Product Review Lululemon

Blog post dedicated to Tera, who bought me a gift card to Lululemon and started this expensive ball rolling.

I must confess.  I bought my first Lululemon piece at the first of September.  I am now up to 12 pieces.  Please, do not do the math.  Although about half a quarter of them were on the sale rack or from the "made too much" listing on the website.  *sigh*

On my way to Colorado Springs last week I stopped at a mall about one hour north at the Lululemon store and later in Colorado Springs I went to the showroom (smaller and only open limited hours).  A few weeks ago I had tried on this little number here:

Run: Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve

Since then I dreamed of it.  The soft fabric and the sleeves long enough to go over my thumbs without stretching.  The flattering fit!  I couldn't resist and knew that I had to have it!

I bought it on the way to run the Manitou Incline and wore it within the hour.  I felt like a better athlete just wearing it - but would it be comfortable?  Would it bug me during the run, get soaking wet with sweat?  Here came the real test!  (Yeah, my car was a mess!) 

Like most Lululemon products it was ALL that and more!  It was very comfortable and kept me at a perfect temperature. It felt soft!  I don't have very many long sleeve shirts because tech running shirts tend to be scratchy or too silky.  This shirt did not give me that "cold silky" feeling that some shirts do.  It rained on the way up and the shirt dried quickly, I never felt soggy and in the end it didn't smell either!

After I got to the top AND ran down, it still felt great.  

If you are looking for a comfortable long sleeve and are ready to invest in a great piece of clothing then I would definitely try this on and consider buying it.  Price: $68.00

You can get them online with free shipping or go to the store if you have one nearby.  There is always a much bigger selection at a store.  I bought a size 10 which fit me perfectly.  That is my usual size in shirts, but in long sleeves I usually have to go up a size for my ape arms.  Not with this shirt.  

FROM THE WEBSITE:

why we made this

When it comes to cool weather running, we do it in our Run: Swiftly LS (long sleeve) Tech top. Lightweight and body skimming, we wear it as a base layer under a wind-resistant jacket or on its own once our internal temperature heats up. Note: no jackets were left roadside in the making of this paragraph.

key features

• doubles as a lightweight base layer in cool weather runs
• the top's core construction is made of seamless Silverescent
• where there are seams, they are flat and engineered to reduce chafing
• thumbholes to keep sleeves in place and wrists warm

tech specs

• designed for: run
• fabric(s): seamless Silverescent®
• properties: anti-stink, chafe resistant, moisture wicking, breathable
• fit: body-skimming
• length: mid-hip

Confession:

After I realized I had to come home early because of the flu - I wore this the first day of my drive.  I hadn't washed it.  I also hadn't spilled anything on it, but it didn't smell at all.  It's so comfortable I want to wear it every day. Now THAT is my kinda shirt! 

Please be aware that there is a Lululemon outlet website that looks just like Lululemon but is not associated with the company.  It has been reported to their attorneys - but don't order from there.  The shipping is 25.00 flat and they either don't ever send you anything or send you an inferior product.  

Blog on...............

Challenges of running

Call a WHAAAMbulance.  
I'll have some cheese with my whine...
You get the point.

I love running, I really do and then once in a while, I don't.  I hear a lot of non-runners say, "I don't run, I just hate it".  Guess what, I do too sometimes.  My head likes to do this thing where it acts like it can't stand the first mile.  I'll slow it down and warm my head into the idea that my body is going to keep running until I'm done with what I wanted to do and my head comes around and then it's all sparkles, ponies and cupcakes. 

Tonight's run was miserable.  I wanted to run this morning, but I didn't sleep well and didn't wake up and motivate myself early enough in order to be ready to come on shift at 10am.  Lame.  Probably.  But being well rested is very important in this job and I never regret getting enough rest.  There is no guarantee that I'll get any sleep, once on shift.  

That left me with a 4 mile tempo run on the treadmill.  Not any treadmill, the treadmill at our apartments workout room.   I have to say, this apartment complex, although nice, used the cheapest of EVERYTHING.  From windows and appliances to the treadmills.  

Once I started my workout my head was on fire.  It was not wanting to run at all.  I felt tired and I think I'm getting burned out on my foot always hurting.  I slowed things down and realized that the only option on the treadmill was mph and not min/miles.  I have no idea the conversion so I decided (to placate my head a little) that I would run the 4 miles with warm-up and cool-down at a pace just a little faster then easy.  That helped and soon I was truckin along at a pretty good pace. 

THEN at 2 miles the treadmill just stopped.  Stopped.  Not a pause a full on done, stop - no information left.  I have hit the stop before when I was running and I know I didn't do that.   Luckily I had checked time and distance recently and I just restarted it.  Another mile in I reached up to increase the speed and boom - off.  FOR THE LOVE!! 

After one of my unplanned off sessions.

I restarted it again for my last mile and now I was stuck wondering if I could increase the speed.  I started out at 6.0 mph and I had increased throughout my run and the last half of a mile I was at 6.6 mph (which is about 9.09 min/miles) and I wanted to bust it up to 6.7 for a big finish  (I love a big finish!)  I shouldn't have, but I did and BOOM - off again.  I turned it on, put it on 6.7mph and finished my 4ish miles.  Of course it didn't turn off when I decreased the speed.  Overall I think I did about 4 miles at a less then tempo pace, but respectable about 9.5 min/mile average.  I can live with that.  Plus after I did feel terrific!!!  


So if your a non-runner and you go out to run and just hate it, then give it some time and love.  Slow it down, run/walk, make slow increases.  Try to stay away from evil possessed apartment complex treadmills that stop when you try to run faster.  Very essential advice.  I have more, just ask.  

Even though it was only 4 miles I tried out my new compression sleeves.  These are from ProCompression, the same company that I bought the orange compression socks from that didn't work out so well for me and took a couple of toenails in the process.  I don't fault the company, the full socks aren't for me.  Recently they had a special (like them on Facebook, they have ton's of specials) and I bought 2 pairs of the sleeves, black and purple in size small.  I was worried they would be too small but they are PERFECT.  Not too long and fit great with the perfect amount of squeeze.  They worked perfectly for my run and if I hadn't been at work I would have worn them for a couple hours after.  Very comfortable.  I really don't have any cons to the product, they are expensive but watch for specials.

AND - they match my shoes that match my KT tape.  boom.  I love that!  

Blog on...............