When Spliggle's preschool finally started at the end of the first week of September, I eagerly trotted out to the reservoir to take a walk for the first time in months. It was surprisingly harder than I remember, although when I realized it had indeed been the end of May the last time I walked, my sore legs made sense.

In anticipation of getting back into the work-out swing of things, I happily accepted the opportunity to try out some Reebok sports apparel via Dick's Sporting Goods. I've been a fan of Dick's for awhile, and I have definitely been a Reebok enthusiast, from wanting their shoes in junior high (all the "cool kids" wore them, of course!) to receiving a track suit that I wear quite often as a thank-you from a Reebok photo-shoot.

Dick's Sporting Goods carries an exclusive line of Reebok apparel for both men and women. Many of these products are "playdry" described by the brochure as follows: The base layer moves moisture, accelerates evaporation, increases ventilation and reduces abrasion without trapping the body's thermal energy.

I received two Performance Essentials tank tops that included the "playdry" technology. These included a shelf bra, and then two thick cross-over straps. I also received two types of shorts: a stretch-cotton Bermuda and the Performance Essentials short, and a Nike Fit-Dry jacket, available at Dick's, too.

All of the products are soft. They are light, and while the fabric is thin, it is not see-through. It has enough support that it is flattering, quite a feat for a light fabric. Whenever I see shelf-bras, I draw back in fear. Given that my chest is rather substantial, I don't trust thin fabrics to provide enough support for me. And so, I wore a bra underneath the Reebok Performance Essentials tank. This worked fine, although there was some "show through" in the back since the style of my bra and of the tank didn't match. No matter, as for a good portion of my walk I wore the light Nike jacket.

The jacket was interesting because it is very thin. While I usually run away from white clothes, this jacket is fashionable, attractive and not bulky. It is very light, yet provides warmth. At the start of my walk, the reservoir was foggy and cold. Both the jacket and the tank wicked away moisture. Even though I know I was sweating up a storm and walking through fog, I remained dry and warm. The jacket has a hood, and the sleeves have little thumb-holes on them, perfect for maintaining a fluid strut without having the sleeves ride-up. Some folks might hold barbells or other objects in their hands, so this little thumb-hole can be useful to keep the jacket sleeves down. I don't know their original purpose, but I found them fun.

By the end of my walk, I had removed the jacket because the sun was out and I was definitely feeling the burn in many ways. Since the jacket is not bulky, it wasn't a burden to carry with me (or tie around my waist, although I know I am not supposed to do that for fear of stretching out the sleeves!) It is compact enough to throw in a gym bag or scrunch in a backpack, and light enough to drape over the shoulders when not in use. As a bonus, the jacket wasn't stinky post-use. I used it several times in a row (because I wanted to keep working out!) before throwing it into the wash.

I used the tanks along with the shorts while doing yoga at home. In this case, it isn't necessary to wear a sports-bra with the tank, because although yoga is definitely a hard workout, the movement is fluid so doesn't require the same amount of chest support as an aerobic walk. The tanks held well and were comfortable throughout the workout, as were the shorts. Both shorts were flattering, although I am reluctant to wear shorts in public before I've worked on my legs a bit more.

Workout gear has the difficult challenge of needing to not interfere with movement, and yet be supportive enough to enable the wearer to feel confident. I am pleased to report that the Reebok and Nike apparel provided by Dick's Sporting Goods worked well: soft, light, and non-obtrusive, and yet supportive enough to be flattering and keep things "tucked" where they are supposed to be, away from the work-out action.

Thank you to Dick's, Reebok, and Nike for my new go-to gear!