow this LINK .

From boxy t-shirt to scoop-neck tank with a racer back!

Kinesiology Tape is your friend. Hate the look of an ugly PF sleeve? Tape your foot instead! Last summer, I had my first-ever experience with Plantar's Fasciitis. YUCK! I bought a special compression sleeve, and it worked great...but it was SO ugly! I discovered the magic of taping while at the Grandma's Marathon expo when one of the vendor workers taped my arch and heel. It felt just as good as the sleeve, but was much less conspicuous. Also, the tape stayed on for several days at a time (and didn't need constant laundering). This might not work for every person (or every injury), but I was relieved to have another way of dealing with that bothersome injury.

Compression Sleeves. Do you have a favorite pair of capri's that you hate to put in storage in the winter? You could do what I do: wear them with compression sleeves on the bottom. They don't necessarily need to match, but it's not too hard to find sleeves that will (at the least) coordinate. Also, I have worn compression sleeves under full tights for really long runs on really cold days.

It's kind of hard to see...but these are capri's paired with "tie-dyed" sleeves

Shoes.... Not happy with the color selection of your go-to running shoe? Fix it, swap out the laces, or Sharpie-up the soles. It's really that simple. I even wrote a blog post about my obsession with colorful shoes (here's the LINK ).

Confession...not one of these shoes is sporting the original laces that came with them

Here's a bonus runfession....Have you ever been unsure about race day gear? Too cold in a tank, too hot with an extra layer? Consider throwaway arm sleeves from old (ugly) knee-highs (my husband has a stash of old crew-length socks). And keep a few pairs of throwaway gloves from the dollar store in your stash of gear. (you're welcome)

How about you? Do you have any fitness fashion hacks that have worked for you?

I'm linking up with Marcia from  Marcia's Healthy Slice for the Runfessions  link-up. Head over and check out what everyone is runfessing about....