Gear Review

I've had to take a break from running thanks to, of all stupid things, a muscle pulled doing Zumba.  Or a very localized shin splint far off from my shin.  Or a deep vein thrombosis.  Maybe polio.  Yeah, I don’t know what in heck it is, only that it requires a little time off and lots of ice, lol!  I’m too annoyed at this point to discuss it, but I found something else to talk about…

GEAR!  I’ve had time to try lots of new things over the past month or so and thought I’d offer some reviews.

Meet my new BFF’s, Lucy and Ethel:

Fuel Belt Sprint 10 ounce Palm Holder

Nathan Sprint 10 Ounce

Yes, they’re water bottles.  But these gals are closer to me than some friends.  Bizarre?  Maybe.  But I’m now running in near-90-degree temps in Florida and hydration is no laughing matter.

Okay, all joking aside, these bottles are fantastic!  I got one of each style because they were the same price and both got stellar reviews; I couldn’t decide.  And I need two, since Leo often runs with me and is terrifically bad about taking in adequate fluids.  Having tested them out, I can honestly say both are incredibly comfortable, easy to use and welcome additions to our gear stash.   Just don’t tell Leo the one he uses is named “Ethel,” okay?

Also tested over the past few weeks were the CLIF Shot Bloks and Honey Stingers.  Both get thumbs-up from me for taste, though Leo proclaimed the Shot Bloks “too sweet.”  He loooves him some Honey Stingers, though.  I may or may not use them as incentive (read: bribes) to go for training runs.  Both items definitely gave me some much-needed energy on longer runs, so I’m feeling good about them when the really long runs come along.

What else?  Oh yes, a couple of super lightweight tank tops from Asic.  My short-sleeve C9 tops from Target are not cutting it in this heat.  In fact, they've been leaving me feeling like I’m wrapped in Saran Wrap.  So I tried this:

Women's ASICS Core Singlet

Oh. My.  What a difference!  The open weave of the fabric let lots of air flow through as I move forward and the lack of sleeves is surprisingly helpful.  (Really, can the reduction of two sleeves’ worth of fabric make that much difference?  Yes, yes it can.) 

Rainy season’s starting up down here, too, and I’m worried about my brand new iPhone getting caught in a deluge one of these days.  Aside from wanting it with me for safety, my iPhone tracks my runs via Runkeeper and keeps me entertained with my Badass Mother Runner, Run, V, Run!, and Pissed-Off Princess playlists.  She needs better protection than the cheapo armband I’ve been using.  So I ordered one of these:

Amphibx Fit Waterproof and Sweatproof Armband

It’s awfully big… and my upper arm is not very long.  But it’s surprisingly not uncomfortable, despite taking up the entire length of my bicep, and keeps the phone safe.  I’d call that a winner!

Last, but far, far from least – I’ve joined the Bondi Band Wagon!  After hearing really good things about these wicking headbands, I decided to give them a try myself.  Have I mentioned that it’s HOT down here?!  Lo and behold, Bondi Bands really work!  I didn’t need help keeping my hair back, but they do that very well.  What they do exceedingly well is trap sweat before it runs into my eyes and down my face.  And then they dry.  Real fast.  Like Lamborghini-fast.  Two big thumbs up from V.

I think (I hope!) we’re fully stocked on gear for a good, long while now.  Which is good, since another runDisney event is almost upon us, and that Mouse has a knack for making me spend more than I intend. ;)