Equinox Lets Freedom Bling

Everyone loves a sale. Credit: ell brown

Stinky workout clothes where the stench won't disappear no matter how many times they toss in the washing machine and get sprayed with Febreze? Exercise gear that's more out-of-fashion than in? Running shorts and shirts that aren't as well-equipped to battle the heat wave that's predicted to happen later this week as you thought they'd be when you bought them? Gear that you wouldn't want to be caught dead in unless you were at home and you knew that Tony Horton and Shawn T wouldn't care what clothes you wore for their workouts?

You know you need some new duds--or you welcome every excuse in the book as a reason to buy more. But the problem is, you're not exactly in the market for buying said gear at full price (it's all about maximizing the dollar, right?). Welcome to the "Let Freedom Bling" sale that runs June 25 through July 8 at The Shop @ Equinox. As a way to celebrate Independence Day, customers can save up to 50 percent off fashion and performance apparel and accessories at all of the Chicago Equinox locations.

The Shop @ Equinox is known for offering top-of-the-line fitness-focused apparel--remember the Nike gear we gushed over? This summer the Shop has new lines available like Mercer & Taylor, an exclusive women's fashion collection that includes breezy woven tanks and blouses in silky, lightweight fabrics; and Bordeaux, another exclusive women's collection that features super-soft tees and tanks great for basics and layering. And there are tons of other designers gracing the shelves, too. The question is: How much can I buy to refresh the closet without breaking the bank? 

Photo grabbed from ell brown at flickr.

Fit-Pic: The Cabin Course

Every 4th of July--or at least most in recent memory aside from when my husband has to work a call shift--finds me away home away from home at my husband's family's cabin nestled in a pocket of lake country in northwestern Wisconsin. And every 4th of July in between the barbecuing, fishing, boat rides and fireworks I hit the roads to run. Not this year because my doc said no running at the last check-up and I still have three days before I'm due for another visit, but I'll hit them on my bike.

Decidedly, I've dubbed this terrain the cabin course. Without fail, I'll run the out and back loop at least once, more if I'm feeling peppy or know a big dinner is in store. The route's ingrained in my head even down to the hills that burned the first time I ran up them because there's nothing comparable back at home. If it weren't for the lack of water fountains, my saving grace on the Lakefront Path, and the swarms of bugs, I'd say the cabin course beats the 18-mile stretch of Chicago lakefront. This simple course is almost perfectly designed for my run requirements: hills, a 6-mile loop to be repeated when wanted, shade and sun, quiet. It always seems to rejuvenate me for whatever event I'm supposed to be training for--or signal that it's time to get in gear. And trust me, I'm tearing those roads up on my bike this weekend, headwinds and all.

It's worth battling the Chicago traffic--even when you're stuck in stand-still traffic on I-90--to get away for the holiday. And the fireworks over the lake can't be beat, especially now that Navy Pier was the only provider of Chicago fireworks on the 4th (they're not great in my opinion and choose a seat incorrectly and they're hidden behind the foliage). Happy 4th! How will you get outside today?