Race-Day Nails

Ladies (and gentlemen I suppose), as you well know, if you race like a lady, you race faster.  That is, if you have pretty hair, a cute outfit and are generally looking fab, you will beat the boys. I know this for a fact.
And so part of my pre-race ritual has become to get Race-Day Nails (I'm trying to turn this into a proper noun). That is, pre-race, I get a very specific manicure with nail art (so very Hong Kong.)
I must tell you ladies, this is a trend that is spreading. So far, I have convinced one other friend as to the merit of this. This weekend, my awesome friend Rachel from HK Adventure Baby will be racing the North Face 100 in Australia. Can you believe that? It's crazy, but amazing and inspiring! So last week we went and got a fabulous mani / pedi - her's complete with lightning bolts and leopard print. It doesn't get much more awesome than that.

Here are some of the amazing nail art I've been getting lately, in preparation for races.
Without bragging, lets just say there has been a direct correlation between my running times and the fabulousness of my manicure.

See evidence below:
1. Standard Chartered 1/2 Marathon

My nails in preparation for this year's Standard Chartered 1/2 marathon. You can read about my results here. Winning nails!

2. Sha Tin Riverside 10km classic. 

I forgot to take a photo, but I had a perfectly manicured hot-pink left hand (to match my new pink ring and new pink hair... yes, my hair was pink!) and a perfectly manicured purple right hand. I took two minutes off my PB. Read about it here.

3. Hong Kong Track and Field Series Round Two Wan Chai. 

This was the first time I had raced on the track. I did the 10 000m and 5000m and was very happy with my times and how I ran. Much better than expected!

For these track races, I got lightening bolts in my club colours. I'm sure this was the main reason for my success. 

 4. Sarnico-Lovere 25km Race. 

I ran 1.34 for this 25km race. Much faster than I dreamed I ever could. I also had stitches in my knee and and a cold for the race, so my time was even more unexpected. 

Once again I put my performance down to my pretty nails. 

5. NorthFace 100 Australia

Rach is a rockstar and is going to smash it this weekend. Look at those nails! Fast and hot! 

Leopard print... so hot! 

In conclusion, I would say that there is proof to my theory. Pretty nails = fast times. Get amongst it!

Look hot, run fast

So, I'm getting a bit of a reputation for the very bright and crazy running tights I've been wearing down to the track. But if I'm going to be famous for something there are worse things (I think!) I spend so much of my time in running gear, I figure it's better to spend my money on that than other stuff. (Well, ok, let's be honest, I still spend my money on other stuff, but it's worth spending money on funky running gear too).

I thought I'd share some of my favourite, most out-there, but also functional, running tights. What I like about this stuff is that they both look cute, and don't fall down when you run. Both very important considerations. I promise if you wear this kind of stuff, you will both improve your times and impress the boys. (Haha).

Teeki - uniccorn hot pant
My good friend Rachel got me into these. They have pictures of unicorns on them. Totally rad! I'm usually adamant that "tights are not pants" but these are so cool that you could actually get away with it I think! I got tonnes of compliments wearing these.

Running Bare

OMFG I love these tights and sportsbra. When I was in Sydney last I bought the matching set. I had to. They look awesome. They make me run fast. Running Bare is an Australian company that does some of the funkiest stuff around. I want everything they make. And they ship. 

Cotton On

These are such a bargain. In addition to very cool crop tights, Cotton On also have the best hot pants around and they are only around $AU10 / $HK70! Get in there and get some now. Love!

Lulelemon

I'm so into hot pants for running right now. On the one hand they are practical - Hong Kong is so hot and sweaty that regular running shorts just stick to you. On the other hand, hot pants also look cute. I find that if I wear something just a little skimpier for races or hard track workouts then I run faster. I'm not sure how sound my theory is but I'm sticking to it.

Nike 

They are pink! I want them. The great thing Nike stuff right now is all the pretty matching sports bra to go with the pants. So many patterns, so many colours. I want!

I promise, get yourself some funky gear, and you will just fly on the track. Totally worth the investment. 

So ghetto

This time last year, Lachlan, Henry and I spent our first Christmas in our house in wet and windy Normandy. Lachlan thought that he was being hilarious when one day he came back from the shops, having spent a not inconsiderable sum of money on an adidas tracky for Henry.
To put it politely, Henry looked like a bogan. At least he fit in with the locals!

This year, Santa went one better.

Check it out.

If you are interested in French fashion, you may also like
Shopping in rural France, and Henry's take on French fashion