It’s Go Time With Shady Rays – A Gear Review

July 3, 2018July 2, 2018 / racingthestates / Leave a comment

Disclaimer: I received Shady Rays Sunglasses to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews.

I LOVE sunglasses. But not just any type of sunglasses. I love that classic style; you know what I’m talking about (cough ray-ban cough cough)! In fact, I have a huge collection of all different colors; one for every single outfit I could ever possibly imagine. The best part is, I haven’t spent any money on this collection. For real, I collect the cheapo ones, the giveaways you get from booths at festivals! Seriously, I just love them! But they have to be that classic style.

I was super bummed when I started needing glasses because at first, I didn’t have contacts and could only wear my prescription sunglasses. Now, I wear contacts and my sunglasses possibilities are endless!

When I was selected to try the Shady Rays sunglasses I was ecstatic! They were quality sunglasses that met my collection standards AND they had a color I didn’t yet own! Ahhh yeah, check it out…the Emerald Ice Polarized Sunglasses. Ah.. aren’t those just B.E.A.U-tiful!?

These beauties are from the Shady Rays Signature collection and are designed for the active person. These glasses are super durable, 100% UV Protection, shatter proof, and fit comfortably. They’ve been great for running and don’t bounce on my face or slide down. Shady Ray’s message is, “It’s go time! Live worry-free out there in the sun. We’ve got your back.”

The great part about Shady Rays is they come with a “Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty & Free Replacements if Lost or Broken.” If you need a replacement pair, you just pay shipping and handling.

Another unique thing about this company that I find very cool is that whenever you purchase a pair of Shady Rays, you provide 11 meals through the Feeding America program! I thought that was pretty neat!

My pair of Shady Rays have entered into my regular rotation and I wear them as a fashion piece and for running! I’m seriously thinking about getting another pair and I have my EYES on these ones:

And yes, the pun WAS intended.

Get yourself a pair (or two):

Use coupon code BIBRAVE for 50% off 2+ pairs: https://bit.ly/2rk7Hor

See what the other BibRave Pros are saying:

The Safety Item You NEED For Running (Spoiler: It’s Also Entertainment)

May 14, 2018May 16, 2018 / racingthestates / 2 Comments

Disclaimer: I received the AfterShokz Trekz Air to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

When it comes to safety, I’m a little bit paranoid. I’m a pretty safe person with all the activities I do: running, climbing, hiking. When it comes to running, I abide by all the rules…running toward traffic on the side of the road, carrying my ID (Road ID), wearing reflection and lights when running after dark, etc, etc, etc. The only thing I am bad about is when I listen to music.

I have gone through phases with music on the run, but lately, I’ve needed it to get through even a short run. In addition to listening to music, I’ve been “playing” Zombies, Run! while running which requires having headphones on. I’m not a techy person, nor do I have a ton of money, so I use the earbuds that came with my phone. They’re normal earbuds and they are comfortable, however, they sit in my ears and block out all other sounds.

Enter the AfterShokz.

Execute: MIND BLOWN. (explosion noises)

Seriously. Now that I have these, I feel super techy and modern, but more important is how SAFE I feel and still be able to enjoy Zombies, Run! and my music.

About The Product
The Trekz Airs are the second wireless product from the AfterShokz family. First was the Trekz Titaniums, the first of its kind in bone conduction technology. The Trekz Airs are similar but lighter, built to fit more securely, and produce better sound. All the AfterShokz products use Bone Conduction Technology to transmit sound. This means they sit just outside of the ears, leaving your ears open to hear the environment around you. This provides safety while still listening to your entertainment on the run! It’s pretty awesome.

Photo from AfterShokz Website

Pros
-Lightweight (they really don’t add much bulk to your head)
-Leave ears open (so you can hear cars and people while you listen to music or other entertainment)
-Bluetooth connection (no cords hanging around for you to yank out accidentally on an arm swing.)
-Long battery life (they’ve lasted on half a dozen runs – depending on length of run)
-Repels dust, moisture, and sweat (sweaty person? No problem! I’ve even worn them when it starts raining).
-They come with a cute carrying case (and earplugs for when you DON’T want to hear anything else and a charging cable).
-They now come in colors (just for fun-sies. I have the midnight blue ones).

Cons
-They do hook around your ears which isn’t a problem until you’re wearing a hat and sunglasses. It just creates a lot of things all in one spot. To combat this, I put my hat and glasses on first then add the lightweight Trekz over all that. That seems to work!

Surprises
-They stay put! When I first got them I thought, “no way are those saying on when I run,” but I haven’t had a problem at all. They even stay on while I bend around while stretching.
-The sound is normal! I thought music would sound funny or “off” through the Trekz but all my favorite bands sound just the same!
-I really COULD hear everything around me! In fact, the first time I wore them, I was so used to the other headphones that I was jumping like I was in a horror movie at random sounds around me like lawnmowers and screaming children. They really are incredible.
-The Multifunction button: On the left ear, there’s a multifunction button that can pause/play your music, skip to the next song, answer calls and activate your phone’s voice control. At first, didn’t know this was a feature and was still fumbling with my phone when I needed to pause or play my music. When I figured out how to use this button, my mind was blown. Again.
-The biggest surprise is how safe I really do feel and how scary it is that I have been running with regular earbuds all this time. I run around my neighborhood a lot which includes a lot of streets without sidewalks. It’s really important to me to be able to hear traffic around me. This truly is a SAFETY product rather than an ENTERTAINMENT product and I think more runners should start incorporating these into their running accessories. A lot of people don’t know these exist.

Adaptations
-Races: It’s always been a faux pas to run races with headphones. Race directors, like myself, want you to hear the safety info, volunteers directing you on course, and of course cars if it’s a road race. I love that these will make racers more alert while attending events!
-Home: If you want to clean, listen to music and not disturb your housemate, or just need to hear when the phone rings, these are perfect. I work from home a lot at the same time as my boyfriend and I like to listen to music while working. So to not disturb my partner, I can wear these and still hear when the phone rings for my business or when Ben is asking me a business question (or just bugging me and teasing me about something…maybe I should go back to real headphones at home…)
-Kiddos: I don’t have children, but I can really see these being useful when home with small children. You can still enjoy music while they nap but be aware when they need something or wake up.
-Bikers: I am not a biker, but I know a lot of bikers like to enjoy music on the ride. It’s even more important for them to be aware of their surroundings.

Overall
The AfterShokz Trekz Air are definitely worth their price. They are a perfect way to enjoy music and still be safe and situationally aware. This goes for road runners and trail runners alike. Roadrunners need to hear cars, bikers and people and trail runners need to be able to animals, mountain bikers, and other people. I don’t typically take music with me on a trail run because being in nature is pure to me, but having the Trekz Air would be a way to enjoy some music while still being able to hear the birds and wind through trees as well as not disturbing others enjoying a peaceful walking in the woods.

Get your own: Visit bibrave.aftershokz.com and use the coupon code on the site to save $30. Plus, I think when you order this way you get a BibRave Truckers hat with your order!

See what the other BibRave Pros are saying:

PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest by Amphipod Running (Product Review)

May 7, 2018 / racingthestates / 1 Comment

Disclaimer: I received an PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest by Amphipod Running to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I’m going to start this review by saying I am not normally a hydration vest user. I have used other vests when they first came around but had such a bad experience with them, in terms of chaffing and cleaning, I stopped wearing them and never found a replacement.

Then, I bought a hydration belt, but even that wasn’t quite what I needed. It didn’t hold nearly enough water and it always bounces on my butt no mater how I place it or adjust it.

When BibRave put the CTA out about the Amphipod PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest, I saw the words “minimalist” and “vest” in the same sentence and was intrigued.

When it comes to hydration needs on the run (usually for anything over an hour and also depending on the temperature outside), I look for a few things:
-Amount of water I can carry
-Minimal to no “bounce” or moving around on my back or body (i.e. I don’t want it rubbing any exposed skin)
-Minimal fabric/bulk of the product itself
-Pockets for things like my phone, keys or ID and cash (because if I’m wearing a vest, I don’t want to wear anything else in terms of belts or put things in my pockets)
-Easy to take care of and clean

To keep it simple, the PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest met all my needs and more!

Pros/Features/What makes it different from other vests:
-Very minimalist feel: it’s lightweight, made from breathable material, and there isn’t much bulk to it. The only weight you feel is however much water you bring! It’s also made with very minimal material which is great when it’s hot outside and you don’t want that much fabric covering your front and back.

–Adjustable to fit perfectly: it comes in two sizes and the buckles/straps across the front are adjustable. Plus, the straps on the sides can cinch down.

–Minimal to no bounce: even with the water bottles full! They call it the “Lateral Stabilization Process.” There are three straps across the front in various places so the vest doesn’t move around or bounce on the run. With hydration belts, I hate the bounce on my butt while I run, so this is perfect!

–Ready to bring ALL the water: it comes with two-12oz bottles and is bladder ready (i.e. there’s a pouch and a hole for a tube-pass through. It would fit a 2L water bladder).

–Pockets galore: There are FOUR pockets with room to spare. The two on the front are great for snacks, gels and your phone and two on the back are great for keys, cards, and things you don’t need to access regularly while running. It seems every time I look at it I find another pocket! I can carry my phone, keys, snacks, gels, chapstick, credit card/cash/ID, kleenex and probably more.

-Bungee Cord On Back: Perfect for holding your extra layer, rain jacket or shell because when you’re on those long runs, you never know what you’ll need!

–Jett-Squeeze Caps: this means it’s easy to drink water or other fluids while running; you just pop the top and squeeze to drink. I noticed that you can leave the caps “open” or popped when they’re in the pockets and because of the squeeze caps, water doesn’t leak out.

-Easy to clean: the bottles are super easy to clean and because of the minimalist fabric and the mesh material it’s made out of, the vest itself is easy to air dry and clean when necessary. Other vests I’ve had experience with don’t breathe and end up molding if you don’t clean them soon enough, so this is a HUGE bonus for me. When it does need a wash, you can throw it in the machine on the gentle or hand wash cycle and air dry!

Things To Look Out For:
-I did notice that I can’t wear mine with a tank top. Maybe it is just me and my size, but I did once and had some pretty decent rubbing and chaffing on my neck and shoulders. I don’t notice ANY rubbing when I wear regular t-shirts or long sleeves.

Overall/Personal Experience:
To steal the words from another BibRave Pro, “I will never need another hydration vest.” Seriously. This vest has met all of my needs and then some. I now choose this vest over my other hydration products (belts, handhelds, etc). It’s even giving me motivation to make my long runs even longer so I can feel justified taking the vest on the run. It will also be pretty useful on hikes that I may not want to carry a huge backpack on.

If you’re in the market for a vest or considering adding a hydration vest to your gear closet, THIS is a great option!

Get your own: This vest retails at $100. You can purchase it online or see what stores it’s at!

Amphipod’s social media:
Instagram @AmphipodRunning
Twitter @Amphipod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amphipod/

See what the other BibRace Pros are saying:

The Marathon, How I Met Your Mother Style!

July 28, 2014February 6, 2016 / racingthestates / 2 Comments

I’m sure you are all familiar with the show “How I Met Your Mother,” right? I’m pretty sure I’m the last person to jump on this bandwagon and I recently went on a HIMYM binge and watched every episode in a row. (Not all in one setting, I swear, I do have a job and a social life).

I had seen a few episodes here and there but all my friends suggested that I watch it.

Well, they really do know me well, and thanks to NetFlix, it only took one episode to realize it was just my humor style. It is hilarious!

In season two there’s an episode about running the marathon that I thought all of you would find hilarious! (Episode 15 of Season 2 called “Lucky Penny”). It especially struck home because I had just started marathon training when I started watching HIMYM.

Here’s how it goes:

I was unsuspecting that they would start talking about running, but sure enough, Ted and his girlfriend Robin miss a flight and are trying to figure out whose fault it is that they missed the plane. They flash back to a conversation starting out with Marshal breaking his toe…

Robin: Well, you must be really bummed you’re not going to be able to run tomorrow.

Marshall: Yeah it sucks, all that work I put in training for the marathon was a total waste.

Barney: Pssh, Training for a marathon?!

Marshall: What?!

Barney: You don’t train for a marathon. You just run it.

Lilly: You’re kidding right?

Barney: Not at all, I could run a marathon anytime I wanted to.

Marshall: So, like tomorrow, you think you could wake up, roll out bed and just run the NYC marathon

Barney: Absolutely.

Robin: Barney, were talking about 42 kilometers.

Ted: Thanks Canada, I’ll take it from here. Barney, it’s like 26 miles.

Barney: Here’s how you run a marathon. Step 1. You start running. There is no step two. (My favorite line!)

Marshall: Ok prove it. Take my number and run in my place. I bet you 50 bucks you don’t even finish the race.

The next day they track his number and he finishes with a respectable time. He easily walks into the apartment to collect his winnings, medal around his neck. The best part comes at the end. Barney decides to ride the light rail for the first time because it’s free for the marathon runners. He ends up getting “stuck” because his legs are so tired and fail him.

If you haven’t seen it, you need to because it was Legen ……. wait for it ….. DARY! Legendary!