Some people have suggested (to my face) that I may have a shopping problem. Blasphemy! I’m a great shopper. Almost never do I buy anything on the fly (unless it’s therapy shopping, which is perfectly acceptable). As I transform myself into a runner, I’ve started to research a few key items I’ll need at my disposal:

• Running Shoes
• Running Bra
• Chronometer
• Running Shorts
• T-Shirts/Tank Tops

First order of business is the running bra.

Rule number 1 of the Great Shopper’s Handbook(according to me): Buy only what you need

Hey, you may run barefoot these days, but women simply cannot run without a great sports bra. A crappy one will not only make your run uncomfortable (in more ways than one), but, worst yet, the ligaments holding the breasts in place could stretch out beyond repair. It’s true, I read it. And nobody wants that. Aging does enough damage already, right?

Rule number 2, 3 & 4 of the Great Shopper’s Handbook: Research, Research, Research

From reading a few columns on how to choose the right sports bra – like this one – I learned that I need to look for bras designed for “high impact” sports, like running, and breathable fabrics (whatever that means).

Then I checked out a bunch of “best sports bras” lists. There are a lots of sites out there with lots of recommendations, but I need to be careful because I’m not looking for just any bra. I need one that provides, well, big girls’ support.

Here are the 8 that caught my eye:

Rule number 5 of the Great Shopper’s Handbook: Read User’s Reviews

Just as I never finish reading an online news article without reading the comments, I never buy anything without reading user reviews. Why do I read reviews? Because I need to know if a bra a) doesn’t have “enough support for higher impact exercise” b) will leave me “looking bulgy around the bottom,” or the horror c) is pointy like “the Madonna bra in the 80s.”

Phrases I’m looking for? “Best bra ever,” “I bought 3,” “they didn’t budge” – you get the idea.

After reading the reviews on sites like HerRoom, RoadRunner Sports and Title Nine, and considering that I cannot stand underwire bras, I narrowed down my list to the Moving Comfort Fiona and the CW-X Firm Support Bra D-Cup.

Rule number 6 of the Great Shopper’s Handbook: Ask the Experts

Well, I only asked @sarahstanley and she recommended Moving Comfort. Sarah also said I should change my sports bra every 6-12months…eek!

Rule number 7 of the Great Shopper’s Handbook: Buy What You Love

Full Disclosure: Moving Form had me at seagrass. On looks alone I was already leaning towards buying the Fiona from the start and was just looking for validation.

Rule number 8 of the Great Shopper’s Handbook: Compare Prices

Once I knew I wanted the Moving Comfort Fiona bra in seagrass green, I checked which sites had it on my size (which will remain a secret) and compared their prices.

• Moving Comfort’s website: $44 plus 3 – 7 business days $5 shipping – Total: $49
• Zappos: $50 with free overnight shipping – Total: $50
• See Jane Run: $43 with free 7-10 business days shipping – Total: $43

This was a toughie. But since I’m into instant gratification, I went with Zappos. Besides it takes Paypal. Better not get off the couch to grab that credit card or I might change my mind (Rule #9).

I’ll be updating this post once I get my bra and give it a few trial runs. Here’s to hoping I made the right choice. I hate returns.

FYI: That is obviously not me on the post’s picture…just saying.

UPDATE (Apr 29, 2010): Alright, got my bra yesterday and wore it on this morning’s run. I’m relieved to report that the bra is the most comfortable sports bra I’ve ever wore. It gives me the same support as my old favorite (from Nike) but this one I could wear all day (I won’t, of course). And I love the velcro adjustable straps. The color, though, was a big disappointment. It was not so much seagrass as neon green. Still, a great buy. I will probably try Karen’s suggestion next.

From the moment I started running I wanted to measure my progress. I thought that more than running pants, sunblock or even running shoes, a pedometer was an essential tool in a runner’s toolbox. Damn the day I decided to go to Target and get myself one.

I picked the most expensive one in stock, too. The New Balance VIA Slim Pedometer cost just under $30. But for all my troubles and monetary sacrifice all I got is a lousy device that insist on telling me I’m running less than I think I am.

I must have bought the pedometer a day or two after I started this blog. On my first post I embedded a Google Map (via Map My Run) of my route that said I’ve walked ran 1.46 miles. It wasn’t much to be proud of (specially because of the walking involved), so imagine my horror when I used my spanking new New Balance pedometer and it said I’ve ran about 0.83 miles instead.

We’re not talking about loose change here. The pedometer estimates (yes, estimates- as you can imagine, I’m taking Google’s side on this one) our runs are almost half of what Google says they are. Seriously.

After the second day of these mixed results, I decided to leave the thing at home. Dan, though, insists on bringing it with us and telling me, at the end of each run, how much New Balance thinks we ran. I do my best to block it out.

The more I think about this mathematical oddity, the more dense I feel. And now that I’m starting to think about (maybe) signing up for my first race, I really need to figure out what’s going on here.

So, I ask you, whoever out there uses a pedometer, to map their routes through Google Maps (you can try it at Trails, too) let me know if you notice a discrepancy. Or if, God forbids, my aging mind is missing something here and both Google and NB are correct, each in their own way (is that even possible?).

If I can’t figure this out soon, I might just have to launch an investigation into the business of distance measuring, à la Andy Lehren.

Today’s route: