Thrifty Thursday for March

So, going into this week's post I  just want to reiterate that I  don't find every month's finds in one trip.  A lot of it is just pure, dumb luck, then I take pictures and put them into seasonally appropriate posts for the month.  Okay, for the most part.  Definitely not going to be posting sweaters in July.  Usually. Anyways here are the finds for the month!

This was a moment of "Oh this is SO pretty and it looks cute on."  Got home.  It's dry clean only.  Generally I make an effort to buy clothing that I can wash at home.  This one slipped through and has been sitting in my "to be dry cleaned" pile for a minute.  But still so pretty!  It'll be good for a date night out as we head into the weird transitional weather.

Lilly Pulitzer Elsa Top:  Originally $158, paid $10

Lately I've been really into leopard prints.  That's what caught my eye first.  When I saw it was also Tory Burch and in my size I grabbed it, hid it in the clothes already on my arm and didn't let go!  The sweater's in awesome condition (can be hard to find in wool, especially if there are buttons involved), and the wool is SO lightweight it'll also make for a good transition piece.  

Tory Burch Wool Cardigan:  Originally $228, paid $20

This season I've been very into cowl necks.  I have a short haircut and having the extra fabric to cover my neck helps keep me warm.  The fabric is really soft and it even has pockets and thumbholes!

Athleta Studio Cowl:  Originally $89, paid $8

We've been lucky to have a mild winter, so this jacket has been great!  It's just heavy enough on days that I can't justify wearing a down jacket but still need some warmth.

Mountain Hardwear Pyxis Jacket:  Originally $110, paid $7

Herringbone has been big in the last few months, but apparently Athleta was slightly ahead of the trend!  The fabric is pretty thick and it's more of a straight leg than tapered, so I think these will be for wearing around the house or even errands.

Athleta Herringbone Mercer Tights:  Originally $89, paid $6

I have a cousin who was on her equestrian team in college and still tries to ride whenever she can.  Let's be honest though:  It's not a cheap hobby so whenever I find tights for riding in her size, I grab them immediately.  These ones are even fleece lined so that made me very excited to find these!  (Fleece lined athletic leggings are SO hard to find.)

Kerrits Flow Rise Performance Tights:  Originally $70, paid $4

So those are my finds for the month!  Did you have any good finds this month?  Any good races coming up?  I'm in the home stretch of training for the Shamrock Dolphin challenge!  (It's an 8k on Saturday, half marathon on Sunday.)  Start the conversation and leave a comment below!

Thrifty Thursday for February!

Wow.  That was the longest January ever, and now it feels like February is going by SO FAST!  Winter finally arrived so I've been keeping an eye out for all the warm, cozy pieces of clothing to stay warm. 

I love a big sweatshirt that I can just wrap myself in while reading the newspaper or watching a movie.  This one is the perfect weight with a ton of fabric to wrap up!

Under Armour Studio Wrap:  Originally $100, paid $7

Athleta casual wear is amazing.  Sure these pants are missing the drawstring, but they always stick out funny underneath t-shirts.  (Also, super easy to replace with a visit to the sewing notions section of any craft store.) However with the drawstring missing I have the option of lowering the rise by flipping over the waistband.  And check out this hidden feature...

What's this?

It's a reflective cuff!!  I might not every use it, but it's definitely an interesting feature meant for bike commuters.

Athleta Midtown Ankle Pant:  Originally $79, paid $4

It might be a minute before I wear this one.  The fabric is super lightweight, but super comfy!  I came across this mostly by luck.  I was going through the rack and saw the super faint patagonia logo and took a closer look and found it was in my size and cute so why not?

Patagonia Glorya Wrap:  Originally $79, paid $5

Here's another big sweater to wrap myself in, but this one is a lightweight wool knit.  

Icebreaker Bliss Wrap:  Originally $150, paid $6

I've never had wool tights for running because they're a little pricey. I  thought these would be worth a try at a low price point and still in great shape!  (Even if I don't wear them for running, they would be cute under a dress or great for layering under jeans.)   

Smartwool 250 Baselayer Tights:  Originally $100, paid $4

I  don't wear corduroy often, but when I do I go for a quality brand like Prana!  I have a few pairs of pants from them at this point, and the sizing is pretty consistent and for someone who's 5'3'' the short inseam is perfect for me!

Prana Autumn Stretch Pants:  Originally $89, paid $4

Any good thrifting finds this month?  Any good races coming up?  I've got my first race coming up on March 1st!  It's the Bigfood Endurance 10 Mile Trail Race.  It'll be my longest trail race ever, and I'm super excited.

2019 Women's Distance Festival 5k by Howard County Striders

First off, it feels like this recap will be SO fast because in comparison I ran so many longer distance races in 2019.  (This was my second and final 5k of 2019, even for a race in early June.)  My focus wasn't really on the 5k, it was on PR'ing the half marathon.  After the National Women's Half Marathon, I was feeling defeated.  I wanted an easy, no stress race to remind me why I love a road race again.  I had noticed some friends talking about this race in a Facebook group, and I knew the race was later than I like to run competitively but I started researching.  Howard County Striders had a course map up so after taking a look, I decided to sign up and go try the course.

I  did my trial run a couple days before the race after going to OrangeTheory.  I  took it easy, and just wanted to know what to expect when running the race.  I  started a little ways from the official start, but since it is on a loop I  still had a good idea of what to expect.  It seemed like a "normal" course for Columbia, so not super hilly but there were a couple of unsuspecting ones along the way.  (They show as merely a blip on an elevation chart.  In person?  They felt like big blips.)  But after running it, I felt confident that I knew what to expect.

Packet pickup was super easy, and the shirt was kind of cute too!

On race day, weather-wise we got somewhat lucky because it was overcast and in the low 70s, but that also meant there was a lot of humidity.  The 10 minute drive to the start made me remember why I like racing close to home.  (And not having to worry about parking either was amazing!)  And added bonus?  REAL BATHROOMS!  Since the race started and ended at the community college, they opened a building so we could use the bathroom.

The race itself wasn't super crowded which was nice after running so many big races.  It was still definitely hot and between just one water stop and my usual pre-race Nuun it was not enough.  The hills definitely got to me even though a couple days earlier they hadn't felt that terrible.  (I still ran faster than during my trial run!)  The course goes through a neighborhood so it's not necessarily scenic, but to be honest I wasn't really looking at my surroundings much.  There wasn't much crowd support, but a few people in the neighborhood came out to cheer, and there was someone riding alongside the course on a bike encouraging runners.

When I crossed the finish line and felt defeated.  I crossed in 31:32.  My sub-30 was still elusive and I was so upset.  Whenever this happens, I always try to give myself some leniency--it was hot.  I had not been training for speed.  I hadn't really done much training to make it a goal race.  It wasn't the easiest course.  It wasn't my best time or my worst time, and later I found out it was only 11 seconds slower than the BAA 5k two months earlier in better conditions AND blind because I had forgotten to charge my Garmin.

As I took my cold towel, water and post race snacks (watermelon, cookies and chips), I tried SO hard to figure out what I could learn from this race.  I came to the conclusions that I should still be happy with the outcome since I was focusing on distance at a slower speed than a sub-30 5k, I still got out there and I finished.  I also need to find a more flat race for my sub-30 at a cooler time of year.

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Signed up for this morning’s 5k a couple weeks ago. The weather was great (for June) and the course wasn’t easy but not terribly difficult. sub-30 is still elusive, but after looking at the elevation chart it’s not terribly surprising. This morning is *definitely* my last race for a couple months while we get through the oppressive heat of the summer. The sub-30 will come. Just have to strategize courses and training a little more intensely. . . #runnersofinstagram #balegaimpi2019 #balegabestsocksever #impilove #impipride #balega #balegasocks #balegalove #lovemybalegas #hshive #rungoodr #goodrflamboyance #goodr #nuunlife #teamzensah #sweatpink #sweatpinkambassador #oisellevolée #oiselleteamdmv #flystyle

A post shared by Holly (@thethriftyrunner) on Jun 9, 2019 at 3:13pm PDT

Overall, I would recommend this race if you're local to Howard County.  It was worth the low registration fee and nice that it was so close but if I had to drive 30 minutes or more away I don't know if it would be worth it.  Definitely keep in mind it's at a weird time of year where the weather could do just about anything.  The race is small and inexpensive enough that it's pretty low stress.  Also with it being a local race, it's really nice to be able to actually run on the course to prepare.  The shirt was cute, but I still don't know if I'll wear it (I don't wear a lot of my race swag.)  I  do think it could be a good first race if you want one that will be low stress.  

Thrifty Thursday for January 2020! (And a Couple Donation Tips!)

Happy New Year!!!  Before we left 2019 behind, I was one of those people who ran to a thrift shop not to shop, but to donate.  It made me think of a couple donation tips that I find really helpful.

-Make a general list as you pack everything into boxes or bags.  I use the ItsDeductible app from TurboTax as a guide.  (Not an ad.)  Create an account, check out what they use as different item descriptions and valuations.  Then what I  do is create a list of how many of each thing as I put it in each bag and once I finally donate it I add the entire list to an ItsDeductible donation.  Then the app will show me how much the donation is worth and how much I can expect back on my taxes.  Once I've finished with the list, I staple it to the receipt (always get the receipt) so I can see exactly how much was donated in that trip.  Added bonus, if you use TurboTax to prepare your taxes it can automatically import into the program!

-Don't donate where you shop.  This will cut down on the chances that something will find its way back into your home.

-Donate clothing that is still in wearable condition.  If something has holes or any wear (even if it came that way) will get tossed by the sorters.  It's hard to tell what rips in jeans are there because of fashion trends and which are there because someone fell while wearing them.

-Also, donate/resell more than you buy and hold yourself to it!  I got a coupon for 20% off for donating and I wasn't even tempted by it.

That being said, onto my thrifting finds!

It feels like I'm always on the lookout for a decent running backpack.  I like to have one on hand to toss a few necessities into before an OrangeTheory class because I live close enough that a run there and back on a nice day isn't too far.  I also like to have one for Boston weekend because at the very least, there's a lot of walking that weekend.  I always have grand plans that I'll run from the cowbell corner back to the T since until last year we would be at the halfway point.  (Not always easy to get back from there on the commuter rail due to the Sox game!)  This one from High Sierra was highly rated except for the bladder.  I wasn't interested in that part, so I  was fine picking this one up!  It was a last minute decision and didn't give it a once over so once I got home I found a hole in one of the seams.  No big deal, it's an easy fix and should be barely noticeable once I sew it up.

High Sierra Visalia 9L Backpack:  Originally $50, paid $4

I'm a sucker for running capris that have pockets!  Even if the pockets aren't big enough for my phone, if it can hold chews or gels that's enough for me!

Lululemon Pace Rival Crop: Originally $88, paid $6

I heard about this brand through Oiselle since they gave away pins with orders a few years ago now.  They have some really cute enamel pins that fit a variety of tastes, but at $10 each are a little pricey.  I managed to visit this different thrift store on a sale day and saved even more!

These Are Things Pins:  Originally $10 each, paid $1.30

Organizational items are pricey and SO easy to find at thrift stores.  I'm always so surprised when I  find this at a thrift store.  They're my favorite spice organizer because it looks unassuming, but then you pull out the drawer and it tilts so you can see everything!

I picked up another one of these for our little vials of sprinkles and decorating sugars for baking.  It no longer matters how high up the spices or sprinkles are because I can still see everything!

Spice Stack:  Originally $40, paid $1.50

In the wintertime, bring on all the merino wool.  I will wear all of it. Kari Traa is a three time Olympic medal skier from Norway who started the brand in 2006 and the brand came to the US in 2015.  The company makes some amazing wool layers made for an active lifestyle.  I was so excited when I found this in the racks.  I  got really lucky that day because this top in great shape and amazing! Lightweight and so warm.  Perfect for the slopes, running or lounging!

Kari Traa Vrang Long Sleeve:  Originally $75, paid $5

Any great thrifting finds?  How about any races coming up?  (I know it's still early in the year but there are still a few out there!)  Start the conversation below!

2019 National Women's Half Marathon Review!

This is the second year for this race, and it was definitely on my radar because of the different tiered pricing.  Get in early enough and your race registration would be $1 (plus fees), then it went up in $5 increments all the way to $125.  I  managed to get in at the $1 tier, and after the fees I paid a total of $5.44.  I figured even though it was almost a full year ahead of time if I  end up not being able to run I would just be out $5 and that's no big deal.  The timing was right since it was the weekend after the Parkway Classic so it fit into my training pretty well, so why not?

Packet pickup was pretty easy, but being in Maryland it was still a little bit of a drive to get to Clarendon.  I  had only been there a handful of times, so I checked out the area on Google Maps and saw that there was a Trader Joe's nearby that had a garage that validated parking.  Perfect.  So I parked in their garage, went over to Pacer's to get my packet, then went to Trader Joe's to pick up some groceries.  Then I somehow forgot that Virginia grocery stores have beer and wine.  (I grew up in Virginia, but have lived in Maryland for five years so I don't see beer and wine in grocery stores anymore.)  So I picked up a couple beers (one of them was Larry's Flamingo Fruit Fight, which ended up being pretty good) along with my staples of peanut butter pretzels and some dried fruit and got my parking validated on the way out.

Occasionally I appreciate a cotton race shirt if the design is fun.  This one is kind of "meh."  I'll wear it casually, but probably won't be in regular rotation.

The weather already wasn't looking very good, but I went ahead and got a reservation for parking anyways.  The closest by that point was a mile and a half away, so I kept thinking it wasn't a big deal.  It was parking and it was close to where the Volee was meeting up for brunch afterwards.  I  could still back out and only be out $5 and could get a full refund for parking in a couple of days.  The night before I packed my hydration vest with chews and a bag of dry clothes so I could change post-race in the bathroom at the restaurant.

Fast forward to race morning.  I left the house at 5:30 for a 7am gun time.  It was so much later than I wanted to leave, but I would get there.  The whole drive down it was pouring rain and I  kept thinking "WHY am I doing this to myself?!  I can back out at any time and it's no big deal.  Why am I  stressing out over this?!"  Then I found myself in the parking garage.  And that it was closer to 2 miles away from the start, not 1.5 miles.  Big difference when it's 6:30, but at least it was completely downhill so I walked fast and at times slowly ran as a warm up to the start.  I got to the race at 6:45, ran into a friend and we walked over to the runner's village.  I somehow got through the portajohn lines and to the start in 10 minutes, AND finally ran into a fellow Balega Impi that lives in my hometown.   (Somehow kept missing each other for the almost 3 years I've been in the Balega ambassador program.)

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That one time a few @balega_international Impi's were at the same place at the same time . . #IRun4Chase #injuredrunner #TheComebackRemixedfor2019 #BlackGirlAmazing #balegaimpi2019 #impipride #impilove #queenbeeambassador

A post shared by Kristian (@runkmm) on Sep 6, 2019 at 12:17pm PDT

All of that in 15 minutes.  Then before I knew it, the gun had gone off and I  was starting the race!  The course wasn't anything different from a lot of the DC races I've done in the past.  In fact, if you've run any longer distance DC race (like the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, Marine Corps Marathon, Jingle All the Way 15k) you've basically run this course.  (See what I mean?)  We were running in the opposite direction as most of those other races, but it's pretty much the same.

Even though the course was familiar, the conditions were terrible and it rained the entire time.  At some of the out n back portions I caught glimpses of friends and cheered for them and waved.  I enjoyed seeing the few spectators out on the course (including someone in an inflatable unicorn costume holding a sign saying "I believe in you!")  I tried to find the silver lining in it all and enjoy it like I did with Cherry Blossom, but it just wasn't happening.  My shoes were sloshy.  I was totally soaked.  I walked into this knowing I wouldn't PR (and I didn't.)  I still fought to finish around my now average time of 2:25 and I did (2:25:57.)

After getting my bottles of water, banana, granola bar and bag of pretzels I went back to my car.  (There really wasn't much of anything in the runner's village that day.  I had my snacks and I was about to go to brunch so I didn't need much else.)  I dried off as best I could and at least changed my socks and sloshy shoes.  I grabbed my wallet and bag of dry clothes and headed to the restaurant to change into something dry and meet my friends.  We had a lovely brunch but I was definitely ready to get home and start drying off more thoroughly.

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Was it worth it? (Swipe left) Yeah I guess so. Not my best time, but I can say it’s my fastest rainy half marathon. It was exactly a minute slower than my half back in March, but I’ll take it considering the craziness in the last week and the weather. It was warm and rainy the entire time so it was pretty uncomfortable. Not to mention that my shoes were sloshy by mile 3. . . #runnersofinstagram #balegaimpi2019 #balegabestsocksever #impilove #impipride #balega #balegasocks #balegalove #lovemybalegas #hshive #rungoodr #goodrflamboyance #goodr #nuunlife #teamzensah #sweatpink #sweatpinkambassador #oisellevolée #oiselleteamdmv #flystyle

A post shared by Holly (@thethriftyrunner) on May 5, 2019 at 12:17pm PDT

Overall, I don't know if I would recommend this race.  It was fairly well organized, but the course itself was really nothing special for DC if you've done a lot of the popular longer distance races.  If you can get in for a decent price and it's within your budget, go for it!  If not, I wouldn't stress out about it too much.  You're really not missing much.

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I fought hard for this medal! The weather was awful—warm and rainy the whole time so the sweat didn’t have a chance to evaporate. (I was wearing a tank top and shorts and really don’t know how some people ran in full length leggings, t-shirt and a rain jacket! I knew I’d be drenched regardless so I didn’t even bother with any rain gear.) My shoes were feeling pretty sloshy by mile 3, and I was basically trying to talk myself out of going all week. Glad I did it though! Time to relax from racing for a little bit and start looking for some more fall races. . . #medalmonday #runnersofinstagram #balegaimpi2019 #balegabestsocksever #impilove #impipride #balega #balegasocks #balegalove #lovemybalegas #hshive #rungoodr #goodrflamboyance #goodr #nuunlife #teamzensah #sweatpink #sweatpinkambassador #oisellevolée #oiselleteamdmv #nationalwomenshalfmarathon #nationalwomenshalf

A post shared by Holly (@thethriftyrunner) on May 6, 2019 at 8:22am PDT

Thrifty Thursday for December

I feel like I say it every month, but how did it get to be December?!  With everything going on it'll be 2020 before we know it!

Track (okay, "studio") pants in Nuun blue?  Yes, please!  (I'm an ambassador for the company and also, the blue is gorgeous.)

Lululemon Studio pant II:  Originally $108, paid $7

I love a loose knit, flowy sweater for when it's warmer out.  It's going to be a minute before I can wear it, but it's a lot of neutrals so I can wear it with anything!

Billabong Beach Ramblin Cardigan:  Originally $65, paid $8

Arc'Teryx is a Canadian sportswear company similar to North Face--they make a lot of casual wear, but they're mostly famous for their coats.  I was definitely excited to find a slightly fleecy half zip that would be amazing to wear while running.

Arc'Teryx Rho LT Zip:  Originally $125, paid $7

I know I've said this a lot too--I'm always on the lookout for fun running capris.  I wear them pretty much year-round because I'm a member at OrangeTheory.  These have mesh on the sides for extra venting so if I wear them in the next couple months to the gym, I'm definitely going to need some track pants for the walk from the car to the door.  Added bonus?  These are only 2 years old!  (I typically go for pieces made in the last 5 years if I can help it.)

Athleta Angle Aura Mesh Sonar Capris:  Originally $79, paid $10

More fun capris that are only 2 years old!!

Athleta Electric Geo Sonar Capris:  Originally $84, paid $10

So how has your thrift shopping been?  Any fun finds?  Any good races coming up?  I'm running my last half marathon for the year this weekend!  Start the conversation with a comment below!

Thrifty Thursday for November!

I swear after Halloween someone hits the gas pedal and before you know it, it's Christmas!  Trying to slow down time a little bit and enjoying every minute of Fall, but we're probably getting our first snow next week (or at the very least, first arctic blast of the season.)  But without further ado, here are my thrifting finds for the month!

Lilly Pulitzer in a thrift shop stands out pretty easily.  It's a bright, cheery print among all the monotone (usually neutral) t-shirts and blouses.

Lilly Pulitzer Fontaine Top:  Originally $78, paid $10

I wear a lot of hoodies, but I'm trying to branch out a little bit.  The fabric on this is definitely lighter than a hoodie, but still super comfy!  This jacket was also in fantastic shape so why not take a chance?

Athleta Bombtastic Jacket:  Originally $108, paid $8

Yay fun, neutral patterned tights!  (And they're high waisted too!)

Athleta High Rise Chaturanga Leggings:  Originally $79, paid $7

More joggers, please!!  I can get away with wearing them for work, and these Lululemon joggers are made with their Nulu fabric which feels amazing.  Yoga pants but in looser, jogger pant form?  Yes, please!

Lululemon Align Joggers:  Originally $98, paid $8

There are definitely some days where I find a bunch of items that are all in my size and I think "if I knew the person who donated all of these, we could be friends."  I found these Stella McCartney leggings with the Lulu align joggers, an athleta merino wool top and the purse below all in the same thrift shop visit.  Usually I pick n choose what I post, but you guys.  SAME VISIT!  After finding all that I wanted to go out and play the lottery.

Stella McCartney Yoga Comfort Performance Tights: Originally $90, paid $10

I don't know why this purse was ignored by other thrifters and even the people pricing merchandise.  And this purse was just hanging on the rack towards the back but still sticking out.  Maybe I got super lucky and it had just been put out.  I'll never know.  But what I do know, is Marc Jacobs is an amazing, pretty well known designer and this bag was in practically immaculate condition (some of the edge kote on the side of the strap was hanging off, but it's an easy fix with a pair of scissors and nobody would notice it's missing.)  This bag is a fairly popular style by Marc Jacobs and has been around in different iterations depending on his focus for each season.  (One year he put birds on it, it comes out in different colors, textiles, etc.  You get the idea.)  I was in absolute shock when I got my hands on this one.  It's missing a little luggage tag that hangs out from under the flap, but I don't know if I would use it even if it was there.  I love it.  It's one of my new favorites.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Natasha Preppy Nylon Flap Messenger:  Originally $198, paid $8

So anyone have any great thrifting finds?  Any good races coming up?  (I'll be in Richmond for the half next week!)  Get the conversation started and leave a comment below!