I don't shop like a girl. I never have. I actually hate to shop. And these days, with "vanity sizing," I never know what size I am. I feel insulted -- like my time isn't valuable -- when I have to go into a dressing room repeatedly to try stuff on only because I have no idea what size I am. And it varies from label to label. So aggravating.
But something's come over me these past few months. Well, I should back up....
I made a vow in January (with a friend... an avid shopper) to "not buy anything for myself for six months," after seeing a video called "The Story of Stuff." It was her idea, but I was sure she'd cave and I wouldn't. I don't even like to shop. It's a piece of cake!! She mentioned that she'd probably need new running shoes before July, "but other than that...." I took that to mean "nothing for myself except workout stuff." I'm new to multi-sport. (New since the beginning of the year.) She's been doing it for a while, and she's sort of a fair weather weekender anyway... not that there's anything wrong with that... hey, if she can pull off a couple of races a year with minimal training, she's a better woman than I. For me, though, I've gone completely insane... hook, line & sinker. To train for the five races (so far) that I've done this year, one of which was a triathlon, I commute to work on my bike (15 miles each way) two or three days a week, swim three days a week, run three days a week. How many days are there in a week?? Yeah, it's become a lifestyle for me. And as I newbie to triathlon training, I still had LOTSA stuff to accumulate. I got a new bike, and running shoes (three times) and cycling shoes and other swim-bike-run stuff of all sorts. You get the picture. During my "six months of no shopping," I'm sure I accumulated at least as much stuff as I did all last year. I know it's because I like finding anything related to my addiction. (Eye protection. I just got the best glasses....)
My laundry is almost exclusively workout gear.
I pack a suitcase once a week for work when I have to drive. My fellow librarian co-workers usually comment, "Is it moving in day?" on the day I bring in the new clothes and haul out the laundry along with my recyclables from my "second breakfast" eating-frenzies. Other than that day, my contribution to the laundry basket at home consists almost entirely of running or cycling shorts and shirts, socks, sports bras, swimsuits, and towels galore.
So, for the first time in my life I like to shop.... for training and racing gear, at least. I have some preetttyy cool -- even matching -- gear. I still don't like to shop for clothes for work, though, but I've had to, a little. I've shrunk out of everything this year. So, my friend didn't cave (as far as I know), but I sure did. I needed new clothes every time the season changed. Does it matter that I didn't enjoy it?
But I digress... As I was saying, today I went shopping. I hit four stores before I made the purchase. I needed a pair of trishorts that wouldn't be too baggy in the water or try to fall off on the run, but wouldn't be too tight either. Before today, I had two pairs of trishorts that I love to wear on my bicycle commutes. I don't like a lot of padding. My seat is awesome and I really don't need it. I wore my favorite of the two pair (the shorter of the two) in my first tri (Thundergust) six weeks ago. They seemed tight enough all the times I wore them on the bike, but were so baggy in the legs in the water that I felt like I was wearing a skirt. Too much drag. (Well, not that clothes are going to help my swim time, but that's a-whole-nother issue.)
Today's mission was to find the perfect tri shorts for August 3rd's SheRox. And I did.
Well, I think I did. I'll know more Monday when I bike them to the pool. But I'm pretty sure I did score. They are Sugoi Piston. The pair I wore at Thundergust were also Sugoi, but made of a different fabric; the Piston's fabric is more like a swimsuit. (My favorite swimsuit is made by Sugoi.) I found them in on my last stop. I have a good feeling about these shorts. Not too long, not too short. A little tighter in the legs than the pair I wore at Thundergust. And, they'll look great with the tri top I already have.
