First of all, sorry for my lack of posting, I’ve been super busy (aka lazy) & neglected my new hobby. Trying to get back to once a week posts, I have a few lined up already. I turned 41 this month and the crew pictured above helped me ring it in. Big thanks to my husband Joe who planned my dinner and snapped this shot. Love you guys!

Anyhoo, let’s get back to running. One of my favorite parts about entering big races, is that I usually treat myself to a new running kit. I normally use Brooks or Lululemon gear when I run, but was looking for something a little more unusual. I came across a great article on Competitor.com about small running brands making big impacts. 6 Small Running Brands Making Big Impacts I had heard of Janji and had actually bought a pair of running tights from them. I didn’t love the fit of their gear and was sad because their stuff looks really cute. In the same article they mentioned Tracksmith , a local New England based company. I was intrigued.

Tracksmith was started in 2014 by Matt Taylor in Wellesley, Massachusetts (the 13 mile mark of the Boston Marathon). Taylor previously worked for Puma as their head of global marketing and felt the big brands were focusing more on general fitness and not running specifically. Their gear definitely has a vintage feel that harks back to the beginnings of competitive running. I’m not really much of an online shopper so I was pleasantly surprised they have a store right on Newbury Street here in Boston.

The space feels very non typical for an athletic company. The store has dark wood and definitely mirrors the vintage, luxe look of their gear. Each piece comes in several different color combos which are each named after a community on Cape Cod. I tried on the relay singlet and shorts (Provincetown edition). Beyond looking completely adorable, you immediately can tell the fabrics and fit are amazing. The singlet ($65), features a sash inspired by the Cornell track teams of the late 1800’s. The runners would earn the sash when they scored points for the team. The shorts ($60) are definitely short but not too short and the built in lining is super comfortable. The only thing left to do was take them for a run.

I went over to the track in the Fens to do an interval speed workout and the gear could not have worn better. The shorts were comfy and didn’t creep up or give me a wedgie while running. The singlet was super soft and did a great job of wicking moisture away. If you like to stand out when you race/train, head over to their shop or check them out online. You won’t regret it! I’ll be running the BAA 10K this Sunday 6/25 wearing this outfit so I’ll be looking fab regardless of how I perform.

I’ll also be trying out Racedots for the first time. Racedots are super strong magnets designed to attach your bib without safety pins. I bought a set at the Boston Marathon expo but haven’t tried them yet. There’s definitely a learning curve using them, but not poking holes in expensive gear is definitely worth a little extra effort. Racedots has this tutorial to make it easier. How to use Racedots tutorial. Right now they have a special edition paw print design that helps fund the Animal Welfare Institute AWI info here . I’ll let you know in my race recap how I liked them. Happy running everyone!