Hand it to me

Note: I wrote this post yesterday but forgot to post it. Probably because I nominated myself for mother of the year when I turned my back and "let" Miles fall off the bed. Don't worry, though, the only one to suffer traumatic injuries was me.

I tried something so unexpected, something so new this morning – a piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter, banana slices, cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.

Wait. What am I thinking? Such a “dish” – if it even qualifies is that – is not new. However, I will say that it has been a long time since I made myself PB&B (&CH) toast in the morning. Lately, even pre-run, I’ve been eating plain instant oatmeal with a teaspoon of peanut butter, a tablespoon of raisins and stevia. So good.

Anyway. Back to the new.

On Sunday, after a 7-degree 6-mile run and a marathon shopping day at the mall, I decided to head to the running company to check out their new digs. I ooh'ed and aah'ed at the extra space, combed through the clearance and was about to leave when I saw a display of gloves.

Yes. Exactly what I needed. Especially as I have been wearing $1 Target knit gloves, which can be warm, but don’t breathe and make me feel all hot and sweaty.

There were gloves from every big name – Mizuno, Saucony, Nike, Asics – and gloves in every price range. The low end was $20 and the high end was $70. I really felt like going for one of the higher end pairs – Mittens! Base layer! USB light thinger! – but my frugal side (aka Mark) won out, and I selected a pair of Nike Thermal gloves, size small, in an attractive gray and pink. 

With a word like “thermal” in the product description, I feared that the gloves would be too warm when I headed out this morning. It wasn’t as warm as it has been but 28 degrees in mid-January is a welcome temperature. Upon stepping out on my front step, I realized that I needn’t worry. If anything, I should have feared the opposite: my hands being cold despite wearing gloves. The breathability Nike touts means, at least for me, that the cold air could come inside the gloves. Brr!

I thought briefly of going inside to grab my cheapo gloves but we were all ready to go, and I thought I’d see how it went. And it went … OK. I noticed my hands less and less as the run progressed, and my hands never got clammy the way the do with the cheap gloves. However, I did find myself flexing my hands at stoplights and street crossings to keep the blood circulating.

After finishing 3.5 miles (which required me to run past my house and down the block), I found myself at the front step. I took off the gloves and went to unleash Deanli. My hands were cold but mobile - a win ... sort of.

Nike Dri-FIT Lightweight Women's Running Gloves

Product description: Keep your hands free of cold and sweat in the Nike Dri-FIT Lightweight (Small) Women's Running Gloves, a breathable stretch design with the safety features you want for a hassle-free excursion.

• Dri-FIT fabric to wick sweat away and help keep you dry and comfortable
• Rib cuffMesh fabric between fingers
• Reflective pattern at outer handKey compartment at palm

Pros: handKey compartment - the gloves might not be the warmest but having a spot for the house key was awesome; and they are machine washable.

Cons: Not very warm. These would be fine for those in a more mild climate but for the temperamental Midwest, I think I'd want something better. Also, if you are an iPod user, these don't have the smart feature that allows you to do touch screen stuff.

Parting words: I might not love these gloves but I'll keep wearing them. They are better than my $1 gloves and, at $20, not something I'm just going to toss in the back of the closet. I think I might look into some running mittens (hi, Asics) to wear over the gloves for the very cold days.