Running in the morning

The nerdy girl's unofficial guide to running before work

Scene at 6:45 a.m. during a trail run. 

I live in Georgia and summer runs when it's 100 degrees and 93% humidity are miserable. They're probably pretty unsafe too. (My asthma definitely flares up when it's too hot and humid to run.) So what do you do?

• You can run indoors on treadmills
• You can run on an indoor track
• You can run mornings or evenings outside

Those are your options. I'm not a fan of treadmills (I actually run slower on them). My indoor track is 1/8 of a mile and it gets boring. I don't like to run on it more than once a week. I've tried evening running outside and at 8 p.m. it's still 83 degrees and awful. I started running on Saturday mornings. It's actually cooler in the morning—75 degrees. And it worked. I began adding to this. One day I didn't have to be at work until 8:30 a.m. so I decided to run with my extra minutes. I also ran on a Thursday morning on a day I took off for appointments. And it worked. The weather was nicer. I liked having my workout out of the way—and I wasn't a slug the rest of the day (I worried about being tired afterwards, but was totally fine.)

When I ran cross country in high school, I'd occasionally get up and run two miles before school. I rarely did this. It was just to increase my mileage with the hopes of getting stronger.

So why run in the morning?
• In the summer it's cooler.

• You get to see the sunrise. The sky is really pretty on my runs.
• You can get your workout over with before most people are even awake. As a person who loves a To Do list, I love having  my workout done for the day.

In all honesty, I use to scoff at morning workout people. I thought those 5 a.m. gym ladies were crazy. But maybe they're just crazy productive? It's one way to pack more in your day. And all it took was some horrendous heat to get me to do this.

The key to running in the morning is to do as much preparation as possible.

Running clothes for Monday morning:
 shoes, chafe guard, clothes, hat.

I lay out my running clothes in my bathroom
• hat, tank, sports bra, crops, underwear, socks and my anti chafe stick.
Headphones for my runs stay in my car.

Pandor plays "Wake Me Up"
during my 6:30 a.m. run. Haha

I make a bag with my work clothes and stick that in my car the night before.
And my gym bag and shower bag usually stay in my car.

Also: pop a bottle of water in the fridge and any food for after your run should be easy to grab.

I also keep a towel in my car—to sit on after my runs so I don't get gross sweat all over my new car.

The perils of morning runs
• It's dark
• safety
• dew and your shoes (and grass clippings)
And haha—last week I tried to jump over a mud puddle and ending up hitting my head on a low hanging branch. Oops.

One morning I told my husband bye, I was going running. I was standing over him, wearing neon, it wasn't quite 6 a.m. and I think I scared the bejeezus out of him.

Nerdy Girl's Guide to VPL: Visible Panty Lines

So many women make such a big deal about Visible Panty Lines.

I have better things to worry about. My next fitness class. If I have clean socks. If the dog is up to date on his vaccines. If I paid the water bill.

Sure, I don't want to see the entire outline of your panties, down to where the cotton gusset starts when I'm behind you at barre*. If I can see a shadow of an outline—I don't care.

Good for you for wearing underwear! (*this has happened. The see-through lavender leggings weren't helping this new mom. Dark leggings are always my recommendation.)

I'd rather see that than your hot pink thong. (And I see way too many of those at barre.)

Thongs are the devil. They were really popular when I was in high school. In college, I tried to be sexy and tried thongs. I thought they were the worst thing ever. They are uncomfortable and don't support you. They increase your risk of urinary tract infections and yeast infections. 

Even doctors think thongs are a bad idea.

Ladies, most of you don't need to wear pants so tight that you can see your underwear. Some fabric does show panty lines. Wear a long tank if it bothers you. Try out seamless underwear if you want.

And yes, wear the right underwear.

“Cotton undergarments are the best due to their breathability,” explains Melissa Goist, MD, an ob/gyn at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Synthetic fabrics tend to hold onto moisture, possibly causing skin irritation.”

Though cotton is likely your gyno’s first choice in fabric, it sometimes lays lumpy and bumpy under your clothes. But fear not, there are close runner-ups. “Panties made of things like polyester, nylon, Lycra or Spandex sometimes have more stretch and lay nicer under clothing and still come with that cotton crotch,” adds Melissa Piliang, MD, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

—From Health.com

But basically, no one cares about your panty lines other than you. Spend your time and money on something else. Maybe pants that aren't see through, or are quality enough that this won't be an issue.

You still shouldn't wear red panties under a white skirt, but if you're wearing reasonable underwear under reasonable clothes I just don't see what the problem is.

If you're that incensed that someone is wearing cotton Victoria Secret hipsters under her lulu, then look away.

WOMEN SHOULDN'T BE JUDGING OTHER WOMEN on whether or not they can see panty lines.

The nerdy girl's guide to indoor rock climbing

Most everything you wanted to know about going indoor climbing….

1. You should try indoor rock climbing. It can be a lot of fun. And it's a cerebral workout without being too intense. If you could climb trees when you were little, you can do this. (And maybe you'll even feel like a kid again!) You won't feel like you're working out—but you'll be exhausted the next day.

2. A lot of gyms run groupons or deals, so check for discounts before you go.

3. You'll want to go with someone. This really isn't a solo workout as you'll need someone to belay you—ideally someone of similar size. A weight differential can be problematic say if a tiny girl goes with a burly guy. But this can work—then the girl will just have to be extra careful when belaying the guy down the wall (hook into the floor or get a staffer to help spot you.)

4. What to wear? Workout clothes. Capri's might offer more protection than shorts when your legs graze the walls and shorts are going to ride up when you put on the harness. Also, bring socks!

5. When you get there, make sure to rent climbing shoes. They help you grip the holds and can make climbing a lot easier.

6. Every place has a different belay system. Some places make you thread the rope, others have auto belays. Auto belays are easier. Most places make you pass a belay test. Some places will offer a free tutorial (which is great) before you climb, others have scheduled hour belay sessions, others leave you to figure it out for yourself. Obviously, places with auto belays and intros offered at any time are going to make it easier for first timers. Most websites will give you an idea what to expect.

Learning how to belay

7. When you're ready to climb, look for color coded tape (see the neon green and white tape in the back of that picture). Most places offer routes marked off in tape. Check the wall for the key. Red may be easiest, green the second easiest, white the hardest. Check the wall for the colors and start with some of the easier routes.

8. Not sure where to put your hands or feet? Ask your belayer. Take a second and think. Or try the wall again. You don't have to get it right the first time. And you can always try again.

9. Try bouldering. It's like rock climbing without the belay. These walls don't go especially tall and have gymnastics mats underneath. This is a good way to learn about climbing and routes without belays, levers and ropes. And you don't have to go higher than you want.

10. Watch the little kids. They know where to put their hands and feet and if they're nimbly climbing a route, it may be a good route for you to try when they're done.

And don't get discouraged. If bouldering is getting difficult, go back to a climbing with the belay. Take a break.

Stay for an hour, maybe two. Try climbing, belaying, whatever looks fun. Don't be afraid to try the slide they have set up for the kiddos.