Engineered for Endurance...

We all have our running "go to" brands. The ones we rely on for accuracy, comfort or safety. The brands with products that are permanently on our wish lists. And while I have different brands that I depend on for different things, my "go to" brand for running tights is CW-X. Without a doubt they are the best running tights I've ever worn!

I'm not going to go into all the magical technical details about their patented support web because you can read all about it on their website [link at the end of the post]. But what I will do is give you my personal (unpaid and therefore unbiased) review.

{As a little disclaimer, I did get a pair of running pants to tryout. But CW-X didn't ask me to review or promote it. I'm doing that on my own because I love their products, and they work really well for me}

Back in the dark days (let's call that period "pre-CW-X") I wore a knee brace and used KT tape and a variety of different warps when I ran. During my pre-CW-X days I needed the knee brace, and then that progressed into being too scared to run without it. But one day (let's call that "the day my knees fell back in love with me") I heard about CW-X and found my way to their website to check them out. I did hours of research on their line of running tights since I wasn't 100% certain what type of support I needed. I also looked at a few reviews, and stopped people after races to ask them if they thought the tights were a good deal (they all said yes). But at the end of the day, when I went to buy my very first pair I chose the tights that had the most symbols beside it cause I figured the more stuff the tights can do the better...

Home For The Holidays...

I've been on vacation mode since Christmas Eve when I came home for the holidays. And not my usual vacation mode where I work out every day (which is what I should be doing), but an actual "I've only exercised once in the 8 days I've been here" vacation mode...

Christmas Eve was spent traveling; hanging out with family; and doing Snap Chat shenanigans with my baby sister...

Then we went over to my cousin's house and hung out with him for a bit...

On Christmas morning my family and I went to Church; then we went back to our respective houses and finished our Christmas Dinner food preparations; then we had a wonderful Christmas Dinner together; and then we opened presents. My favorite gifts were a top that says "Faster in Jamaica"...

The Reality of Race Week & A Taste of Chicago...

It's Officially Race Week for the 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon and I am ready to...

A Peek Into My StrideBox...

Summer is here!!! Well at least it seems that way based on the ridiculous humidity levels and outrageous B+ and A- temperatures we've been having! And because Florida gets so hot there are not many long distance race options to look forward to for the next few months (no one wants to run a half or full in 90 degree weather!)

Instead the race circuit is permeated with 5Ks and 10Ks, otherwise known as the "sprints" of long distance/endurance running (ok I may have totally made that up or read that somewhere; but it makes sense right?). I love the 5K and 10K distances as training runs, but not necessarily for races. I know the reason for that is entirely superficial (so you don't need to point that out). Mainly it's because the medals for the shorter events are not as nice as the medals for the longer distance races. There are a few exceptions of course, but generally speaking a half marathon medal is usually nicer than a 5K or 10K medal. I race for the bling as much as I race for the experience so medals are pretty high up there on the priority list.

So when people tell me about races that don't have medals I usually say...

source

Keeping things in perspective...

Nothing has changed at the gym since the last time I went. Not the equipment and not the usual "regulars" that get there before the moon drifts off the sleep (I think some of them might not have left since the last time I was there). Well, there's comfort in consistency I guess.

My workout for today...

(yes, I did the leg press 3 times...it's one of my favorite weight machines)