1. Eos chapstick
While this round chapstick may cause your male workout partners to make immature jokes, its shape and size certainly makes it a lot easier to find in the bottomless pit that most of us call a practice bag. The brand totes its 95” organic, 100% natural ingredients but to be completely honest, it’s the shape that sold me. Being able to find chapstick one minute before a 60’ erg piece is clutch.
2. Wool socks
Everyone likes rowing more than erging until it’s 43 degrees out and you’re stuck behind someone whose backsplash could give the Japanese tsunami a run for its money. Wool socks are the key to combating the frozen foot. These socks are super comfortable, no itching at all, and high enough to tuck long spandex into without looking completely foolish.
3. Pre-Wrap
I was blessed with a tiny cranium. Good for baseball hats and bike helmets, bad for getting hair bands to not fall off my head. I also lose everything. Pre-wrap is perfect because I can size it to my head and if I have a roll in my bag, I always have a way to keep hair out of my face. Now with neon green, red, blue and orange, I can also match the colors to my workout outfits. Pre-wrap is nerdy athlete love in a small roll.
4. LL Bean Fleece Lined Flannel Shirt
Insert your Canadian jokes here, but this shirt is awesome. I decided I needed this shirt at a race when one of my friends, only wearing flannel and sweats, was warmer than I was in a parka and snowpants. Anyone else who froze their ass off at Head of the Fish this year can understand how amazed I was. The flannel pattern certainly doesn’t scream feminine but if I’m warm, I don’t really care.
5. Five new nail polish colors from L’Oreal
Of course there’s nail polish on this list. These were a present from my aunt and I think she might have been overwhelmed at just how excited I was about them. The colors (Chicklette, Just Rosey, Drama Queen, Exotic Expedition and, aptly named for my life, Caffeinated) are a range of gorgeous pinky-reds…and somehow, she didn’t duplicate any color already in my collection.
6. Nike Moisture Management Crew Socks
Ok, so I like socks. In fact, if I won the lottery, I would wear a new pair of socks every day because that’s how much I love new socks. My friend Eleni started wearing these Nike to lifting practices and I dug the look a lot, as they made her super long legs look even longer. “Wow”, thought I, “maybe this look will work for me like that!” It doesn’t, but hey, I’ll keep trying because even if it doesn’t work, they are still great socks. Having "crew" in the name doesn't hurt either.
7. Underarmour Escape Running Shorts
I bought these for 10 bucks at the local Finish Line on a whim and I love them. Bright enough to combat winter workout blues and comfortable enough to rock during a long run or squat day, they are on the fast track to becoming my favorite pair of shorts.
8. Sperry’s Angelfish Slip-On Boat Shoe
I was so excited to receive this Christmas/birthday gift from my two best friends that I wore them around for a whole week of sub-freezing temperatures (not recommended). I love these shoes. They are comfortable, durable and cute. I now finally own a pair of shoes I can wear to work and to the boathouse.
9. Orange Flavor Clif Shot Bloks
Okay, so I loved these in 2011. And in 2010. But the Orange flavored Shot Bloks are by FAR my favorite pre-exercise supplement. They taste good, they’re easy to access and they have caffeine. I am often plagued by forearm cramps during long erg pieces and these add much needed electrolytes to my system (and the caffeine kick doesn’t hurt!)
10. Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Lotion
I suffer from really dry skin, but I don’t like putting moisturizer on because I feel like it makes me smell either too fruity or too much like a nursing home. This unscented formula is actually unscented and doesn’t make me feel greasy. And unlike other lotions, it doesn’t sweat off, a necessity during two-a-days.
11. J.Crew Pearl Snowball Necklace
Another preppy Christmas present that I love. These strands take a twist on the classic pearl necklace look which means that I can satisfy my love for pearls without getting made fun of for having a Stepford Wives-esque pearl necklace. Win-win!
12. New Marist Crew Gear from Nike
Our team has three favorite moments: 1. any time we win or have a great race, 2. the moment after the last erg test of the season, and 3. the moment when we see the boxes from Nike and know that our gear order has arrived. This year we are getting some cool new gear and in six weeks it will be like Christmas all over again.
Happy belated New Year!!
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