A Few of my Favorite Things

This past year I made the decision to take a break from school. I ended up getting a job at Sporting Life in Market Mall. It is a store where customers can find the best, quality, brand name fashion and sports equipment that supports an active and energetic lifestyle (taken directly from their website). One of the main reasons I decided to take this job was their willingness to work with my slightly demanding training schedule. I decided it wasn’t worth it to invest my time in people who weren’t open to/excited about my dreams. I kind of love everyone I work with. My manager is pretty cool (he’s chosen the questionable lifestyle known as veganism but hey I guess everyone has their faults jk jk - but seriously how does one give up honey?? honey and peanut butter sandwiches are to die for) and I kind of like my footwear boys Zac and Ethan. Also if you are ever in the store make sure to check out Petey the Puffin. His style is pretty legit (yes he is rocking a fanny pack).

Cons? We are currently playing Christmas music ALL DAY LONG. I wake up every morning with the little drummer boy stuck in my head - which just reminds me of the clay animated movie which was probably one of the saddest movies I’ve ever watched. That poor little boy and his lamb :( Dear Sporting Life, please consider playing music from The Sound of Music aka the greatest Christmas movie of all time. Side note - you know you're getting old when you no longer find Rolfe (Liesl’s boyfriend) hot but are instead weirdly attracted to Captain von Trapp.

Any who - my plan was to work, save up a bunch of money and spend all of my free time training. Lets all take a minute to laugh at the notion of a triathlete working in a store where they are constantly surrounded with fancy brands and cool equipment and not purchase anything. Add in a staff discount and say goodbye to my bank account. Treat yourself - right? Seriously though - I have a problem. I would not be surprised to walk into a room with a huge intervention banner hung up and all my friends/family looking super somber with intervention speech cards. Anyways, I thought I would talk about some of the items I have currently purchased and am obsessed with. On the bright side now that I’m potentially maybe somewhat seriously injured and being super overly dramatic about it I have motivation not to stress eat carbs - because I kind of want to actually be able to fit into these pieces.

Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody

The Atom is a versatile synthetic insulated mid layer with a high degree of weather resistance. The AR stands for all round, meaning it has high performance weather protection and materials emphasizing versatility for for multiple activities.

I like wearing this jacket when it is colder out as a to and from piece. It is super light and not bulky like most insulated jackets. It has a nice slim fit that goes down to my hips and keeps my nice and cozy.

Arcteryx Atom LT Jacket

This is also another Atom jacket. Arcteryx has 3 different atoms you can purchase - the AR, LT, and SL. The LT is lighter with insulation only in the torso, arms and hood. The side panels and underarms feature a Polartec Power Stretch fabric.

I love wearing this jacket as a to and from piece for when it isn’t freezing outside. It is also light enough to wear inside when I am in class or coaching. I love wearing it on the pool deck with leggings and a light t-shirt underneath. I purchased the men’s x-small (my AR is a women’s medium). I find the men’s version is a little more roomier in the shoulders and shorter (perfect for my swimming shoulders and short torso).

Arcteryx Gaea Jacket

This jacket is thermally insulated so it provides efficient warmth and protection form the elements. It was created for aerobic activities in cold temperatures. It is breathable - allowing moisture vapour to escape so you won’t get super sweaty/wet. The nylon fabric sheds light precipitation and blocks the wind and the rear features two accessible stash pockets. It also has thumb sleeves and reflective blades on the back and sleeves.

This piece has become my go to running jacket when the weather dips below zero. It fits closer to the body so I don’t feel like I’m running with a parachute behind me (if you have ever worn a baggy jacket while running you know what I’m talking about). At zero degrees I wear a technical t-shirt underneath, at -10 a lighter long sleeve, and any colder a long sleeve fleece.

Sugoi SubZero Zap Tight

These tights feature SubZero fabric with DWR water resistance for thermal protection panelled with Zap reflectivity. The wide waistband has an internal draw cord and there is a side phone pocket. It also has 6inch locking ankle zippers.

For the past year I have been on a quest for tights that are super warm and fit my body (I have a tiny/boxy waist, virtually no bum, muscular quads and short legs). I kept returning to LuLu hoping they would eventually have something - insert mini rant. Dear LuLu, if your going to keep increasing your prices you need to stop decreasing your quality and add in some colors beside black, white and grey. Also don’t recommend yoga tights for running when it is minus 10 outside. End rant. Enter the Sugoi pants! I found some Sugoi SubZero tights at the Running Room and loved them. They have a 28inch inseam (which is perfect for my 5’2 frame), are breathable, water resistant and wind resistant. These tights keep my legs warm and don’t fall down - which is probably the most annoying thing that can happen during a long run. As I tend to do a lot of my running either before or after work in the winter when it is dark outside I thought it would be a good idea to also invest in some tights with reflectivity.

Napapijri Terah Reversible Vest

This reversible vest features white curly fleece fabric on one side and a navy woven material on the other side. It also features a detachable hood for added versatility.

I had never heard of this brand before working at Sporting Life but am currently in love with it. All of their pieces are extremely unique with high quality and function. I had been on a quest for a vest and was leaning towards either Arcteryx or North Face. Napapijri won thanks to its versatility - I can wear it four different ways (reversed, with/without the hood). Also I’m pretty sure everyone I know owns either an Arcteryx or North Face vest so why not stand out.

Patagonia 3-In-1 Parka

This parka has a tweedy-looking nylon/polyester shell with a waterproof/breathable barrier, DWR (durable water repellent) finish and a separate liner insulted with 100g Thermogreen 100% polyester (92% recycled). You have the option of wearing the shell on its own, the zip-out insulated parka on its own, or both together. The hood is also adjustable and can be removed.

I was originally drawn to this piece as we had last year’s model that was extremely marked down. I fell in love with the fit and versatility. The darts on the front and centre-back seam create the illusion of having curves - something my athletic body is lacking. It hits my short 5’2 frame just above the knee. This jacket also has a bit of a fancier look, which is nice considering all of my other jackets are much sportier. I’m assuming I’ll want a fancier looking jacket in the future when I become a ‘real’ adult with a career and important places to go.

Speedo One-Piece SwimSuit

This is a high performance suit constructed with Endurance Lite fabric.

My go to swim brand is Q Swimwear - their prints are unique and their quality is top notch. The only problem? It is an American company and super expensive to have shipped to Canada. As an athlete who swims almost everyday, I like to rotate suits so they last longer. I was pretty pumped when I found a high quality speedo suit at our store. I love the cut of the back straps - they don’t dig in and won’t result in horrible tan lans once summer rolls around.

Vans Peanuts Collaboration

I am beyond obsessed with the Vans Peanuts collaboration. Who doesn’t love Charlie Brown and Snoopy? I ended up purchasing the sweater, hat and shoes.

Converse All-Star II Spacer Mesh Shoe

This shoe features a two-toned, breathable space mesh that delivers an eye-catching aesthetic. It has a Nike Lunarlon insole which provides a surprising amount of cushion and the micro suede lining is super soft.

We received this shoe via an online return and it just happened to be my size. Even better news? It was marked down from $95 to $28. It was basically meant to be. The majority of my shoes are runners so I thought this would be a good opportunity to add to my casual collection.