Weight Off My Shoulders

Color in my wardrobe - no way!! For most of my life I hid behind dark workout clothes especially when it came to pants. I mean black is slimming, right?

Well, as the weight came off, I started to get bolder with my running or workout tops, but the black pants remained.

I was discussing this through my social media networks and all of a sudden Spandits showed up on my radar. They were very engaging on Instagram so I had to check out who they really were.

So you are probably wondering who the heck Spandits is?

Well, there tagline is: Seriously Fun, Never Too Bold.

If that gives you a small idea. ;)

Spandits is a small apparel company out of Centerville, Maine run by a pair of running mothers.

Our business is driven by our desire to offer apparel that is both fun to wear and functional.

When you spend up to three hours a day wearing spandex tights, you get tired of rotating from black to gray to navy and back to black again. That’s why, after combing through hundreds of store racks, we decided it was time to start our own venture.

I was liking what I was reading. I love supporting small local businesses.

The more I chatted with Spandits' social media team the more intrigued I got.

Well the lovely ladies of Spandits offered to send me a free pair of capris (retail $40). How could I pass up an offer like that, right?

I continuously checked the mail and finally it was here.

OOhhh was I one of those real athletes that would be testing these out? I always get giddy if someone refers to me as an athlete so we will pretend they were talking right to me. ;)

I had gone bold. I selected the "hyperspeed" pattern and boy was it bold.

Now, I as I mentioned I am not one to wear colors on the bottom so this was outside my comfort zone. I just kept thinking to myself my thighs will look massive. I ordered a medium and I thought they would be too tight. How could I order such a small size?

Then I swallowed the insecurities and slid the pants on.

Wow!

I slid these pants on and didn't feel an ounce of insecurity.

Confidence. Comfort. Color.

It was all happening at once. I was surprised that the Mediums actually fit like a glove.

Now I loved how they looked, but how functionable (is that even a word?) were they going to be.

We’ve worked hard to select high-quality fabrics and customize a fit that works for you. All of our waist-bands rest just below the navel. Both men’s and women’s apparel contain a key pocket just large enough to hold a standard key fob. And if you’re tired of sweating in your winter hat, check out our headbands and skull caps that are just enough to let off some steam while keeping you warm.

I liked the little pocket to pop my key in and it really didn't move around as I was jogging around the apartment.

But it was time to road test them. I went out for an easy 3 mile run. I like to go on shorter distance runs when testing out new fitness gear in case it malfunctions.

Never want to be midway through a 7 mile run and have a wardrobe malfunction.

So out I went.

Overall, the pants were comfortable, but I missed having a tie at the waistband. I like to make my pants tight around the waist to avoid any sort of slippage or "riding down" if you will. So a couple times during the run I found myself pulling at the waistband of the pants to make sure it was right where I wanted it. I think a tie just does that for me or gives me the reassurance that they won't move.

I think they worked well for me on a short run, but I would be too distracted by the lack of a tie at the top to wear them for a long distance run.

BUT, I wasn't done testing them out. :P

I gave them another shot during my cross training workout - a little Stairmaster and Spin action.

They really were great. They didn't ride down during the jumps of Spin or slide down as I pushed myself on the Stairmaster.

Plus they looked pretty snazzy as I hit up Dunkin' Donuts afterward.

I think the people in line loved them!!

I really do love all the pattern choices they have to offer. They make all the products themselves and inspect all pieces before they are mailed out. I will take that for quality control.

Would I buy another pair of Spandits capris for running? Probably not for me personally.

Would I buy another pair of Spandits capris for cross training and general use? Heck yeah.

I love supporting local and you can see the love in each article of clothing they produce.

The only other hitch is that I do not believe they are machine washable.

(Editor's Note: after speaking with the owners of Spandits they did point out that their products are machine washable!)

So if you are in the market for some bold workout gear, Spandits offers a wide variety of accessories, shorts, pants, etc for women, men and children.

Support local and tell them Weight Off My Shoulders sent you.

Sooo which pattern should I choose next?

The first full week of Dopey Training ended on Sunday so this week featured much more running than anything else. I am still working on keeping a good balance between running and cross training. I've found that my running is greatly improved by cross training - which I think everyone can agree on! :)

Thursday, August 8: 2.2-Mile Run