Thickly Settled: Slow Down, Part 1

Soaking in nature, Lafayette State Park
Wearing IllumiNITE Vigor Singlet
and Stretch Eclipse Headband

I just got back from a two-week respite. Sixteen glorious days of no work, no Internet, no phone, and mostly, no people. The first part of my vacation was spent in solitude on the Cape; the second half was spent with Mike in the White Mountains. I decided to divvy up this vacation recap post into two parts because each week felt entirely different, and there is so much to talk about—so much I've discovered about myself...again.

I've been taking solo vacations for the past ten years. I started taking them because I was actually terrified to be a woman alone in the world. I knew exposure therapy was the only way to cure that, so I started off small—a trek to Cobleskill, New York, for a weekend exploring Howe Caverns and built my solo-travel bravery up to Scotland, a country I've never visited, to run an ultramarathon in the remote wilderness.

What I love most about my solo vacations is they often come up unexpectedly—an urgent impulse to escape the world. The calling for solitude starts weeks, sometimes months beforehand, and a mystical, faraway place lingers somewhere in my bones until it possesses me so strongly I must go. Magically, when this urge to escape takes over, a serendipitous opportunity like the Kintyre Way Ultramarathon presents itself to me.

But with this time of COVID-19, I couldn't imagine such an opportunity. Plus, I'm working from home and my social lifestyle has settled down to such a domesticated routine, did I really need to escape the world? Didn't quarantine already provide that escape? This is also the first time in twelve years that I've been in a significant relationship. Did I really want to leave my partner? The calling for solitude pulsed, coursing through my bones in a restless pattern. I ignored it, but it didn't ignore me.

Remembering collecting seashells
by the seashore when I was a little girl

My sister is getting married in October. As the maid of honor, my responsibilities include all the celebratory pre-wedding parties: bridal shower, bachelorette, sisters getaway (am I missing something?). But COVID-19 had messed all that up. Until I remembered a friend of mine had a cottage by the sea that she rented out. I sent her a message. Is your cottage available this summer, despite COVID-19? She responded that it was and asked if I wanted the rental for me, for a writing retreat. She's a writer like me so her response is a typical writerly response. But it startled me. No, I wrote. A girls' getaway for my sister who's getting married. But then I thought about it: a solo writing retreat by the sea. Then I joked about it to Mike.

You should go, he said. You should write. The very next day, I booked the cottage for eight days.

Writing spot for the week; first day,
it took 5 hours to write my daily goal
of 2,500 words; by week's end,
I wrote 4,100+ words in just 4 hours

West Harwich, Cape Cod

I shut off all notifications on my phone so that no one could get through to me via text, email, social media, not even by phone call. Only Mike could get through in case of an emergency. I packed my bag with only essentials: my bathing suit, a couple pairs of shorts and tank tops, my IllumiNITE tanks, shorts, headband, and multi-wrap (which doubles as a face mask!), sports bras, flip flops, running shoes, my computer (for writing only), groceries for the week, wine, and a large stack of books that took up an entire backpack. Upon arrival, I instantly fell in love with the cozy cottage and found my writing spot immediately.

The first day of solitude always feels strange, electric, as if the outside world is pressing in, trying to keep its hold on me. But after a much-needed twelve-hour rest, I fell right into my creative zone, and words flowed out of me. I wrote 15,000 words of my novel rewrite; I wrote a letter to a friend who was just diagnosed with a serious medical issue; I wrote a letter to Mike pouring out my soul about everything and anything; I wrote a letter to Future Sera, reminding myself how much I need Sera Time. And I walked everywhere.

Enjoying a glass of wine while listening
to Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

I walked to the beach and back. I walked to the bike path two miles away and then up and down the bike path for miles, taking in the beauty of the marshes and nature conservatory around me.

I read those books I bought. Six books to be exact. I "read" audiobooks as I drove to the cottage and as I walked the bike path. I read hardcovers and paperbacks by the sea and in my private backyard and on the couch and in the bed.

Each day, I woke up to silence, strong black coffee, and a simple breakfast of peanut butter on toast and a bowl of strawberries. I felt a strange luxury as I slipped into the same familiar clothes every day to write and then the same cozy IllumiNITE athletic wear that carried me all through town on my walks.

I read.
I wrote.
I walked.
I sat by the sea.
I read some more.
I walked some more.
Occasionally, I wrote some more.
Each night, I fell asleep listening to an audiobook.
Each day, I fell more in love with words and the new
vast worlds they brought me.

Being solely in my head with no one to talk to all week brought the nostalgia of a simpler time I couldn't quite place. But it comforted me.

I always feel larger than life, and integral part of the Universe
when I travel solo and wander places I'd never see otherwise

Every time I travel solo, I wonder: What am I really looking for? Where am I really going? The physical destination hardly matters; the real destination is me. My thoughts, my company. But why?

It wasn't until I arrived back home from this solo vacation that it dawned on me during the walk in our neighborhood that Mike and I take every day. Sometimes, we talk nonstop about everything under the sun; other times, like this time, we walk in silence just marveling at our existence, enjoying a quiet solitude together. In this silence, a memory bubbled up.

Serenity found on a 6.5 mile walk on a bike path
from West Harwich to Dennis on Cape Cod

I was a child, somewhere between the ages of eight and ten. I was in my bedroom writing a story, completely in the creative zone. A knock came on the front door, and then my mom stood in my doorway. My best friend stopped by. Do you want to go play outside? my mom asked. Not wanting to hurt my friend's feelings, I begged my mom to tell her I wasn't feeling well or I was grounded or I was in the bathtub—anything to not have to leave the comfort of my solitude and creativity. Another memory flashed, the same scenario, only I was reading a good book; another similar memory flashed, but I was playing with my stuffed animals, creating entire worlds and lives for them. I know you're not really sick, my friend said one day, when I tired of being in my head and longed for company again. She didn't understand, and my childhood self couldn't explain why I needed that solitude. But I desperately did. I still do.

This memory brought an epiphany: These solo vacations bring me back to a simpler time, a time before instant access to everyone through the Internet and cell phones. A simpler time when being outside all day, every day, meant no one had access to me until I returned home. A simpler time when I spent hours lounging in the grass with a book; other times, racing my bike down the path, the wind hugging me, whispering that nothing else matters but this very moment. Vacationing alone brings me back to my childhood, when I was completely and utterly in my head, my imagination running wild, my curiosity of the world still innocent enough.

He fluttered his wings so loudly, I jumped. What is this insect? I discovered
it was only half an insect. I didn't have my phone to film it. The next day,
 I took a photo. Zombie cicadas in 2020? What else is next?!

Mike and Sera wearing IllumiNITE Multi-wraps
Sera in IllumiNITE Mockingbird short sleeve shirt (now final sale)

After eight days, I packed up my belongings and drove back home. But I dwindled in my head, sharing with Mike all I discovered with my novel and on my wanderings and the stories I read. After washing a week's worth of laundry and getting a good night's sleep in my own bed, I once again packed up my belongings, exchanging the books I read for new ones.

Mike and I set off to spend the next five days in Lincoln, New Hampshire, where everything is green and vast, and anything is possible.


Stay tuned for Thickly Settled: Slow Down, Part 2, where I go from lounging around all day to nearly plummeting off a mountainside, three-thousand feet above ground. In the meantime, I'll share with you a sneak peak video of what's to come.

Me, wearing IllumiNITE Stretch Eclipse Headband, Vigor Singlet and Shorties

ME; Is there a bear in there?
MIKE: I'm positive there's no bears.
ME: Why don't you sit in there first?
MIKE: I'm pretty sure there's no bears.

Everyone who knows me knows I'm petrified of bears! Did I go inside the cave?

Do you ever you feel the need to escape the world? Where do you go and what do you do when solitude calls you? Leave a comment below. I'd love to hear your stories!

Going Stir-Crazy? Explore the World of Color

Time for a hike? Loving this pop of hot pink!
IllumiNITE Unisex Velocity Mitten

It's week two of isolation, and I must admit I'm going a bit stir-crazy. I've worked remotely for years, and I've gotten pretty good at it. I know to set specific hours to avoid working nonstop. I know to take little breaks throughout the day to stretch, get water, have a snack. I know to break down my work station at the end of every day, and yes, even shut off my computer and store it out of sight. This gives a sense of transition from work time to down time at the end of the "work day."

But I'm not JUST working remotely. I AM remote completely—away from friends and family and people in my community. I never fully appreciated how integrated my world was. Besides driving to work, there's going to the store or bank or gas station. There's stopping by the local library to pick up a new set of books. There's going for a run with my run club. There's the impromptu coffee or drink with a friend. All of this is gone. And it takes its toll, more than we realize.

Wearing IllumiNITE Pink Love Tee
to brighten my day

I read a great article by Harvard Business Review entitled That Discomfort You're Feeling Is Grief. And it makes sense. Even though I'm getting more sleep than ever and my daily routine is solid, I have to look at the calendar every day to see what day of the week it is and what date it is. Is it really only Tuesday? How is it Friday already? Wait, is today Saturday, or Sunday? Time has become a concept, one big, blurry mess.

I'm having a harder time waking up in the morning, my brain feels foggy and groggy, and I wrestle between experiencing bounds of energy to wanting to sleep until this COVID-19 pandemic is over.

In this new normal, I'm trying to find ways to add more joy into my life. For example, I'm definitely eating a lot more chocolate! haha But that alone, isn't cutting it. But I noticed that working near a window and looking out at the world around me has given me more joy. Spring is in the air, the buds are sprouting on the trees, and slowly the world is blossoming into color: bright blue skies, greener grass, red cardinals! Each pop of color creates this surge of joy inside me.

Can you find the garter snake?

As I stated in my last post, COVID-19: Stay Remote, Not Isolated, I'm getting out in nature to explore as much as I'm able! last weekend, I came across the cutest little garter snake while on a hike. I wouldn't have seen if it didn't rustle up the leaves as it slithered away—it was completely camouflaged.

Seeing this nearly invisible snake made me remember a conversation I had with a friend a while back. She had painted her fingernails bright colors, which surprised me because she doesn't normally paint her nails, let alone paint them all different colors. When asked about it, she mentioned that she had just read the book Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee. She said the book mentioned that adding color, shapes, and textures into your life bring you pops of joy. (mental note: I must buy this book!)

Thinking about this concept of color bringing joy while watching this adorable little snake trying to blend into its background made me realize: This COVID-19 pandemic is making me feel like I'm fading into the background! Every day, my work outfits have been a rotating array of black and blue hoodies and sweatpants. What else would I wear while being cooped up in my house?! But...I realized that "dressing up" to go for a hike or a run has been my happiest moments of the week. Yes, a large part of that is the fact that I'm doing something outside of the house. But the other part of that happiness is: I'm wearing bright colors!

Wearing these pops of color has become my social outlet; my pops of joy throughout the week; it's my way of being seen when we can't socialize, my way of announcing to the world: I'm here! I see you! Do you see me?

Maybe it's the stir-crazy, but the most exciting moment last week was when Mike noticed that my IllumiNITE Ambition Reflective Women's Hoodie has a ponytail pull-through! How have I never noticed this before? So what does one do when discovering this amazement?

 PHOTOSHOOT! No autographs, please! haha

 

I'm wearing Beetroot/Silver
Mike's wearing Hawaiian Blue

And, I just found out that the IllumiNITE Ambition Women's Hoodie AND the Early Riser Men's Pullover are on final sale! So get yours before it's gone! Don't worry! You can order online! And if you use discount code Sera15, you'll get 15% off the rest of your order (non-sale items).

Okay, so maybe this blog post is all over the place...this is the state of my scattered mind. But seriously, get some COLOR into your world! It will make you happy! And...it will brighten the day of anyone you may pass (remember: 6 feet apart) on the road or hiking trails! It seems there are a lot more people exploring the outdoors now that businesses are closed. Are you one of them?!

What are you doing to bring pops of joy into your life during this time of social isolation? 

Leave a comment below!

Train, Hike, Race, Repeat: An IllumiNITEd Agenda

IllumiNITE Savannah Shirt

January and February are always my lowest miles months. The cold, short days really zap my enthusiasm, but I figure if there is any time to rest and recover, winter is the perfect excuse to kick off my running shoes and catch up on my shows. Remember, 2020 is all about finding balance.

So far, I'm finding my groove. I've settled into my new 5:00 am writing routine before going into my day job.

I've been working out at the gym with my sister on our lunch hour, adding in strength training and speedwork on the treadmill.

Sera: IllumiNITE Dovetail Tee
and Women's Shortie

And I've officially planned out my hikes and races for the year!

Yes! As part of goals for living a balanced life, I'm incorporating more mountains back into my athletic activities. Why? Two reasons:

1) I promised my life partner that I'd hike more if he ran a marathon (his first) with me (he did! and he signed up for two more!).

2) In 2018, I ran my fastest marathon and was in the greatest shape of my life. I truly believe it's because I incorporated mountain training/races into my running routine that year.


So what's on my IllumiNITEd agenda this year? I thought you'd never ask!

THE BOSS

IlumiNITE Eclipse Headband, Vigor Singlet,
and Women's Shortie

First up is Loon Mountain Race in Lincoln, New Hampshire, in July. This race is 6.6 miles straight up a mountain—with the last kilometer on a black diamond ski slope—a 45-degree angle!

Check out the Upper Walking Boss video to see for yourself. Hang onto your couch...you'll get vertigo just watching!


It's brutal; it's dizzying; it's So. Much. Fun!

Instead of taking the gondola ride that's included in the race fee, I always run back down the mountain afterwards. And then I cool off in the river!

IlumiNITE Eclipse Headband, Vigor Singlet,
and Women's Shortie

Ahh, best mini-vacation ever! Since we're there, we'll hike up Franconia Ridge a few days before the race as well. That weekend is a 16-miler training weekend for us (for our marathon), so the hike and race will fulfill that requirement. This will be my third year doing this race, and I seriously cannot wait to run it with Mike!

Training for this race will include the Seven Sisters race route and Mt. Tom ski slopes. My quads and glutes are already burning thinking about it!

THE RIVER

I ran so fast, I burned holes in my socks! haha

What goes up, must go down! Everyone who knows me knows how much I hate hills! So to reward myself for all this climbing, I've signed back up for the New England Green River Marathon in August. The course is one way, from Vermont to Massachusetts, on a tree-canopied road alongside the cooling Green River. The elevation LOSS is an appreciated 1,450 feet.

I ran this race ONCE, and it was my fastest marathon yet! At the time, I was at the peak of my mountain racing, so I'm hoping I can beat my record now that I'm adding mountains back into my routine!

I chose this marathon again because it's the perfect FIRST marathon, and since Mike's first marathon was the ever-grueling, mostly uphill, jam-packed marathon in Greece, I thought Green River would make for a nice contrast (he's still not convinced he likes marathons, but soon he will LOVE them, haha).

Training for this will include hikes on Mount Greylock and Mount Race (gotta keep up our strength) and speedwork (intervals) on a track.

THE GHOST TRAIN

My son and I costuming it up at
Ghost Train Ultra in 2018 

We'll end the year with Ghost Train Ultra Marathon in October. This was my first ultramarathon (I did 30 miles), and it's 15-mile out and back course makes it perfect for the newbie (or seasoned) ultramarathoner. The course is relatively flat with just one hill (that goes up both ways!), but is hardly boring as it's filled with spooky, Halloweenie decorations, costumes galore, and a tunnel—yes! a tunnel!—to run through!

This year, I'd like to accomplish 45 miles, 30 on Saturday and 15 on Sunday. We'll see how my year goes before I officially commit to that! What I'm most excited for is dressing up in costume for this race! Maybe this year, we can wear capes! I'm already feeling like a superhero as I think about bounding up all these mountains and racing at the speed of IllumiNITE!

IllumiNITE Fishbone Halloween Cape

New England Green River Marathon is perfectly timed 7 weeks before this ultra! I'll just continue on with Hal Higdon's Ultramarathon schedule to stay on track, maybe doing half-distance the day after my long distance runs to get used to running long stretches back-to-back. For example: 26 miles on Saturday and then 10 miles on Sunday. And I'll have to shave off one week, so I'll just skip week 21 and go right to week 22.

I'm crossing my fingers that Mike will feel motivated to "go the distance" and join me with my ultra training. He is thinking of running 15 miles on Saturday and 15 miles on Sunday for a total of 30 miles that weekend...but I'm wondering if all the excitement and magic of race day will get him to do 30 all at once!!! No pressure (yet!)!

Sera: IllumiNITE Ambition Hoodie
Mike: IllumiNITE Early Riser

So tell me:

What races are you signed up for this year?

What's your training plan? 

I'd love to hear! Leave a comment below!

Falmouth Bound: Cape Cod Marathon

IllumiNITE Long Sleeve
Piper Tee in Flo Lime/Graphite
& Comet Running Tight

As you're reading this, I am Falmouth bound, and...I am so excited to be running the Cape Cod Marathon THIS Sunday! This is my favorite race weekend of the year, by far! Why, you ask? Because it's truly a weekend-long event!

A Facebook memory popped up the other week, reminding me that just three years ago I had completed my first ever 20-mile run. I was following Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Program (I still do!), and 20 miles was the farthest distance I had to run before marathon day. I remember that day clearly. It was rainy and dreary out and my right foot hurt like hell (I had flexor tendinitis), but I was excited. I ran with my coach Laura, my best friend Loretta who got me into this running nonsense (Read my I HATE Running post), and another running friend who was also training for her first marathon. I told myself: If I can run 20 miles with an injury, I can run a marathon. And I did!

IllumiNITE Unisex Velocity Mitten

Disclaimer: I'm not recommending anyone run with an injury. Injuries are no joke and should be taken seriously. I consulted with my physical therapist first. She put me on a strict no-running until marathon day respite after my 20-mile run. She also said she couldn't medically clear me to run the marathon. BUT she never knew anyone who had permanent injury from flexor tendinitis, so she understood if I chose to run it anyway. She was a runner so she got it. But I digress.

IllumiNITE Long Sleeve
Reflective Women's Piper Tee

This will be my fourth year returning to Cape Cod Marathon. The first year, I ran the relay. The second year, I ran my first marathon. The third year, I did the Chowdah Challenge, which was my favorite! Thanks to my sponsor IllumiNITE, I'm returning this year to run the new marathon course! I heard this new route is much flatter than the previous course that had 17 miles of rolling hills. Phew! This will be a great training run before my Athens Authentic Marathon in just two weeks, which I heard has hills! I also heard Cape Cod's new course includes more running along the ocean. I LOVE running by water, so this is an added bonus for me.

What do I pack for a New England marathon in October? 

IllumiNITE Bling
Vigor Singlet in Charcoal
& Shortie in Black

Good question! I truly bring enough clothes to start my own pop-up store because New England weather is so finicky, as I've mentioned before. So I bring: 

• tank top

• short sleeve shirt

• long sleeve shirt

• shorts 

• capris

IllumiNITE Long Sleeve
Reflective Women's Piper Tee

• full-length pants

• post-race outfit and Oofos sandals

• Darn Tough socks

• skeleton knee-highs for the Halloween Spirit!

IllumiNITE Tahoe Performance
Softshell Fleece Jacket In Graphite

IllumiNITE Graphic Tees
Grim on Black (post race)
and Power Stretch Capri

IllumiNITE Waterproof Colorado
Jacket in Mimosa Floral

IllumiNITEAmbition Hoodie
in Coral Glo/Black
& Unisex All Over Glow Glove

When running distance, it's truly better to be over prepared than freezing cold for miles and miles. I just received my latest IllumiNITE shipment that includes warmer clothes, so I will definitely add the following to my suitcase to be safe:

• hooded pullover

• rain jacket

• heavy duty jacket (for when I'm not racing)

• gloves 

• head covering 

IllumiNITE Waterproof Colorado Jacket
in Graphite/Flo Lime

I never truly know what I'm going to wear until the morning of the race! My decision is always based on a combination of the weather, my mood, and what feels most comfortable at that moment. We marathoners are as finicky as fall New England weather, and it's most important to avoid any clothing regrets—the mind gloms onto the zaniest things when running for hours on end.

I also pack my hydration pack so I can carry:

• my 2-liter bladder

• 2 handhelds for electrolyte drinks

• Spring Energy gels for fuel while running (one every 4 miles)

• 1 or 2 protein bars like a Lära or Epic Performance or date balls (Made in Nature Figgy Pops are easily packable)

• my albuterol inhaler

• a second pair of contacts (once, a contact popped out during a 50k! I got it back in, but whoa!)

IllumiNITE Halo Unisex Knit Hat

• rewetting eye drops

• chapstick

• salt tabs

• ibuprofen

• acetaminophen

• naproxen

My hydration vest also allows me to stow away any layers if I get too hot!

IllumiNITE Hartford Men's Jacket
in Red/Silver & Endeavor Long Running Short 

I also make sure to pack:

• Flovent inhaler

• Garmin watch and charger

• wireless headphones and back up plug in headphones

• bacitracin and bandaids

• Roll Recovery 8 

Why do I LOVE Cape Cod Marathon weekend:

2016 Cape Cod Marathon

The Expo is so fun! I always run into all my running friends here because we're all heading to pick up our bibs and our tee shirts. Cape Cod Marathon shirts are my fave race shirts ever! I wear them all the time! The Expo also has vendors galore! So if race jitters made you forget to pack something vital, don't worry! You can easily find what you need at the Expo!

I love exploring all the various running essentials and discovering new products to try. This year, I'll be hanging out at the IllumiNITE pop-up store, so come on by and say Hello! I'll show you my favorite products and chat about all things running—and whatever else you'd like to discuss!

Run Your Health Cape Cod Crew

The Running Community is strong! About 30-50 people from my very first running group, Run Your Health, come together this weekend to run. It feels like we're taking over Falmouth. Relay teams, half marathoners, full marathoners, and yes, even the Chowdah Challenge runners. Our families and friends cheer us on with the signs we make Friday night! And we eat pre-race and post-race meals together. I don't get to run with this group often anymore because I moved to another town, so I really cherish seeing so many RYHers in Falmouth! I've also made quite a few running friends while running Cape Cod Marathon, including @trainerhelice and @2018bostonmarathon4dad and @btrfli4u. We stay in touch via social media throughout the year to keep us motivated. It's great to maintain a strong online running community to stay inspired!

The Falmouth Community is so supportive! I've run many, many races, but the Falmouth community is by far the most supportive of race communities! Hundreds, maybe thousands, of residents line the streets on the course offering water, oranges, Halloween candy, and other refreshments to us runners. Many of them dress up in costumes, play music, dance, and cheer us all on! One guy even let us runners pose on his lawn with his elaborate Halloween display. Falmouth residents, I love you!

The Food is the best! I'll admit, when I first heard that clam chowder was served at the end of the marathon, my stomach felt a bit queasy. But come race finish, when you're stomach is rumbling and your sweat is running cold now that you've stopped moving, hot clam chowder is just what you need—followed up with those amazing apple cider donuts! Cape Cod Marathon has the best post-race food I've ever had in America! I must give a shoutout to all the Falmouth restaurants who gracefully handle feeding the thousands of people all weekend. Food has always been superb and service has always been provided with a smile!

IllumiNITE Long Sleeve
Piper Tee in Flo Lime/Graphite
& Comet Running Tight

What distance will you be running this weekend and where? Leave a comment below!

And don't forget, if you'll be at Cape Cod Marathon, I'll be at IllumiNITE at the Expo on Saturday or somewhere along the marathon route on Sunday! Please find me and say HI!

IllumiNITE photos by Matt Francis Photography

Best Running Clothes For Finicky Fall Weather

I've never lived outside of New England; yet every year, I'm shocked when the temperature drops from the eighties to sixties, then soars up to the nineties over the course of a week—sometimes even over the course of ONE DAY! New England is definitely known for it's finicky fall weather, which makes it quite difficult to dress properly for a run.

IllumiNITE Featherlite Jacket

I really don't like being too hot, but I absolutely detest being even the slightest bit cold, especially when running. My muscles get all stiff, my hands go numb, and my nose drips wet. Fortunately, IlumiNITE offers lightweight clothing that I can layer to keep me warm in brisk temperatures and easily remove when I get too hot.

My favorite item, hands down, is IllumiNITE's Women's Featherlite Reflective Hooded Nylon Packable Jacket in Graphite. I know I rave about this jacket all the time, but seriously, it's the lightest material ever. You barely notice you're wearing it. It has two zip pockets on the outside to protect valuable items such as my license and car key, and larger internal pockets to store running snacks and my phone. And it has a hood to lock out cold air in windy conditions and keep my head dry in the rain. Its most prominent feature is its reflective powers. The whole jackets illuminates in the dark when hit by headlights, flashlights, and streetlamps. But my most favorite thing about this jacket? I can easily ball it up and store it in my running vest on longer runs if I get too hot. I can also tie it around my waist without irritation when I'm not wearing my vest.

Bling Vigor reflective design

Bling Vigor Singlet

Don't let the lightweight material fool you. This Featherlite Jacket traps body heat like crazy! So I like to pair it with lightweight tops, such as IllumiNITE's Women's Reflective Bling Vigor Singlet in Charcoal, which is actually on sale right now!

And to tie everything together, I wear IllumiNITE's Women's Reflective Power Stretch Capri in Black. This capri is so versatile, it looks great with whatever styles and colors I'm wearing on top. Plus, it makes me look quite shapely while keeping me warm and dry. I also love the deep pockets on both sides that grip my phone and keep my snacks in place once my Featherlite Jacket comes off.

Power Stretch Capris,
Dovetail Tee, Featherlite Jacket

I don't know about you, but once I'm done with a run, I totally need to slip into cozy clothes. IlumiNITE's Reflective String Bag is big enough to carry a change of clothing and one pair of shoes, and it's even managed to double as a comfortable running tote when I forget my vest for a planned long run (by wrapping the strings around my waist and securing them in a knot tied tightly across my chest).  I'm usually headed off to my next adventure, whether it's visiting with friends, running errands, or continuing my day outside in nature. And that's where IllumiNITE's Bristol Reflective Jacket in Red Aztec comes in. It feels so soft against my skin, and has enough pockets to carry my essentials.

Bristol Reflective Jacket
 and Drawstring Bag

The leaves are already starting to turn, and soon this finicky weather is going to grow into a full-blown winter tantrum. So next week, I'll be visiting IllumiNITE headquarters in Fall River to meet with the team, tour the place, and to try out their newest styles so I can stay warm—and safe—as the days grow colder and shorter.

Stay tuned to hear about my Fall River adventures. You just might catch me in an IllumiNITE photoshoot.

In the meantime, use 15% off discount code Sera15  to stock up on some of your IllumiNITE faves.

How do you stay warm, yet cool and dry, in this finicky fall weather?