Clothing review

Summer is in full swing and I just have to say that it sucks! It has been a truly unpleasant summer here in Gainesville. About midway through June, the humidity went through the roof. Before that, it had been getting pretty hot - temps in the mid-90's, but the humidity was only around 60-70%. The temps have dropped a bit - mostly due to more cloud cover, but the humidity regularly hovers around 95%. It's horrible! It's like being wrapped from head to toe in a warm, wet blanket. It has also been raining/storming almost constantly, and not in any predictable manner. I've been muddling through my training, but it hasn't been all that enjoyable. I keep thinking longingly of last summer. It was quite hot, but not nearly as humid. I didn't mind being outside at all - I just made sure to wear sunscreen, a hat, and drink lots. I've realized that it is much easier to deal with heat than it is humidity. Of course, the lack of rain from last summer put us into a pretty serious drought. I guess you can't have everything.

I didn't write this post to complain about the weather, I merely wanted to set the stage. When you step outside, you are immediately wet. If you are exerting yourself in any way, you are completely soaked through in about 10 minutes - I'm really not exaggerating, I promise. I discovered that on my long runs, I needed to carry more with me - more energy gels, more Nuun tablets, more than I could stuff in the pockets of my trishorts. I really hate running with a fanny pack so I started thinking about other options. As many of you know, I am picky about my clothing. It has to fit, it has to be made well, and it has to last. I don't mind spending a bit more if it meets those standards. When it comes to technical clothing, there are considerations like fabric and construction, also. Where seams are placed is a big issue when it comes to preventing chafe - and when it's 95% humidity, chafe is an issue. I'm sure a few of you are thinking "Why don't you just do your long runs in a bike jersey? It has pockets." That's actually a good idea, but I had a few issues with that. I only have a few sleeveless bike jerseys - most of my summer bike tops have built in bras so they aren't appropriate for running. The sleeveless jerseys I do own are made out of a little heavier fabric than I wanted - I usually wear them in the fall. Super thin fabric is a must. If I'm going to be wet my entire run, then I want the wet fabric to weigh as little as possible. The only bike jersey I had that was really thin had a high neck that I knew would annoy me when running.

I actually have the perfect running shirt - my New York Marathon Asics singlet. It lacks pockets, though. So what I decided I was looking for was a singlet that had pockets, preferably with a v-neck. The more of a racerback that it had, the better. That requirement is pure vanity to try to limit crazy tan lines. Obviously, triathlon clothing is the place to start looking. So with my requirements clear, I went shopping, which for me means hitting the internet. I found some really nice tri singlets, but they were either really, really expensive or had built in bras - or both. I finally found what I was looking for - the Castelli Fascino top and the Craft Wave Tank. See pics below. They are both cycling jerseys, but are fitted and super thin, and have pockets - yippee!

I have to say that I am really happy with both these tops. They weren't cheap, although the Craft recently went on sale so I bought another one. The Craft is more fitted than the Castelli, and has three back pockets to the Castelli's two, and has a small zippered pocket. I love the zippered pocket because I can put my I.D. and emergency money in there and it doesn't get in my way when I am getting gels out of my pockets. The Castelli is beautifully made - Castelli is an Italian cycling apparel company that has been around forever. As everyone knows, Europeans know cycling AND clothing so European cycling apparel is usually really nice. From a best value for the dollar veiwpoint, I'd have to say the Craft comes out ahead. Having these tops has made it easier to carry my running necessities, and even my cellphone so it's made my long runs just a little easier. I thought I'd share my finds with my lady readers. A little something for the guys - and ladies - I love running in my Zoot trifit shorts. They fit really well, and I don't notice how wet they are. I still think I prefer Pearl Izumi trishorts for racing, though.