hey thanks for the shout out for Why Bother? I appreciate it so much! I wish it were available at Bookshop.org but you can buy it used or at the bad guys shop. :)
Case in point (sorry for double commenting): I ran this morning, and fell, twice (duh). Ripped a knee hole in my pants, an elbow tear in the shirt, and a glove. Second thing my husband said when I got home - "Good thing you wear cheap clothes". :)
Ahhh thank you for putting into words what I've been feeling about the hyper-consumerism of the trail running (and, outdoorsy in general) space. Keeping what we own and taking care of it is far more sustainable than going out and buying a new sustainable shirt/jacket/pair of shoes/etc. Here for the outdoor minimalist movement!
I have so much stuff from races, fleeces, tee shirts, buffs, a couple of light shell type jackets, hats.. I don't think I'll ever have to buy any of that again. I even have a UD vest from a race 10 years ago that I use for long distances. So shoes, socks, bottoms and sports bras are the only thing that need to be replaced periodically. My running shoes get converted to yard work shoes. Real food has always worked for me and I only get gels for races "just in case" they might come in handy. I find shopping for anything new overwhelming-- too many choices. I sometimes look at my medals or buckles and think-- it's all just going to be in a landfill one day.. I haven't watched over the air TV or cable for years. I could no longer stand the commercials...buy, buy, buy.. Consume, consume, consume.. Why? Ugg.
Thrift satisfies my craving for new shit, because it's new to me. I buy things off eBay including half-price shoes and stuff I've decided I don't have enough of. For instance, I ran Boston this year but when they offered a $125+ jacket in the wrong color (Paris purple), I found a jacket from 2021 in the trad blue-and-gold on eBay for $35, new with tags.
I just joined depop and it's got good selection. My middle grandson set up a shop there selling mostly old jeans, and is making so much dough he quit his afterschool job at Chipotle!
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” I think I heard that first from my grandmother, who grew up and started a family during the Great Depression. I don't always manage to do it, but I try...
...and I'm proud to be a wabi-sabi runner, with my 20-year-old shirts and 600-mile shoes and old, old hats. I trust and appreciate some of my gear (and many of my friends) more after we’ve been through some things together.
I still have Patagonia Houdini from 2004, when I joined Montrail team and had a discount. I wear it everywhere, it lost any water repellant quality, broke the zipper, the string in the hood is missing, the velcro flap doesn't stick. I bought, finally, a new one this year, but still wearing that 20 yo thing. Larry often says he has technical undies older than Annie:) And yes on shorts etc. I donate (or don't pick up) race tshirts, but the ones I have in rotation are very few and not new (or fancy). I actually still have both a pair of shorts and a tanktop from Goodwill from Portland, what means before 2009...I use granola bars for training, but do buy gels for racing (can't chew when go for time). Also, for backpacking (my other hobby - Geartrade.com. Saw that tweet by Billy, had to go to the company's website. Holy hell!! Preach!
I have Hoka trail runners as well! Just curious, how often do you / should you replace them? I just got mine last December but feel like they're wearing down
Hi Rosalie, it's hard for me to say. I'm not good about tracking my shoes in terms of miles, and I rotate a couple of pairs so I lose track of how old one is. I go by feel. If the shoe feels "flat" and the tread has worn down to the point it's starting to look like my son's skateboard shoes, it's time for new ones! Thanks for reading!
I too have noticed that you don’t see as many people wearing race shirts as you used to. What gives?! I hate spending money on new gear and really don’t like all the consumerism in the sport now, but I guess that’s a byproduct of its increasing popularity. Sigh.
Also, granola - yum! I have made my own granola for years using a similar recipe (from Martha Stewart) my MIL gave me. I’ll have to try this one though, since it goes lighter in the oil.
Hope your injury starts improving soon. Progress on mine has been slow, with backsliding multiple times, but I think it’s slowly doing better. It’s so hard to be patient, but time is the main thing injuries usually need.
So much good stuff here, Sarah! I love looking at some of my old race photos and realize that I am still wearing the same shirt and skirt in so many photos. I'm a shoe brand hopper, but try to get as many miles as possible!! And while I can do gels pretty well, my wallet doesn't love that for training runs, so I am embracing cookies and candy and strawberry lemonade with a pinch of salt makes a great Skratch substitute. Also, try to stick with companies and businesses that have some good values, even if the price is a bit higher.
So happy to see you made some granola! Baking is always really a good option for me as well when I need to feel better, and a bonus when I get to make treats for others! Thanks for the shout out!!
hey thanks for the shout out for Why Bother? I appreciate it so much! I wish it were available at Bookshop.org but you can buy it used or at the bad guys shop. :)
Case in point (sorry for double commenting): I ran this morning, and fell, twice (duh). Ripped a knee hole in my pants, an elbow tear in the shirt, and a glove. Second thing my husband said when I got home - "Good thing you wear cheap clothes". :)
Betty Lou's fruit bars are highly underrated!
Ahhh thank you for putting into words what I've been feeling about the hyper-consumerism of the trail running (and, outdoorsy in general) space. Keeping what we own and taking care of it is far more sustainable than going out and buying a new sustainable shirt/jacket/pair of shoes/etc. Here for the outdoor minimalist movement!
Thanks for reading & bravo for your attitude:-)
I have so much stuff from races, fleeces, tee shirts, buffs, a couple of light shell type jackets, hats.. I don't think I'll ever have to buy any of that again. I even have a UD vest from a race 10 years ago that I use for long distances. So shoes, socks, bottoms and sports bras are the only thing that need to be replaced periodically. My running shoes get converted to yard work shoes. Real food has always worked for me and I only get gels for races "just in case" they might come in handy. I find shopping for anything new overwhelming-- too many choices. I sometimes look at my medals or buckles and think-- it's all just going to be in a landfill one day.. I haven't watched over the air TV or cable for years. I could no longer stand the commercials...buy, buy, buy.. Consume, consume, consume.. Why? Ugg.
Thrift satisfies my craving for new shit, because it's new to me. I buy things off eBay including half-price shoes and stuff I've decided I don't have enough of. For instance, I ran Boston this year but when they offered a $125+ jacket in the wrong color (Paris purple), I found a jacket from 2021 in the trad blue-and-gold on eBay for $35, new with tags.
I just joined depop and it's got good selection. My middle grandson set up a shop there selling mostly old jeans, and is making so much dough he quit his afterschool job at Chipotle!
I had never heard of depop. That's great you do all that!
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” I think I heard that first from my grandmother, who grew up and started a family during the Great Depression. I don't always manage to do it, but I try...
...and I'm proud to be a wabi-sabi runner, with my 20-year-old shirts and 600-mile shoes and old, old hats. I trust and appreciate some of my gear (and many of my friends) more after we’ve been through some things together.
I still have Patagonia Houdini from 2004, when I joined Montrail team and had a discount. I wear it everywhere, it lost any water repellant quality, broke the zipper, the string in the hood is missing, the velcro flap doesn't stick. I bought, finally, a new one this year, but still wearing that 20 yo thing. Larry often says he has technical undies older than Annie:) And yes on shorts etc. I donate (or don't pick up) race tshirts, but the ones I have in rotation are very few and not new (or fancy). I actually still have both a pair of shorts and a tanktop from Goodwill from Portland, what means before 2009...I use granola bars for training, but do buy gels for racing (can't chew when go for time). Also, for backpacking (my other hobby - Geartrade.com. Saw that tweet by Billy, had to go to the company's website. Holy hell!! Preach!
Love it. Thank you Old-School Olga!
Love your perspective. This week, at the finish of a local 50k, someone said to me, "Every time I see you, you're in that hat!"
"Yeah," I replied. "I bought it for my first ultra in 2019, and it's going strong."
"But what do you do about it getting dirty?"
"Just some Tide and a toothbrush," I said with a smile.
Thank you again for sharing this. Hope you get back on your feet soon!
Thanks! And 5 years old is young for a hat! :-)
REI sells used gear via their website. I occasionally scroll for my favorite shoe in my size, and buy a pair whenever it is available (Brooks Ghost).
Good tip! Thank you.
I have Hoka trail runners as well! Just curious, how often do you / should you replace them? I just got mine last December but feel like they're wearing down
Hi Rosalie, it's hard for me to say. I'm not good about tracking my shoes in terms of miles, and I rotate a couple of pairs so I lose track of how old one is. I go by feel. If the shoe feels "flat" and the tread has worn down to the point it's starting to look like my son's skateboard shoes, it's time for new ones! Thanks for reading!
I too have noticed that you don’t see as many people wearing race shirts as you used to. What gives?! I hate spending money on new gear and really don’t like all the consumerism in the sport now, but I guess that’s a byproduct of its increasing popularity. Sigh.
Also, granola - yum! I have made my own granola for years using a similar recipe (from Martha Stewart) my MIL gave me. I’ll have to try this one though, since it goes lighter in the oil.
Hope your injury starts improving soon. Progress on mine has been slow, with backsliding multiple times, but I think it’s slowly doing better. It’s so hard to be patient, but time is the main thing injuries usually need.
Thanks and hang in there! Hope to see you on tomorrow's zoom; I'll send a reminder about it later tonight.
So much good stuff here, Sarah! I love looking at some of my old race photos and realize that I am still wearing the same shirt and skirt in so many photos. I'm a shoe brand hopper, but try to get as many miles as possible!! And while I can do gels pretty well, my wallet doesn't love that for training runs, so I am embracing cookies and candy and strawberry lemonade with a pinch of salt makes a great Skratch substitute. Also, try to stick with companies and businesses that have some good values, even if the price is a bit higher.
So happy to see you made some granola! Baking is always really a good option for me as well when I need to feel better, and a bonus when I get to make treats for others! Thanks for the shout out!!