A Dose of San Diego Sunshine

Greetings from San Diego!

One of my good friends from when I used to live down here is having a baby very, very soon, so I decided to make a trip down south for her baby shower. Crystal is also along for the ride (she and I met when we both lived down here). Today, we took advantage of the hot, sunny weather and went from a run along one of my old favorite routes, a 5k loop from Little Italy down to the Embarcadero and back.

Tank: Under Armour [similar]

Sports bra: Lululemon [similar]

Pants: GapFit [similar]

Shoes: Newton Running [exact]

Sunglasses: Oakley [exact]

Since I'm used to running in San Francisco's permanent spring/fall weather, the heat took its toll today! It was not a very fast run for me, and I was sweating quite a bit by the end. Fortunately, this tank top is vented in the back, so it was a great choice for a warm day. I think shorts would've been a better option for the bottom half of my outfit, though. 

Crystal and me mid-run at Seaport Village

Here's hoping that the rest of the weekend has equally beautiful weather!

Giving Barre a Shot

My friend Crystal has been talking to me about her barre classes for months now. Any time I mentioned feeling out of shape, she's quick to suggest joining her at her Dailey Method classes. Since I run a few times a week, I always felt like I was fine. However, I've started noticing my lack of core and upper body strength lately. I know core strength is important for runners, but because I don't particularly enjoy doing crunches in a gym, I neglect it.

So, I gave in. I finally agreed to give The Dailey Method's barre class a shot tonight.

Tank: Forever 21 [similar]

Pants: Yogasmoga [exact]

Sports bra: Lululemon [similar]

First thing's first: this is definitely a good workout. I discovered muscles that I didn't know existed several times over the course of an hour. However, I also had a few moments that I had absolutely no clue what we were even supposed to be doing in the class. I'm not sure if that was a reflection of the teacher or the way the classes work in general, but it was a bit frustrating. But, regardless of what I was doing, I was sweating quite a bit by the time I left. Only a few hours later, I'm already super sore and somewhat scared about what I'll feel like tomorrow! I can't say I'm sold on The Dailey Method yet, but I'll definitely give it another shot.

Yesterday, I went for my Wednesday running club yet, but neglected to take any photos. I promise good photos this weekend to compensate for it!

Social Running

Happy Sunday Runday! Although I typically don't run back-to-back days (I like to mix it up with yoga or whatever other active thing catches my eye), Crystal asked if I wanted to run this morning, so I figured I'd go for it.

I used to never enjoy running with other people. I'm not a fast runner, and it always seems like running comes very easily to other people. They always wanted to talk while I was sitting there huffing and puffing trying desperately to keep up with them. It really wasn't until I started running with Crystal that I genuinely enjoyed it. It's a different kind of running. It's social running.

What I get out of a run with a friend is totally different than a solo run. My solo runs are exercises in mental strength, mainly. It's all about how hard I can push myself and conquer all those negative thoughts in my mind. With a friend, it sometimes is about getting out there despite not wanting to run, and sometimes, it's a way to up the pace or change up the route. Running with friends makes me more comfortable with trying new things, whereas running solo is about challenging myself on the turf I'm already familiar with.

Shirt: GapFit [exact]

Shorts: Lululemon [exact]

Shoes: Newton Running [exact]

Sunglasses: Oakley [exact]

There's just something about a cloudy day that makes me want to wear bright colors! I love these T-shirts from GapFit...the material is just wonderful. It's nice both for daytime wear and workout wear. They are a big clingy, though, so you may want to size up if you're not comfortable with that! My new running shoes are starting to get broken in, too, so I'm pretty happy about that. I always feel weird running in brand new, spotless shoes!