If we're really good maybe we'll get some gear!

It's the holiday season and a great time to covet new running gear to energize your workouts. Here are a few items I suggest putting on your list:

Saucony's Viperlite Jacket

There's a built-in, flashing light on the sleeve, but that's not the draw -- it's the soft fabric!

Comes in three colors: black, fathom (blue), and recon (grey). Also in men's.

$120

Saucony Ulti-mitt

Gloves that convert to a mitten. There's even a flap on your index finger so that you can use your telephone or iPod.

$38

Craft Prozero Base

I've seen this baselayer at almost every store I've visited recently.

It feels like lightweight wool, but it's a unique polyester that may not be the most flattering, but seems very functional and comfortable.

$55

SmartWool Running Socks

Speaking of wool - this is one of my all time favorite wool products.

I buy the higher cuff versions for more 'serious' trail runs and the lower cuff versions for street running in inclement weather.

$13

Nike Core Half Zip Sweatshirt

Doesn't look like much in this picture, but it's simple and perfect for wearing to and from your workout.

$30

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

Disclaimer: I haven't read this book yet, but reading the title made me want to buy it on the spot.

It promises to be fun and intriguing.

$15

Yesterday NYC saw its first snow of the season, which always puts me in a holiday mood. I'm excited for us to experience some real accumulation so that I can get out there in my tried-and-true Salomon XCR trail shoes as well as plan some snowshoeing exercusions.

What to do without the team?

When I moved to New York City almost a decade ago I found I needed a physical and social outlet to augment my professional, office-based life. I found a women's soccer team that first summer and, almost more than anything else, it's shaped my life ever since. Through the team, which eventually became co-ed, I found running partners, a significant other, teammates for an adventure racing team, travel companions (the team played tournaments in Washington D.C., Montreal, Miami, and Las Vegas), and drinking buddies.

Enjoyment of the game and the people made me exercise more than I would have of my own accord. I played when I was exhausted after work because the team counted on me. I made an extra sprint at the end of the game when I was dead tired because I just couldn't bear to be responsible for a goal scored against us. There were Sundays when I'd cram in four hours of playing time because I enjoyed spending time outside with my teammates and there was one memorable evening when I completed a twelve mile training run and followed it up with an hour of co-ed soccer because I knew it would leave me laughing and happy.

It's this athletic family and world that I've missed the most since I left NYC. I'm honestly struggling to maintain my focus and dedication now that I've lost the structure provided by the team's practices and games. The likely solution is to pick a significant spring event to focus on and get me out to train. If you were me, what would you pick? Here are a few options --

- NYC Half Marathon (3/21)

- Harriman State Park Sprint Adventure Race (4/25 - 15-20 miles as a two-person team)
- North Face Endurance Challenge Bear Mountain Half Marathon (May)

There's got to be a lot more great events out there in the NY, CT, Western MA area this spring. Send me your suggestions!

Taking Part in Racing's Hottest Thing - Relays

From my point of view, relays are the newest explosion in race trends. Most are 24-hour plus affairs that involve six to twelve participants and cover approximately 200 miles. I think the trend started with Nike’s Hood to Coast relay in Oregon. I’ve done one of these relays (182 miles from Woodstock, NY to New York City) and it was a fantastic experience, but as the team organizer, it was also one of the most taxing things I have ever undertaken – both physically and mentally. When I heard that the Cape Cod Marathon, which has a reputation as one of the most beautiful U.S. marathon courses, is offered as a relay, I jumped on the opportunity to participate. It would be scenic, which is hugely important to me, and a less stressful microcosm of the full relay experience.

Over the course of four hours and three minutes last weekend, the Cape Cod Marathon Relay lived up to all my hopes. It was a breeze to organize, even though one of our teammates bowed out 24 hours before the event after being diagnosed with Swine Flu. In spite of the event’s brevity, our team still managed to invoke the camaraderie of the relay experience. To my especial delight the course was gorgeous and included sand dunes, ocean views, a lighthouse, numerous harbors, fall foliage, and a cranberry bog. We split the marathon distance between three runners. The collective distance covered by each runner was 6.2, 8.7, and 11.3 miles.

The psychology of the race was interesting in that, especially during the last few relay legs, you were often passing individuals running the full marathon distance. It was hard not to feel guilty because you weren’t competing on even playing ground. Someone running their 11th mile is in a different physical and mental state than someone tackling their 26th. I fought back my desire to apologize to the marathon runners I passed, and inwardly hoped that they were inspired by my fresher legs rather than demoralized. That said, I think the Cape Cod Marathon would be my top choice should I ever choose to tackle the marathon distance. I’d look to have a relay team sign up to run along and pace me throughout. It wouldn’t make the hills any less numerous, but it would surely make them more bearable.