In my younger years, taking no days off was a constant push for me. I wanted to be that athlete who always put running at the very top of my to do list – regardless of what the day had in store for me. As we know, there are a ton of awesome people out there who are successfully taking part of running streaks and have made it a part of the. – and absolute kudos to them. For me though, through trials, and a lot of error, I have had to redefine what “no days off“ means for me.
Self-reflection, over time, has had me reflect internally. I now know that personality operates on an “all in or all out” way. Basically, either I’m balls to the wall, or just kicking back and not doing anything. This has led over the years to periods of extreme fitness, but also also extreme laziness, a teeter totter of a lifestyle that has seen my weight and energy fluctuating continuously, and injuries – mostly from overworking – being more present.
So this year, I decided that “no days off” is going to have a new meeting for me. Instead of it meaning that I need to run X number of miles or get an X number of hours of workouts per day, instead I am taking “no days off” from self-care – in whatever capacity that means. Some days that will mean that between work, three kids, and a spouse I don’t see nearly enough, 15 to 20 minutes to do some stretching, yoga, or meditation will be all I have available to give. Other times, it will mean getting out there on the road and burning off some anxiety in the form of a long run. For days like those, Tracksmith’s No Days Off gear has me covered – especially in these cool temperatures.
Here’s a little bit about this collection:
No Days Off is our annual call for consistency, moderation and patience: the full-time, year-round commitment to the process. This is not a race towards injury, but a recognition that little and often beats grand acts of ruinous excess. A commitment to consistency means embracing the elements and training through the darkest days of winter. Our No Days Off Collection is carefully designed to help you weather Mother Nature’s worst.
The NDO Jacket is a pricy option – definitely an investment – but seriously a jacket that may last you the rest of your running life. With this top, you don’t need a ton of layers as many other jackets require. There is definitely enough insulation to wear this with a simple tee or LS underneath, yet its somehow not overly bulky (thanks to layered bonded Merino wool). The outside is made from a windproof and water-resistant fabric – Schoeller Dryskin – making it perfect for anything the PNW can throw at you.
As far as fit goes, it fits a nice middle ground – not too tight and not too loose (size up or down depending on your preference). The panels in the underarms allow for the arms to flow smoothly and unrestricted when running. Speaking of arms, its pretty cool how the sleeves have an inside gaiter with an elastic cuff to keep the cold air at bay.
The NDO Tights, like the jacket, is quite a fantastic option to have on hand to tackle the cold. I have found them to be really comfortable and surprisingly stretchy even with the fit being super tight and secure on us. We were anticipating a lot of constriction, but it never really materialized.
It has also kept us really warm – and was almost a little too warm for those 50 degree temp days we tried them out in. These clearly operate best in cold temps – and that makes sense. They are made from a custom-developed two-tone bodywear fabric with a double-sided construction that is created to keep body heat from escaping. The windblock lining on the front of the thighs was created to keep you chugging along even with cold winds aiming to slow you down. Honestly, I was surprised that these were as warm as they were considering their thin profile.
Even the top of the pants has heat as a priority. It rises a little higher than a typical pair of tights (which I like A LOT) and by doing so allow tops to be tucked in with ease. Super cool idea right there!
With the No Days Off collection, there is literally no excuse (at least not in the gear department) to not get out there and put in a few miles. It’s hard to find much to complain about with this jacket and tights – and both have been amazing in the past few months. We obviously understand the price point may be a little hard to stomach however.
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Products & Price:
- NDO Jacket ($308)
- Shell: 51% Merino Wool, 28% Nylon, 16% Polyurethane, 5% Elastane
- Paneling: Inverno Blend 85% Nylon, 15% Elastane
- NDO Tights ($198)
- Body: 35% Lycra, 33% Polyester, 32% Nylon
Lining/Windblock: 67% Polyamide, 24% Elastane Lycra, 9% Polyurethane
- Body: 35% Lycra, 33% Polyester, 32% Nylon
Thank you to Tracksmith for providing us with samples. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
