Was that a pig up there in the sky?

So, I got up early this morning to go for a walk before breakfast. Well, let me amend that: it wasn't actually early, since I stayed up too late last night watching Ivanovic and Hantuchova slug it out in the Australian open, but it was as early as I ever get up of my own free will, and earlier than I've exercised for a long time. And I realize that a brisk walk isn't exactly vigorous exercise, but given how much I've been sitting lately, anything's an improvement. So I threw on various layers of stuff and went. Yay for me. Unfortunately it's cold today (about 19 degrees F) and I didn't have warm enough pants on, so I'm sitting here feeling my thighs tingle in that we-were-really-cold-so-now-we're-going-t0-burn-and-itch way. (I originally wrote I was feeling my things tingle, which, um, gives a slightly different impression than what I intended...)

Someday it would be fun to have the right gear for exercising, especially in the cold. NLLDH, who is running five days a week now, has a whole set of spiffy cold-weather running gear, including a SmartWool long-sleeved shirt and a Patagonia jacket. The problem I have is that such spiffy gear is REALLY expensive. I don't begrudge NLLDH spending $150+ on a running jacket - especially when you figure he's wearing it 5x a week - but myself, I'd rather spend that money on a pair of boots or completely frivolous consumables like perfume and bath scrubs. Plus, NLLDH is fine with wearing his running gear five days in a row, if laundry schedules necessitate, whereas I am such a sweat monster an efficient cooling machine that I hate wearing the same exercise gear more than once without washing it, which requires having more stuff, so my gear all comes from Target. And while Target has pretty decent stuff, I find that like most other inexpensive stuff, it's easier to wear the closer you are to model-sized, and so when I'm putting on layers to brave the cold I end up looking like the Michelin man, and honestly? Target exercise gear is not as nice quality as Patagonia (which is like made out of spun gold or something).

Though the nice thing about  exercising in the great outdoors, I'm realizing, is that fastidiousness is not so much of a big deal as if you're in the close quarters of a gym or fitness class - unlike the person on the next treadmill over, Joe Dog-Walker and his pup passing me in the park aren't going to be able to tell if my t-shirt is less than springtime fresh. And it's a good thing, really, that in the great outdoors you're not that up-close-and-personal with the other people out there, because the hat I have for exercising in the cold? Is one of those goofy knitted things with flaps. It just barely fits my oversized head and I look like a dork in it - a complete and utter dork. I think one of my central problems with exercise is I greatly dislike thinking I look like a dork, and I have yet to find an activity or gear that goes along with it in which I do not think I look like a dork. Something to get over, I guess - it's probably good for me to look like a dork on a regular basis. Keeps you humble and all that.

Comments

[ianqui]

This is what sierratradingpost.com is for--deep discounts on last year's workout clothes styles. It's great. I recommend it. Just do yourself the favor of writing in the comments box of the online order form that they NOT send you any paper catalogs, because otherwise you'll be inundated. The nice thing about them is that they actually listen to you when you ask them not to put you on their list.

[from away]

EMS carries a lot of functional workout clothing that looks fine on those of us who aren't already in great shape. I recommend the techwick stuff, especially the t-shirts for warm weather. I wait for the sales.

Anyway, good for you for getting yourself out the door!

[Rokeya]

Hey cool, I've become a walker too! It's a great activity for winter when the days are shorter and other activities that require more planning/a specific location might be less tenable because there are less daylight hours. I've been reading up on the many benefits of walking--if you get up to 60%-70% of your target heart rate from a brisk walk, you're already getting so many benefits! I, like you, feel like a fool at the gym, often because I feel like a dork and feel a lot of pressure to *look* like one of those people who frequents the gym. I also have the kind of body where even the best of sports bras will not retain the bounce, and alas, I do not want to bounce bounce bounce in front of my students if I happen to see one of them there. So. Walking is nice.

I hope you keep updating about it!

[Notorious Ph.D]

Oh, I'm so glad I read the comments section, because I, too, have recently started to work out again after over a year of inactivity, and I have precisely two things I can possibly wear (and only one of those when it's as cold as it promises to be now).

I've also gotten recommendations to Title Nine Sports for women's workout clothes. A bit more expensive, but worth it, for what I hear.

[Pilgrim/Heretic]

Oh, it's true, Title Nine sports stuff is awesome.

But it's also true that if you're doing stuff outside, especially walking or running, nobody's going to give a shit what you wear. I always look like a dork going out for a walk, especially because I have a weird paranoia about keeping my neck warm, so I wind a scarf around until my neck is wider than my head. But I figure, if my choice is to look like a dork for a relatively short time or feel fat and lumpy all day long, I'll go for dork.

[New Kid on the Hallway]

P/H - you need to wear a scarf where you live???? ;-)

[Kelly in Kansas]

The Champion gear at Target is outstanding!

[Cheeky prof]

Just wanted to say I love the term "sweat monster." Hee hee.

[Evan]

Another vote for the Champion gear at Target. I can't guarantee anyone will find sizing heaven with it, but it does the job at a fraction of the price of Smart Wool or North Face. Indeed Smart Wool is too expensive for my tastes for a base layer. Campmor, like Sierra Trading Post, also has good deals on polypropylene.

Happy trails!

[New Kid on the Hallway]

Oooh, I completely forgot about Campmor - thanks for the reminder, Evan! And thanks for the Sierra Trading Post reminder, too, ianqui (I didn't see that comment till now because the silly Typepad people didn't send a notifier...).

(I love Title 9 stuff, but 1) I'm cheap and 2) I wear the top end of women's sizes, and a lot of the Title 9 bottoms stop at the size below mine, curse them.)

[rageyone]

Do you all have an Academy in your area? If so, they offer reasonable prices on their stuff. I use Champion gear also and sometime they have good sales online.

I always cruise through the athletic sections at Ross, TJ Maxx and (when I'm lucky enough to be near one) Marshalls. I've got some really good stuff at those places, especially really good running bras